Stanley Cup Playoffs Odds: As if the Blues aren't injured, as if the Penguins are all that

The 2014 Stanley Cup playoffs kick into gear Wednesday -- preceded by the consolation Draft Lottery Tuesday. If you're new to this site this year, in addition to continuing Islanders coverage and post-mortem, we will resume our annual tradition with:

• a slate of polls for each series
• nightly playoff watch threads
• our playoff bracket where users can make your picks and keep track throughout the playoffs

Look for details on how to do your bracket here on Tuesday. (We'll also pin a playoff stream to the front page so you can easily navigate to playoff-related polls and posts.)

Playoff Odds

For starters though, as you start to generate your own picks for who will win each series, have a look at some early playoff odds, as Bovada has them. Apparently, the bookies don't realize the Blues are hobbled by injuries to several key forwards.

I'm not sure I'd bet on the Blues even if they were fully healthy and hadn't just finished the season losing six games, but given their current key losses and the belief that Chicago's wounded stars Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane will be ready for Game 1, these odds seem ... unsound.

Meanwhile, apparently people are still high on the Penguins, higher than the Hawks even, which I guess you could explain away as the West's teams all have to face another powerhouse before even getting out of their division. (That said, I'm not entirely convinced the Penguins get out of their own division.

But plenty of time for all that talk as we post each poll. For now, place your, er...credibility on the line.

Odds to win the 2014 Stanley Cup

Boston Bruins 7/2

St. Louis Blues  6/1

Pittsburgh Penguins 7/1

Chicago Blackhawks 8/1

Anaheim Ducks 9/1

San Jose Sharks 9/1

Los Angeles Kings 10/1

Colorado Avalanche 14/1

Detroit Red Wings 20/1

Montreal Canadiens 20/1

New York Rangers 20/1

Philadelphia Flyers 20/1

Tampa Bay Lightning 25/1

Minnesota Wild 40/1

Columbus Blue Jackets 50/1

Dallas Stars 50/1

Odds to Win the 2014 Eastern Conference

Boston Bruins                           13/10

Pittsburgh Penguins                  11/4

Montreal Canadiens                  9/1

New York Rangers                     9/1

Philadelphia Flyers                    9/1

Detroit Red Wings                     10/1

Tampa Bay Lightning                 12/1

Columbus Blue Jackets             20/1

Odds to Win the 2014 Western Conference

St. Louis Blues                          5/2

Chicago Blackhawks                 15/4

San Jose Sharks                       9/2

Anaheim Ducks                         5/1

Los Angeles Kings                    6/1

Colorado Avalanche                  13/2

Minnesota Wild                         18/1

Dallas Stars                              22/1