Canucks, Senators represent Canada on Cup odds

The Vancouver Canucks and the Ottawa Senators are the only Canadian content in the Stanley Cup playoffs this season, and they're sitting in much different spots on the NHL futures heading into the postseason this week.

The Canucks enter the playoffs tied for second on the Stanley Cup odds at Bodog with the New York Rangers at 11/2, with the Pittsburgh Penguins leading the way on those NHL futures at 7/2 odds.

Vancouver, of course, lost in the Stanley Cup final in seven games to the Boston Bruins last season, falling just short of winning their first ever championship. In last year's first round they beat the Blackhawks in seven games, then knocked out the Predators in six games before dispatching the Sharks in five games.

This year their first-round opponent is the Los Angeles Kings, who dropped to eighth in the Western Conference standings on the final day of the regular season. The Canucks and Kings met four times this season, splitting those matchups 2-2 with the OVER/UNDER going 0-1-3 in the four contests.

The Senators (35/1 on the odds to win the Stanley Cup at Bodog) had to settle for eighth place in the Eastern Conference after losing in their regular-season finale on Saturday, but that's a big step forward for a franchise that missed the playoffs altogether last season.

Ottawa will take on the New York Rangers in their first-round matchup, and despite trailing New York by 17 points in the Eastern standings they posted three wins in four games against them this season. The OVER/UNDER went 1-2-1 in those contests.

The other first-round matchups in the Eastern Conference are Boston vs. Washington, Florida vs. New Jersey, and Pittsburgh vs. Philadelphia. Over in the Western Conference the other conference quarterfinals are St. Louis vs. San Jose, Phoenix vs. Chicago, and Nashville vs. Detroit.

Odds to Win the 2012 Stanley Cup at Bodog:

Pittsburgh Penguins 7/2
New York Rangers 11/2
Vancouver Canucks 11/2
St. Louis Blues 15/2
Boston Bruins 9/1
Detroit Red Wings 12/1
Nashville Predators 12/1
Philadelphia Flyers 14/1
Chicago Blackhawks 16/1
San Jose Sharks 18/1
Los Angeles Kings 20/1
New Jersey Devils 22/1
Washington Capitals 28/1
Florida Panthers 30/1
Ottawa Senators 35/1
Phoenix Coyotes 35/1