March Madness odds have a different meaning to each online sports betting fan. For most people, they mean it’s time to make NCAA basketball picks. But for NHL betting fans, March Madness betting means hockey’s playoff push is in full swing.

We talked about the big Stanley Cup betting contenders last month, but what about the sleepers? They range from (a) under-the-radar teams to (b) teams making late pushes to (c) teams who are slumping right now but have the talent to bounce back. Let’s break down the top five sleeper contenders for the Stanley Cup odds.

(Note: Pittsburgh is not included. They Pens are so hot right now that they’re already back among the major contenders, especially considering they reached the Stanley Cup betting Final last year.)

5. New York Rangers

Perhaps because they foolishly threw so much money around in the late 1990s and early 2000s, everyone seems to love watching the Rangers fail in NHL betting. After starting the year hot, they hit the skids in a big way, falling out of the top eight before firing head coach Tom Renney.

Since then, three major changes have them back on track. Naturally, they’re playing better under new coach John Tortorella (6-3-1); every NHL team does so with a fresh bench boss. Underrated trade deadline acquisition NIk Antropov has also made an immediate splash with four goals in seven games. Lastly, Sean Avery is back where he belongs and making waves in the Big Apple with four goals of his own in seven games. With these momentum changes and an elite puckstopper in Henrik Lundqvist, the Rangers could surprise at the sportsbook.

4. Carolina Hurricanes

Who saw this coming? Yet another team energized by a “new” coach, the ’Canes are much improved since Paul Maurice returned and are especially dominant at home right now, winning six straight. A key to their torrid offensive play of late has been another golden oldie; Erik Cole was shipped back to Carolina at the trade deadline and has rediscovered his chemistry with Eric Staal.

This team is resembling the 2006 Stanley Cup champion roster more and more every day – a brash group of big, physical forwards who relentlessly pummel opposing defenders. Even Cam Ward is looking more like his Conn Smythe self of late. Sure, the ’Canes still don’t have a blueline, but that’s been the case for the last decade.

3. Montreal Canadiens

The so-called centennial season (it’s the 99^th) was supposed to be Montreal’s magic Stanley Cup year but it’s been a nightmare so far. Where to begin? Carey Price’s injury, Alex Kovalev’s banishment, the Kostitsyn mob scandal, Guy Carbonneau’s firing…nothing has gone right for the Habs. But any online sports betting fan with a sense of drama must have the tiniest inkling that all the chaos sets up for a dramatic, come-from-behind playoff run. We know the boys can still skate, their power play is fixed and they should respond to Bob Gainey. If Carey Price finds himself, you just never know what could happen in the Stanley Cup odds.

2. Columbus Blue Jackets

Are the Jackets everyone’s favorite online betting sleeper right now? Not only are they poised to earn their first-ever Stanley Cup betting playoff berth, they’re suddenly just four points away from home-ice advantage. There’s no telling what Rick Nash can do in the playoffs with his size and agility and deadline acquisition Antoine Vermette is a hockey player’s hockey player. Most importantly, they have Steve Mason, the rookie goalie who I think deserves MVP consideration. Regardless of how good Malkin, Ovechkin and Parise have been, where would Columbus be without Mason? No one has been as valuable to his team. It’s entirely possible that Mason could steal a series come NHL betting playoff time.

1. Vancouver Canucks

I debated whether they qualify for the sleeper list since they’re as hot as the Pens right now – 15-3-1 since the start of February and winners of a franchise-record 10 straight at home. But I still think they’re not getting full respect at the sportsbook right now; the mentality is that “it won’t last, they’re not for real.” While the Canucks certainly aren’t the best team in the NHL, they look like a major upset contender come spring.

What’s different about these Canucks from last year’s edition? They can roll two scoring lines. The Sedin-Sedin-Burrows unit is a shoe-in for production, but the Sundin-Demitra-Kesler gives Vancouver newfound depth and prevents opposing defenses from keying on any particular line. Add that to Roberto Luongo, who is the quintessential series-stealing type of goalie, and I see at least one series win for the Canucks in the cards. Would it be that far of a stretch to see them beat, say, Detroit in round two based on superior goaltending? Think about it before you make your NHL betting playoff picks at the offshore sportsbook.