Well, this is unexpected. The whole first round was unexpected, frankly, with the two teams (the Pittsburgh Penguins and Vancouver Canucks) most picked to win the Cup were bounced in the first round. Factor in the fact that the defending Cup champion Boston Bruins were also bounced, and the oddness of the standings going into the semifinals led to people questioning who the favorite is now.
Look no further -- it's your St. Louis Blues.
According to Kukla's Korner, the Blues are now leading the group with 15/4 odds. Not exactly 100% sure fire bet, but if you would have told Blues fans back in October that their team would be favorites to win the Stanley Cup, they would have been incredulous at best.
Why are the Blues top choice? They've got the best defense in hockey, outstanding goaltending, and a nearly flawless record against the Eastern Conference (14-2-2) that is the best among their Western Conference compatriots.
For updates, stay tuned to SB Nation St. Louis. For more in-depth coverage of this series, visit Blues blog St. Louis Game Time and Kings blog Jewels From The Crown. For additional coverage of the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs, visit SB Nation’s NHL news hub.