NHL East vs West Odds: Potential Conference Finals Games

At this early stage of the NHL season, making predictions about the NHL East vs West Odds and the Stanley Cup is nothing more than wild speculation.

Sure, there are some teams that have looked very good through the first 20 games or so, but this is a long season, with periods of good and bad form a certainty for every team in the league.

Analysis of the Potential Conference Finals Matchups

You also have to take injuries into account, as losing a couple of key players can quickly derail a team that looks invincible.

Despite the fact that there is still a lot of hockey to come, not to mention some twists and turns along the way, we are going to blow the dust off our crystal ball and try to take a look into the future.

Specifically, we are going to take a deeper dig into both conferences and try to determine which teams might make it all the way to the Conference Finals.

We will also take a look at some potential matchups and how things might play out, so let’s get to it.

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NHL East vs West Odds provided by MyBookie

NHL Eastern Conference

I think the best way to break this all down is to look at the top 4 teams in the conference in the eyes of the bookies. We will look at the odds and compare that to what each team is delivering right now. After that, we can get into potential Conference Final matchups.

Florida Panthers +480

It is certainly no surprise to see the defending Stanley Cup champions in as the favorite to win the Eastern Conference. They have not really missed a beat coming into the new season and sit atop the Atlantic Division with a record of 12-6-1. If there is a concern with the Panthers at the moment, it might well be the number of goals (62) that they have surrendered. There is plenty of time to get that fixed, though.

Carolina Hurricanes +480

Even with an impressive record of 13-4-0, the Hurricanes are settling for 2nd in the Metropolitan Division behind the surprising Washington Capitals. Carolina are solid at both ends of the ice, which is always a good sign, and I believe that they might end up being the team to beat in the East.

Toronto Maple Leafs +520

Over the past few years, the Leafs have been one of the best regular season teams in the league, but the wheels always seem to come off once the playoffs roll around. The Leafs are holding up their end of the bargain in the early going of the regular season, but their postseason failure has to be in the minds of betters who might be considering them for a deep run this season.

New York Rangers +560

I think it’s fair to say that we are still waiting to see the best from the New York Rangers, but they are certainly showing some signs of life now, winning 3 in a row and 7 of their last 10 games. Do not sleep on this team, as I think they have all the parts to make a deep playoff run.

Potential Conference Final Matchups

You could really take any combination of those 4 teams and make a very solid Conference Final matchup, but there are a couple of teams that could upset the apple cart. Given their playoff experience, the Florida Panthers look like a good bet to be one of the two teams going to the Easter Conference Final, with the Carolina Hurricanes a good bet to join them.

I am not sold on the Maple Leafs at all until they go out and actually win a playoff series. In terms of potential dark horses, I think we need to look at both the Washington Capitals and New Jersey Devils.

Poetry in motion. 😌

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NHL Western Conference

Perhaps it’s just me, but I think the Western Conference is a little more difficult to predict, but we are definitely going to give it a shot. Let’s start by looking at the 4 teams that the bookies have at the top of their betting board.

Edmonton Oilers +390

The Oilers won the lottery when they got to draft Connor McDavid, who is on pace to break all kinds of scoring records in the NHL. They made it all the way to the Stanley Cup Final last season, but they have been inconsistent this year, which is not an uncommon theme for teams that lose in the Final the previous year. They should still be a team to consider winning the West.

Dallas Stars +490

The Stars are out to a decent start to the season, going 11-6-0, which has them sitting down in 3rd in the Central Division. They have been much better at home than they have been on the road. If they are to make another deep run this season, they need to find a way to get better away from home, where they are currently 4-4-0.

Winnipeg Jets +640

The Jets have been fun to watch this season, with their offense tearing up opposing defenses. They have already scored 80 goals this season, which has helped them get to a 16-3-0 record. It is a pace that is going to be nearly impossible to maintain, but as it stands right now, the Jets look like the team to beat.

Colorado Avalanche +650

Unless the Avalanche can get it together quickly, I think we will see their odds drop rather dramatically. They are just 10-9-0 this season and have been playing ,500 hockey over the last 10 games. Their big downside is on the defensive side of the ice, where they have already surrendered 70 goals. You cannot be that defensively leaky and hope to make a deep run.

Potential Conference Final Matchups

You really could go a variety of different ways right now, as no team other than the Winnipeg Jets has looked consistently good in the West. If they can even stay close to maintaining their current form, they look like a lock to be in the Western Conference final. The Oilers are stacked and also look like a good bet, potentially to face the Jets, but I also wouldn’t sleep in the likes of the LA Kings or Vegas Golden Knights, a team that always seems to do well once the postseason rolls around.

Bosses at the blue line. 😎

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