2018 NHL Division Odds

2018 NHL Division Odds

Written by on September 11, 2018

The 2018-2019 NHL Season starts on Oct. 3 and runs through June 2019. Check out analysis and picks for each 2018 NHL Division:  Atlantic, Central, Metropolitan, and Pacific.

2018 NHL Division Odds

NHL – Atlantic Division

  • Boston +255
  • Buffalo +4400
  • Detroit +4400
  • Florida +1300
  • Montreal +3400
  • Ottawa +5400
  • Tampa Bay +135
  • Toronto +175
Based on the odds, no division is as tight as NHL’s Atlantic Division. Only +40 separates the top two choices, Tampa Bay and Toronto, while only +80 separates the third choice, Boston, from second choice Toronto and +120 separates Boston from first choice Tampa Bay. No matter how the odds change, the Boston Bruins, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Toronto Maple Leafs should battle it out for favoritism until at least a month has passed in the NHL Regular Season. Toronto might have a slight advantage. The Maple Leafs signed John Tavares. The Leafs averaged 3.3 goals per game last season. They should average more this season with Tavares while the defense held opponents to 2.8 goals per. 2018 NHL Division Pick: Toronto Maple Leafs

NHL – Central Division

  • Chicago +1500
  • Colorado +1500
  • Dallas +600
  • Minnesota +900
  • Nashville +135
  • Louis +800
  • Winnipeg +175
The Central should come down to the Nashville Predators and the Winnipeg Jets. Nashville won the division over Winnipeg last season, but it wasn’t by much. Winnipeg won 52 games and lost 20 while Nashville won 53 games and lost 20. Neither team changed enough to say either beats the other. Winnipeg’s the play because the Jets offer better odds than Nashville. If you don’t like either the Jets or the Preds, look to back a team like Dallas, who always seems to make a run but never quite gets there. 2018 NHL Division Pick: Winnipeg Jets

NHL – Metropolitan Division

Are the Penguins a safe bet to win their division this season?
  • Carolina +800
  • Columbus +650
  • New Jersey +1400
  • NY Islanders +1600
  • NY Rangers +1600
  • Philadelphia +450
  • Pittsburgh +200
  • Washington +200
Could Philadelphia, Columbus, or Carolina beat both Pittsburgh and Washington for the Metropolitan Division? I don’t think so. Washington won the division after finishing 49-26. Pittsburgh’s 47-29 record wasn’t bad, though. The Pens should bounce back with a nice Metropolitan Division win this season. It’s difficult for a team in any sport to win 3 straight championships. That, more than anything, is why Pittsburgh couldn’t take the Stanley Cup again. The Penguins letdown season happened, which means they could start another streak this season. A Stanley Cup streak starts by winning the Metropolitan Division. 2018 NHL Division Pick: Pittsburgh Penguins  

NHL – Pacific Division

  • Anaheim +450
  • Arizona +2400
  • Calgary +550
  • Edmonton +900
  • Los Angeles +250
  • Vancouver +2400
  • Vegas +510
Did Vegas just get lucky, or are the Golden Knights for real? Will Vegas play well enough to repeat as Pacific Division Champions and, maybe, Western Conference Champions? Vegas could definitely beat their division rivals and win the Pacific. But, they must contend with a much improved Los Angeles Kings’ team. Jeff Carter is now healthy after spending most of last season out of action because of an injury. The Kings also signed Ilya Kovalchuk. Kovalchuk’s a scoring machine. The Kings ranked first in goals against and penalty kills last season. With a healthy Jeff Carter and if Kovalchuk can transfer his IHL form to the NHL, Los Angeles should average over 3 goals per match this season. That might be enough for the Kings to win the Pacific Division. 2018 NHL Division Pick: Los Angeles Kings