NHL Conference Championships Betting Odds: Picks to Consider

With the All-Star Break now firmly in the rearview mirror and the trade deadline almost upon us, we move into the second half of the NHL season, with the race for playoff spots about to get real. For those of us looking to wager on the respective conference winners, things are a little tricky at the moment. The spate of postponed games over the last couple of months means that there is a little bit of an imbalance in the standings at the moment. Is it better to have the points in the bag or a bunch of games in hand? I guess we will find out soon enough, as we are going to see the majority of those lost games made up this month. Now might well be the time to get your NHL conference championship picks in, so let’s take a look at the current NHL Conference odds.

Eastern Conference and Western Conference Odds to Win | NHL Betting

Eastern Conference

The strength of the Eastern Conference can be found in the Atlantic Division, where the top 3 favorites to win the conference currently reside. Here are the current top 4 favorites and their odds:

Florida Panthers (+330) – Not only are the Panthers on top of the Atlantic with a 3-point lead, they also have the most points (69) of any team in the NHL. If this team has a weakness, it may be their play on the road. They are 2 games above .500 there, but that pales in comparison to their stellar 23-3-0 home record.

Tampa Bay Lightning (+380) – The Lightning, who are the defending champions, have a game in hand to the Panthers, but they would still be a point back if they win that. This is a team with a habit of winning the big games, so watch out for them coming down the stretch.

Toronto Maple Leafs (+400) – The third team from the Atlantic Division is up next, but the Maple Leafs have made a long habit of choking when the going gets tough. We should not rule them out completely as a conference winner, but wager with caution.

Carolina Hurricanes (+400) – The current leaders in the Metropolitan Division are deservedly among the favorites to win the East, but they also have the fewest conference wins of the 4 teams listed here.

Western Conference

You could well argue that picking the winner of this conference is a good deal easier, as we have a very clear favorite emerging. Here are the current top 4 favorites and their odds:

Colorado Avalanche (+166) – No real surprise here, as the Avalanche are also the favorites to win the Stanley Cup. They are 8 points clear at the top of the Central Division and also have a game in hand, so catch them if you can.

Vegas Golden Knights (+275) – The Golden Knights are sitting atop the Pacific Division, but it’s a tight race there, with both the Flames and Oilers still sitting with games in hand to the leaders. Their odds might drop in the coming weeks, so keep an eye on that.

Minnesota Wild (+650) – The Wild are 9 points back of the Avalanche in the Central, but they also have 3 games in hand. The Wild are streaking right now, winning each of their last 6 games, so there is a chance that these might be the best odds you get for a while.

Calgary Flames (+880) – Definitely a little bit of a longshot at the moment, but I would not sleep on this team. They are 5 points back of Vegas in the Pacific, but they also have 4 games in hand. Winners of 3 in a row, the Flames are closing that gap.

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I have read enough, I need to place my bet now. What to do?