The 2021 NHL season has reached its latter stages, but even with the playoffs rapidly approaching, sportsbooks are still busy adjusting their odds for hockey bettors looking to get in on some alternative wagering action.
See Odds Shark’s Best NHL Sites
Online sportsbook [Sportsbook not available for your region] has released odds on which players will lead their respective divisions in fights, with plenty of value on the board.
If you’re looking for more traditional NHL betting odds, pay a visit to our latest Stanley Cup odds article.
For more betting content on the ice, head over to our NHL hub. To find the sportsbook that’s right for you to get some money down on the NHL, make sure to check out our Sportsbook Review page.
Here’s a breakdown of the odds for all four divisions and the likeliest candidates to cash futures tickets on odds to lead NHL divisions in fights.
Watson Leads Odds in North Division Fights
| Player | Odds |
|---|---|
| Austin Watson | +115 |
| Brady Tkachuk | +225 |
| Jujhar Khaira | +950 |
| Zack MacEwen | +950 |
| Ben Chiarot | +1400 |
| Matthew Tkachuk | +1600 |
Austin Watson and Brady Tkachuk rank as the top pugilists in the NHL so far this season, as the pair of Ottawa Senators lead the league with six fights apiece. Watson has been leaned on heavily to protect the young Senators lineup and has risen to the occasion time and time again, while Tkachuk has stood his ground exchanging knuckles despite being an emerging offensive star in the Sens lineup.
Jujhar Khaira (four fights) is right on their heels among players in the North Division, but it’s hard to see him surpassing Tkachuk and Watson.
With the season coming to a close, don’t be surprised if Tkachuk gets in another scrap or two by the end of the campaign, so take the better plus-money value on him at +225.
Maroon is Fave to Notch Most Fights in Central Division
| Player | Odds |
|---|---|
| Patrick Maroon | +195 |
| Givani Smith | +400 |
| Radko Gudas | +500 |
| Jamie Oleksiak | +500 |
| Mathieu Olivier | +500 |
| Luke Schenn | +500 |
Patrick Maroon is no stranger to mixing it up in the NHL, as the 32-year-old has been protecting his teammates since entering the league back in 2007.
The Tampa Bay Lightning winger is pacing the Central Division with four fights, and all four of them have happened at Amalie Arena. Givani Smith, Radko Gudas and Jamie Oleksiak are next up on the fights list at three apiece.
Considering the dwindling number of games remaining in the season, all it would likely take is one more fight by Maroon to push him over the edge in this prop. Fighting is rare in the playoffs and the defending Stanley Cup champion Lightning are once again postseason-bound, so it would make sense for Maroon to chuck the mitts at least one more time before the season comes to an end.
Hayden is the Man to Beat in West Division Fight Leader Odds
| Player | Odds |
|---|---|
| John Hayden | +205 |
| Kurtis Gabriel | +450 |
| Keegan Kolesar | +450 |
| Nicolas Deslauriers | +450 |
| Kurtis MacDermid | +1200 |
| Kyle Clifford | +1200 |
| Brayden Schenn | +1200 |
| Ryan Getzlaf | +1800 |
| Marcus Foligno | +1800 |
John Hayden of the Arizona Coyotes has established himself as a bona fide enforcer in the league this year, and all you have to do is look at the numbers to prove it.
Hayden ranks second in the league for most fights (five), tied with Nicolas Deslauriers. Hayden has some competition besides Deslauriers in odds to lead the West Division in fights, as Kurtis Gabriel and Keegan Kolesar are right on their heels with four fights each.
If you’re looking for value in this prop, it would be wise to consider Deslauriers. The enforcer, who was nearly traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins at the trade deadline before the deal fell apart at the last minute, is a threat to get in a fight any time he steps on the ice.
The Ducks don’t have anything to play for with another missed postseason appearance on the horizon, so I wouldn’t be surprised to see the 30-year-old register a few more fights in the next week or so.
East Division Fight Odds Coming Down to the Wire
| Player | Odds |
|---|---|
| Tom Wilson | +230 |
| Trent Frederic | +230 |
| Brenden Dillon | +235 |
| Brendan Lemieux | +235 |
The East Division has undoubtedly the best race in odds to lead NHL divisions in fights, as it’s a four-way race at the top of the oddsboard right now.
Brenden Dillon and Brendan Lemieux are on top of the fights race with four bouts apiece, with Tom Wilson and Trent Frederic behind at three fights each.
Dillon’s fight with Chris Wagner of the Boston Bruins on April 11 provided the spark the Washington Capitals needed en route to a big 8-1 win. The Capital is a beast in every sense of the word and is in line for at least another fight before the season ends, so the +235 price to back him here seems incredibly appealing.
