Odds to Win the NHL Eastern Conference: Bruins Topping the List

There was a time not long ago when the Eastern Conference was considered the weaker of the two NHL conferences, but those days are over. The race to represent the East in the 2020 Stanley Cup Final is shaping up to be one of the tightest we’ve seen in years, and the oddsboard is wide open as a result.

As of March 8, the Boston Bruins are the +230 favorites to win the East, followed by the Tampa Bay Lightning (+350), Washington Capitals (+600), Philadelphia Flyers (+600), Pittsburgh Penguins (+700), Toronto Maple Leafs (+1300), Carolina Hurricanes (+2000), New York Islanders (+2000) and New York Rangers (+2500).

Bruins Eclipse Lightning in Atlantic Division

The 2019-20 campaign has been a bit of a roller-coaster for the Lightning. Tampa Bay started off the year sluggish and then caught fire in December and carried that momentum into 2020. The Lightning went on a sizzling 11-game winning streak from late January into February but have been playing .500 hockey over their last 10 games.

In their place, the Bruins have ascended to the top of the talented Atlantic Division. At 43-14-12, a second consecutive Stanley Cup Final appearance is certainly within their grasp.

Led by David Pastrnak (94 points), Brad Marchand (86) and Patrice Bergeron (55), the B’s look like a force to be reckoned with going forward. Expect Boston’s odds to win the Eastern Conference to continue to lower, so if you like them to get back to the Cup final, the time to bet them is now.

Metropolitan is Shaping Up for a Wild Finish

The Metropolitan is a bloodbath right now, as the Capitals and Flyers are tied up at 89 points as of this writing. The Penguins are within striking distance at 84 points, while the Islanders (79), Columbus Blue Jackets (79), Hurricanes (77) and Rangers (76) remain in the hunt.

Losers of seven of their last 10, the Penguins have hit a speed bump in what’s been an otherwise consistent year. Good teams go through bad stretches, however, so I wouldn’t fret if you’re already holding a Penguins Eastern Conference ticket.

With starting goaltender Carter Hart back in the fold after missing time due to an abdominal injury, the Flyers look like a legitimate threat in the East for the first time in recent history. Philly has won nine straight games and has been especially dominant at home this year, going 25-5-4 at Wells Fargo Center.

Philly’s problem has never been up front – they’re no stranger to filling opposing nets with pucks. Goaltending issues have plagued this franchise since the 1990s, but Hart is the real deal, meaning the Flyers finally have a reliable netminder to play in front of. I really like the Flyers to make some noise in the postseason, so their +600 price is not lacking value.

Looking for more hockey betting information? Head over to our NHL page. Here’s a look at the full list of Eastern Conference odds:

Odds as of March 8 at Bovada