At the onset of the Eastern Conference future NHL betting odds is overwhelming support for the Boston Bruins. And understandably so. Boston is on pace for one of the greatest regular season records in NHL history. However, the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs will be a different matter. As the saying goes, “there is nothing like playoff hockey.” NHL history is loaded with stunning upsets of top teams in the postseason. And of low-seeded teams going to hoist Lord Stanley’s Cup. Also getting plenty of futures market love are the Toronto Maple Leafs.
2023 NHL Eastern Conference Championship Odds
| Date: | Stanley Cup Playoffs Start April 17, 2022 |
|---|
NHL Eastern Conference Championship Odds at SBG
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Boston Bruins | +210 |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | +500 |
| Carolina Hurricanes | +550 |
| New York Rangers | +650 |
| New Jersey Devils | +600 |
| Tampa Bay Lightning | +750 |
| Florida Panthers | +1500 |
| Pittsburgh Penguins | +2800 |
| New York Islanders | +3400 |
| All Other Teams | +11000 or higher |
Gamblers Believe a Stanley Cup is Bruin in Boston
At the beginning of the week, the Boston Bruins had the best record in hockey at 57-11-5. Boston has the metrics of a serious Stanley Cup championship contender. To show, the Bruins have NHL metrics of 2nd for goals scored, 14th for power play efficiency, 1st for goals allowed, and 1st for penalty killing. Those are the numbers of a complete team that plays a 200-foot game.
Of major concern is between the pipes. First goaltender Linus Ullmark has been a dominant sports betting asset in the regular season. Ullmark has a .937 save percentage and 1.92 goals against average this season. Overall, his record is 36-5-1 with four shutouts. But Ullmark has only two playoff starts in his career, with a .860 save percentage.
Offensively, the Bruins are led by one of the top forwards in hockey. Namely, David Pastrnak has a dominant season with 51 goals, 46 assists, 97 points, and a +32. Additionally, the Bruins have a secondary scoring depth that few teams can match.
Toronto is the Fanboy Choice
It is true that the Toronto Maple Leafs are the most popular team on the NHL betting board. The Maple Leaf fan base consists of most of Canada and millions of others throughout the world. And that popularity is reflected on the board. Of course, Toronto is a quality hockey club. But offsetting that is too much fanboy money that has driven up the Maple Leaf prices far beyond what they actually should be.
Toronto is one of the most potent offensive teams in the NHL. Namely, Mitchell Marner, William Nylander, Auston Matthews, John Tavares, and Michael Bunting are all threats to light the lamp. And goaltender Ilya Samsonov is an upgrade over previous Toronto goaltenders. But the question remains whether Toronto has enough heart, toughess, and sandpaper to do the job. So far, there is no evidence that they do.
Hurricane Coming Towards Stanley?
Counter to the skilled Maple Leafs are the Carolina Hurricanes. Carolina wins games with a tight lock-down defensive structure. To show, the Hurricanes rank 2nd in the NHL for goals against and penalty killing. Carolina has the heart of a champion. However, they may not have enough goal scoring. The Hurricanes lack a player that can finish. Sebastian Aho comes the closest, but he must reach a new level not yet seen come playoff time.