With pleasure I am back again with Sporfolio this year to cover the upcoming NHL Season. Make sure you check out my weekly content for the nationally covered games in the NHL starting with the triple header on October 10th, but in the meantime we have some future bets to get you going until then! Make sure you are following @Sporfolio and myself @Daily_Biscuit31 for all your sport coverage needs in the NHL and NFL. Also, you can read my Western Conference Preview here.
Metro
Carolina Hurricanes – UNDER 109.5 Points -120
The Metro is going to be a bloodbath with every team out to prove themselves. Last season the Canes tallied 113 points, good enough to take the Metro as it came down to the last weekend of play holding off New Jersey. I look at it this way to only give a 2 game regression might not be enough as teams have gotten better (NJ) and have to deal with the pesky teams like the Rangers, Pens and Caps.
New Jersey Devils – To Win Metro Division +240
This year the Devils will be leaps and bounds better than last year, and that’s saying a lot from a team that finished with 112 points and won a playoff series. They will have a full training camp with Timo Meier, they also added Tyler Toffoli (via trade) so they did not add much but they also did not lose much either in terms of significance, look for the Devils to compete for the division just like last year.
New York Rangers – UNDER 103.5 Points -105
Saying the Rangers are two wins worse than last year is accurate. I’ll echo what i said about the Hurricanes. As a Rangers fan i seen this story before… have a talented roster make a run (conference finals two years ago), then disappointedly lose to there rivals in the first round to only get a new head coach, to only then make a run to the Stanley Cup Finals with said new coach. This will happen one of two ways… a disappointing season where they miss the playoff all together or make a deep playoff run. I don’t see them missing the playoffs but they will likely make the playoffs as a wildcard.
New York Islanders – To Miss the Playoffs -130
The Islanders squeaked into the playoffs last year as the #1 wild card team with 93 points Florida (92 points) made it all the way to the Cup finals, with the Pens, Sabers and even the Sens finishing within 2 games of them. Not doing much in terms of improvement while others have, and in one of the best divisions in the league the Isles are likely to be on the outside looking in this year.
Pittsburgh Penguins – UNDER 97.5 points -105
The Penguins did not do much in terms of improving the team. Crosby / Malkin / Letang are older so I’m not sure why oddsmakers have them improving 4 games in a Conference that is stacked and getting better. Combine that with Jarry still being a question mark in net with no real backup plan i expect the Penguins to struggle.
Washington Capitals – UNDER 83.5 POINTS -105
Washington is in a very weird place after winning the Cup a few years ago they fired their head coach, and well things have not been the same since. Ovechkin still can bring it as he scored 42 goals in 73 games, but the writing is on the wall as he is slowly declining, as he hasn’t played a full season since 2017-2018 (4 years one being COVID) While the Great Eight was amazing to watch in his prime we should just enjoy his greatness while it lasts as we might start to see the beginning of the end.
Philadelphia Flyers – No Play
The Flyers are in purgatory, they should be better but in a division that is the best in the league it’s hard to gauge them. A lot of their success will ride on Carter Hart but outside of there where is there offense coming from? Their point O/U is right in line from last year at 75.5 (finished with 75) and for them to miss the playoffs is just too juiced at -1000 so there is no value anywhere for the Flyers.
Columbus Blue Jackets – UNDER 72.5 Points – 105
The fact that this line is so high is unreal as they are expected to jump 13 points (7 wins) for a team that is as dysfunctional as the Blue Jackets? There is nothing to like about Columbus and they will continue to be at the bottom on the league in terms of points and wins and will be in the hunt for the #1 pick next year.
Atlantic
Boston Bruins – OVER 101.5 Points – 105
I could not have ran fast enough to take this number…. Would they have replicated last year’s 135 points? No but to say there is 12 win game drop off is not fair to the raining division and president trophy winners. They still have goaltending issues but that can be covered up by how well they play on both sides of the puck.
Toronto Maple Leafs – To Win Atlantic Division +175
The Atlantic is made of three teams, Boston, Toronto and Tampa. The most logical team to overtake the Bruins is the Leafs. As I will mention more of Tampa is in worse shape than what everyone is leading on. Regression will come in Boston as teams never replicate back to back President Trophy runs, outside of them I don’t think Florida is good enough to threaten the Leafs or Boston to win the division. So as long as Toronto can replicate what they did last year the division is theirs to have.
Tampa Bay Lightning – To Miss Playoffs +115
The writing is on the wall already after an early playoff exit last year, an upset captain in Stamkos, paired with Andrei Vasilevskiy missing two months, and the expected points total a low one at 93.5 regression is due for a team that has constantly made deep playoff runs might just be too much to over come with upcoming teams in the division (Sabers, Sens, Red Wings). Someone is due to get bounced from the Playoffs and that team could be Tampa.
Florida Panthers – To MISS Playoffs +175
Florida shocked the world making a run to the finals as a eight seed, their magical run ended as Vegas finally took home the hardware in only 5 years of existence. The main reason why the Panthers made the playoffs was great goaltending. I don’t think that will be replicated this year, and with teams hot on their tail for likely the 3rd division spot or a wild card they can easily find themselves on the outside looking in.
Buffalo Sabers – No Play
As mentioned the Sabers were on the outside looking in for the Playoffs by one point. They are projected to eclipse that at 92.5 and that could get them in the playoffs. Like the flyers mentioned there just are not many variables and not enough value to place any type of wager on the sabers.
Ottawa Senators – To make playoffs -130 or over 92.5 points -125
Ottawa took leaps and bounds from last year and improved dramatically. They are one of those teams I mentioned that will challenge Tampa for the 3rd division spot and can take it. Last year’s wild card teams in the East had 93 points (Islanders) and 92 points (Panthers) basically asking the Senators to win 3 more games is not out of the question this upcoming season.
Detroit Red Wings – Over 85.5 points -125
As mentioned above with Ottawa, Detroit is on the up and coming and they are rebuilding the right way making small Free Agent moves and drafting and hitting. Asking them to win 3 more games than last year is not a hard thing to ask from a team that has been improving the last 3 years. I don’t think it will happen with how bunched up the Atlantic will be, but to make the playoffs is a very nice value play at +230.
Montreal Canadiens – UNDER 70.5 Points -105
The Habs point total is 2 wins higher than last year’s final tally (finished with 68 points) Nothing they have done in the off season indicates they can go over and improve as from last year. In a few years they will be in the discussion like the Red Wings and Sabers but for now it’s still a rebuild in Montreal.