Major League Baseball may be enjoying it’s inauguration into the 2017 season, but online NHL betting fans will soon have to kiss their regular season farewell and prepare to contend with the hockey playoff odds. It might have come sooner than some players would’ve liked, but with only one week of regular season play left, we’ll soon have to settle for a Stanley Cup favorite. Will the Penguins be able to win back-to-back titles? Or will we see a new team rise and lay hold of the Stanley Cup?

Latest Online NHL Betting News & Predictions

Vital to picking a favorite to go all the way is, first and foremost, knowing which teams have qualified for the postseason. With the start of the playoffs being so close, the playoff picture is all but set in stone. Across the NHL, there are a few teams who have made an insurmountable lead for themselves atop the division, while others are still vying for that final Wild Card spot.

Equally as important as knowing which teams have qualified is knowing which matchups will take place first. A team that is ubiquitously considered to be dangerous can become less of a favorite if they face a top team early in the playoffs – something we’ll certainly be seeing in this year’s playoffs.

Innie or Outie?

Eastern Conference

Washington Capitals (1) vs. Ottawa Senators (Wild Card)

Widely considered to be the best team in the NHL, the Capitals clinched this year’s first playoff berth back on March 18^th.

Columbus Blue Jackets (2) vs. Pittsburgh Penguins (3)

Columbus was the second team to clinch a spot in the postseason, as well as the second team to rack up over 100 points on the season, just one day after Washington. Pittsburgh wasn’t far behind and clinched their playoff spot on March 21^st. This is the aforementioned matchup between two of the best teams in the NHL. Online NHL betting fans would’ve liked to see such a titanic matchup a little later in the postseason.

Montreal Canadiens (1) vs. New York Rangers (Wild Card)

Montreal was able to clinch their berth on March 30^th. The Rangers secured their Wild Card berth two days before with an overtime loss.

Boston Bruins (2) vs. Toronto Maple Leafs (3)

Neither of these two have clinched and will have to battle it out with some other teams from the East.

Still Alive

Boston Bruins

They haven’t clinched yet, and they may be second in the Atlantic, but the Bruins cannot afford any slip-ups. With 92 points, the Leafs ad Senators could easily pass Boston.

Toronto Maple Leafs

The Leafs are looking to secure the Atlantic’s third seed. However, their 91-points isn’t enough for them to feel comfortable about the playoffs. Especially since the Senators also have 91.

Ottawa Senators

The Senators could very easily land a top-three spot in the division, and even if they don’t they should be a shoo-in for the Wild Card berth.

Tampa Bay Lightning

New York Islanders

Carolina Hurricanes