All over the nation, the weather is beginning to heat up and that includes the hockey rink. The start of the hockey playoff odds are on everybody’s mind. Some teams get excited when thinking about the start of the online NHL betting postseason, like the Pittsburgh Penguins who very well could win back-to-back championships. Others, like the Detroit Red Wings, who are on the verge of having their quarter-century postseason-appearance streak snapped, experience melancholy when thinking about the end of the season.

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Nevertheless, all across the NHL, teams are making a final push to secure a spot in this year’s postseason. While there are a handful of teams who are confident they’ll making the playoffs, like the Chicago Blackhawks or San Jose Sharks, others, like the Toronto Maple Leafs, need to end the season on a good note in order to assure that they won’t be snubbed.

The Maple Leafs will get an opportunity to further solidify their playoff aspirations when they face off against the Columbus Blue Jackets Wednesday night. Columbus ranks within the top-three in the Metropolitan Division, so it’s safe to say that Toronto will have their online NHL betting hands full facing off against the Blue Jackets.

Toronto vs. Columbus – Wednesday, March 22

When: 7:00 pm ET

Where: Nationwide Arena, Columbus, Ohio

TV: FSOH, TSN

Online NHL Betting Odds

Toronto Maple Leafs +1 ½ (-225) 5 ½ (-130) +135

Columbus Blue Jackets -1 ½ (+185) 5 ½ (+110) -155

Toronto Maple Leafs

After competing in 71 games so far this season, the Maple Leafs slide into this contest sporting a 33-23-15 record. That record yields Toronto 81 points on the season, which is good enough to rank the Maple Leafs 4^th in the Atlantic Division, 1-point shy of tying with the Bruins for third place. Likewise, the Leafs have a 4-point lead over 5^th-place Tampa Bay. Heading towards the end of the season, Toronto should focus on cracking the Atlantic’s top-three, in order to not have to worry about contending for a Wild Card berth.

Crucial to accomplishing that is avoiding losses that yield zero points. Toronto has gone 2-2 in their last 4 games, so they could certainly use a pick-me-up against the Blue Jackets. The Leafs enter this contest with the NHL’s 6^th best offense, 21^st worst defense, and 2^nd best power play percentage.

Columbus Blue Jackets

Columbus has played in 71 games this season and has racked up a 47-18-6 record that yields the club 100 points on the season. With that tally, the online NHL betting favorites have earned themselves the No. 3 seed in the Metropolitan. Furthermore, Columbus is one point behind No. 2 Pittsburgh and 6 points ahead of 4^th-place New York Rangers.

Columbus poses a problem for Toronto considering that the Blue Jackets are one of the hottest teams in the league and have won their last 4 consecutively. Columbus has the NHL’s 4^th best offense, 2^nd best defense, and 8^th best power play percentage.