Best Eastern Conference Teams in NHL This Year
Following the elimination of the New York Islanders, the Eastern Conference in the NHL is down to its final eight teams. These include the Boston Bruins, Carolina Hurricanes, Florida Panthers, New York Rangers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Tampa Bay Lightning, Toronto Maple Leafs and Washington Capitals. They all have elite players and over 100 points, which begs the question, who will come out on top?
Top-Five Eastern Conference Teams Ranked
Placing wagers on the Stanley Cup is not the only way you can bet on hockey. No, numerous NHL betting sites also post odds for teams likely to win the Eastern Conference. These odds fluctuate throughout the season as teams play better or worse, so it’s essential to know how to rank the teams.
1. Florida Panthers
The Florida Panthers are the favorites for most people, as they have been the NHL’s highest-scoring squad in recent memory.
After adding Claude Giroux and Ben Chariot at the NHL Trade Deadline, the Panthers became a better team. Those two players joined Hart Trophy candidate Jonathan Huberdeau and Selke Trophy contender Aleksander Barkov. Other top guys on the team include Sam Reinhart, Aaron Ekblad and Anthony Duclair.
2. Toronto Maple Leafs
Like the Panthers, the Toronto Maple Leafs have had tons of success this year. They are 53-21-7 with 113 points.
Auston Matthews has scored 60 goals this season and Mitch Marner, who has 97 points in 72 games, has impressed, too. As long as these two are firing all cylinders for the Maple Leafs in the postseason, the team should experience success.
3. Tampa Bay Lightning
The Tampa Bay Lightning have won the Stanley Cup two years in a row and they might come out on top a third time in three tries. They are 50-22-8 and will likely play the Maple Leafs in the first round of the postseason.
Brayden Point, Nikita Kucherov, Victor Hedman and Andrei Vasilevskiy create one of the best cores in hockey, making the Lightning a scary team once again.
4. Carolina Hurricanes
The Carolina Hurricanes are 53-20-8, have 114 points, boast a five-game winning streak and are 7-3 in their last 10 games. They are a very good hockey team.
They solidified their lineup by acquiring Max Domi last month, who will give them the physicality they need in the postseason.
5. Boston Bruins
The Bruins can never be forgotten about.
After trading for Hampus Lindholm, their defense is ready for the postseason. Besides Lindholm, Charlie McAvoy, Matt Grzelcyk and Brandon Carlo complete their top-four.
The Eastern Conference Is A Must-Watch
With these five teams boasting the strongest résumés to represent the Eastern Conference in the Stanley Cup, you can expect some great playoff duels. Even top sportsbooks are following up on the action, having already posted their odds for each team. So, be the smartest fan in the room and use the guide above to make wise decisions when placing any bets.
