NHL Betting Preview: Eastern Conference Playoff Matchups, Odds, Analysis

The Washington Capitals (56-18-8) were the best team in the NHL during the regular season and will try to become the first team since the 2012-13 Chicago Blackhawks to win the Stanley Cup after earning the Presidents’ Trophy.

The Capitals are overwhelming 3-2 favorites on the odds to win the Eastern Conference and have 4-1 odds to win the Stanley Cup for the first time in franchise history at sportsbooks monitored by Odds Shark.

The Blackhawks are the only team to win the Presidents’ Trophy and the Stanley Cup in the previous seven years, as the New York Rangers had the league’s best record last year but then lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Eastern Conference Final.

The Rangers (46-27-9) and Lightning (46-31-5) are contenders to win the East again this year, but they are not nearly as strong as last season, when they had two of the top three point totals in the conference.

The Rangers are listed at 7-1 to win the East, finishing third in the Metropolitan Division this season behind the Caps and Pittsburgh Penguins (48-26-8) after winning it a year ago. The New York Islanders (45-27-10) and Philadelphia Flyers (41-27-14) also made the postseason field from the division as the two wild-card teams.

The Islanders are 10-1 and face the Atlantic Division champion Florida Panthers (47-26-9) in the first round. Meanwhile, the Flyers are 14-1 and play Washington after splitting the regular-season series at 2-2.

The Panthers are the 8-1 fourth choice to win the East behind the Rangers and Penguins, who have the second-best odds at 9-2. Pittsburgh matches up with the Rangers in the first round and was one of the league’s hottest teams down the stretch, although goalie Marc-Andre Fleury has not played since March 31 due to a concussion.

Florida has a tough matchup with the Islanders in the first round but has won four of the past five meetings, according to the Odds Shark NHL Database, including two of three this season. The over is 8-0-2 in the past 10 meetings between the Panthers and Isles for totals bettors.

The Detroit Red Wings (41-30-11) made the playoffs for a record 25th consecutive season and will take on Tampa Bay for the second straight year in the opening round of the postseason. The Red Wings are 14-1 to win the East and will be playing a weaker Lightning team without top goal scorer Steven Stamkos, who is out due to a blood clot.