National Hockey League Playoff Proposition Odds for March 21, 2017
The NHL playoffs are always excellent. No other sport brings the postseason intensity the way that hockey does. Compare the NHL playoffs to the NBA playoffs. If the NBA season ended right now the Cleveland Cavaliers would play the Detroit Pistons in the first round. The Pistons are 2 games under .500, one of two teams in the conference that will make the postseason with a losing record. Out West, the Golden State Warriors will open their playoffs with a first round series against either Denver or Portland. The Blazers are 3 games under .500, the Nuggets 4 games under the ‘Mendoza Line’. It appears that only one Western Conference team will make the playoffs with a losing record making it three for the league overall. That doesn’t sound bad until you consider that the worst playoff record a year ago was the Houston Rockets who finished with a perfect .500 mark (41-41). Teams ‘dogging it’ during their first round series is common in pro basketball. In the NBA playoff first round you’ll either get a blowout mismatch (two opening round series were sweeps last year with another two finishing 4-1) or a competitive series between underachievers (two series went a full 7 games with two more going six games).
That’s not the case in the NHL. The Montreal Canadiens have the inside track for winning the Atlantic Division. All that would get them if the season ended today is an opening round matchup against the New York Rangers–a team with more total points. Washington has the best shot at winning the top seed in the conference which would give them an opening round series against a talented young Toronto team that has split a pair of games against the Caps this season.
The Western Conference is just ridiculous every year. If the season ended today the Chicago Blackhawks would win the Western Conference championship–and that would get them an opening round matchup against their hated rivals the St. Louis Blues. The other matchups in the West are only slightly less compelling: Minnesota vs. Nashville, Edmonton vs. Anaheim and San Jose against Calgary.
With the season entering it’s crucial final games we’ve come up with a list of NHL Hockey props covering the playoff chase, how teams will fare in the playoffs and for those that don’t make the cut how they’ll do in the league’s Draft Lottery. The winner in the last three draft lotteries parlayed the top pick into defenseman Aaron Ekblad (Florida), future Hall of Famer Connor McJesus…er…McDavid (Edmonton) and future All Star Auston Matthews (Toronto). Look for updated props every couple of days until the playoffs get underway:
NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE PLAYOFF PROPOSITION ODDS FOR MARCH 21, 2017
NHL ‘OH CANADA’ PROP ODDS
How many Canadian teams will make the playoffs?
Over 4.5: -600
Under 4.5: +450
How many Canadian teams will advance to the second round of the playoffs?
Over 2.5: -140
Under 2.5: +120
How many Canadian teams will advance to the Conference Finals?
Over 1.5: +225
Under 1.5: -250
Will a Canadian team play in the Stanley Cup Finals?
Yes: +450
No: -600
Will a Canadian team win the Stanley Cup?
Yes: +1500
No: -2250
NHL DRAFT LOTTERY PROPS
Will a Canadian team win top pick in the NHL Draft Lottery?
Yes: +500
No: -650
Will the Toronto Maple Leafs win top pick in the NHL Draft Lottery?
Yes: +2750
No: -3500
Will the Edmonton Oilers win top pick in the NHL Draft Lottery?
Yes: +12500
No: -25000
A team from which conference will win top pick in the NHL Draft Lottery?
Western Conference: -145
Eastern Conference: +125
Will the Colorado Avalanche win top pick in the NHL Draft Lottery?
Yes: +450
No: -600
Will the Las Vegas Golden Knights win top pick in the NHL Draft Lottery?
Yes: +750
No: -950
TEAM PLAYOFF PROPS
CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS
Will the Chicago Blackhawks win the Central Division Title?
Yes: -350
No: +310
Will the Chicago Blackhawks finish with the top seed in the Western Conference?
Yes: -225
No: +205
MINNESOTA WILD
Will the Minnesota Wild win the Central Division Title?
Yes: +350
No: -400
Will the Minnesota Wild finish with the top seed in the Western Conference?
Yes: +375
No: -450
ST. LOUIS BLUES
Will the St. Louis Blues make the playoffs?
Yes: -1250
No: +900
Will the St. Louis Blues qualify for the playoffs in a Wild Card spot?
Yes: +350
No: -400
NASHVILLE PREDATORS
Will the Nashville Predators make the playoffs?
Yes: -650
No: +575
Will the Nashville Predators qualify for the playoffs in a Wild Card spot?
Yes: -125
No: +105
WINNIPEG JETS
Will the Winnipeg Jets make the playoffs?
Yes: +9000
No: -15000
SAN JOSE SHARKS
Will the San Jose Sharks qualify for the playoffs in a Wild Card spot?
Yes: +7500
No: -12500
Will the San Jose Sharks win the Pacific Division Title?
Yes: -750
No: +600
Will the San Jose Sharks finish with the top seed in the Western Conference?
Yes: +2500
No: -3750
EDMONTON OILERS
Will the Edmonton Oilers qualify for the playoffs in a Wild Card spot?
Yes: +350
No: -500
Will the Edmonton Oilers win the Pacific Division Title?
Yes: +900
No: -1250
ANAHEIM DUCKS
Will the Anaheim Ducks qualify for the playoffs in a Wild Card spot?
Yes: +250
No: -300
Will the Anaheim Ducks win the Pacific Division Title?
Yes: +1750
No: -2250
CALGARY FLAMES
Will the Calgary Flames win the Pacific Division Title?
Yes: +2250
No: -2750
Will the Calgary Flames qualify for the playoffs in a Wild Card spot?
Yes: +125
No: -145
LOS ANGELES KINGS
Will the Los Angeles Kings make the playoffs?
Yes: +450
No: -600
TO WIN NHL EASTERN CONFERENCE
Washington Capitals: +350
Pittsburgh Penguins: +350
Columbus Blue Jackets: +450
Montreal Canadiens: +600
New York Rangers: +750
Ottawa Senators: +750
Boston Bruins: +1250
Tampa Bay Lightning: +1250
Toronto Maple Leafs: +2750
New York Islanders: +3500
Florida Panthers: +5000
Philadelphia Flyers: +7500
Carolina Hurricanes: +25000
Buffalo Sabres: +50000
TO WIN NHL WESTERN CONFERENCE
Chicago Blackhawks: +250
Minnesota Wild: +350
Calgary Flames: +650
San Jose Sharks: +650
Anaheim Ducks: +750
Edmonton Oilers: +1250
Nashville Predators: +1250
St. Louis Blues: +1500
Los Angeles Kings: +2100
Winnipeg Jets: +15000
TO WIN STANLEY CUP
Washington Capitals: +450
Chicago Blackhawks: +550
Pittsburgh Penguins: +600
Columbus Blue Jackets: +650
Minnesota Wild: +650
Montreal Canadiens: +1150
New York Rangers: +1250
San Jose Sharks: +1450
Ottawa Senators: +1500
Calgary Flames: +1750
Anaheim Ducks: +1950
Edmonton Oilers: +2100
Boston Bruins: +2500
Nashville Predators: +2500
St. Louis Blues: +2500
Tampa Bay Lightning: +3000
Toronto Maple Leafs: +3750
Los Angeles Kings: +4250
New York Islanders: +4500
Florida Panthers: +12500
Philadelphia Flyers: +17500
Carolina Hurricanes: +50000
Buffalo Sabres: +50000
Winnipeg Jets: +50000