2018 NHL Playoff Betting Picture: Postseason Predictions, Updated Odds

As we enter the last couple of weeks of the NHL’s 2017-18 regular season, we have six teams who have basically locked up spots in each conference, but the wild card slots are still definitely up for grabs. Right now, only Nashville, Boston and Tampa Bay have clinched playoff spots — and Dallas is set for a historically awful finish. Since the implementation of the salary cap, 101 teams have had at least 80 points after 66 games — and all of them have made the postseason. Dallas went on an eight-game losing streak after reaching that threshold and now finds themselves five points out of the second wild card in the West with five games remaining on the schedule, even after a gutsy overtime win over Philadelphia. Let’s look at the latest NHL betting odds and insights for the upcoming chase for the Stanley Cup.

2018 NHL Playoff Betting Picture: Postseason Predictions, Updated Odds

Vegas is the 6th expansion team to reach the playoffs in its inaugural season in the 4 major sports since 1960 (excluding teams that came from another league via merger). William Karlsson’s 40 goals are the 2nd-most by a player for an NHL expansion team in its inaugural season. pic.twitter.com/xguiUvdlBT

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) March 27, 2018

After Nashville, Boston and Toronto, here are the latest odds for every team that has not yet been eliminated to make the postseason:

• 100%: Toronto, Winnipeg, Vegas, Pittsburgh, Washington
• 99%: San Jose, Columbus
• 97%: Minnesota
• 96%: Philadelphia
• 93%: Los Angeles
• 90%: Anaheim
• 78%: New Jersey
• 58%: St. Louis
• 56%: Colorado
• 28%: Florida
• 7%: Dallas
• 0.003%: Carolina
• 0.001%: Calgary

As of today, in the Eastern Conference, it looks like Tampa Bay, Boston and Toronto will take the top three slots in the Atlantic Division, with Washington, Pittsburgh and Columbus will take the top three slots in the Metropolitan Division. However, Columbus is just a point ahead of Philadelphia in that division, and both teams still have seven games to play. However, the Blue Jackets have won nine of 10, while the Flyers have just won in regulation four times in their last 10. If the season ended today, both of the wild cards in the East would come from the Metropolitan Division, as Philadelphia has 90 points and New Jersey has 88. Florida has 85 points, three points out of the second wild card. However, the Panthers have won seven of their last 10 in regulation, as has New Jersey, while the Flyers have lost six of their last 10, three in regulation and three either in overtime or the shootout. One problem that Philadelphia has is that their defense gives up so many goals that it is hard for their potent offense to keep up with them. In their loss to Dallas on Tuesday, the Flyers actually did well to limit the Stars to two tallies in regulation, but then it just took one mistake to spring Alexander Radulov for Dallas on a breakaway, and he scored to give the Stars their first win in their last nine games. So right now, I’m picking Philadelphia to slide out of the wild card and Florida and New Jersey to take those last two slots. In the Western Conference, Nashville has a five-point lead on Winnipeg in the Central Division and a 15-point lead on Minnesota. In the Pacific Division, Vegas leads San Jose by five points (and has a game in hand). The Kings are in third in that division, with 91 points. Anaheim also has 91 points, and both teams have seven games to play. Right now, the two wild card teams would be Anaheim and St. Louis (with the Kings winning a tiebreaker with Anaheim due to more regulation wins), but all three teams have 91 points. St. Louis could catch Minnesota (just three points behind with eight games to play for both teams). Colorado is just a point back at 90, and then Dallas is five points out of the second wild card at 86. If the season ended today, St. Louis (91 points) and Anaheim (91 points) would take the two wild cards. The Blues are riding a six-game winning streak — and they are just three points behind Minnesota, losers of five of their last 10 (two in regulation and three in overtime or the shootout). I see St. Louis and Anaheim holding onto those wild cards (or perhaps St. Louis and Minnesota switching third place in the division with the wild card), because while Colorado has come on strong offensively, their defense is still too porous to mount the comeback they need in the season’s remaining games.