NHL Season Preview: Metropolitan Division Betting Odds

Posted on: October 6, 2022, 01:28h. 

Last updated on: October 6, 2022, 02:29h.

Michael Schwartz Read More

Expertise: Regulation, Sports Betting, Sports.

The top to bottom Metropolitan division is the tightest in the National Hockey League.  This season sees five teams with odds of +650 or shorter to win the division.

Last season, four division teams made the playoffs, registering at least 100 points, Carolina (116 pts), the New York Rangers (110 pts), Pittsburgh (103 pts), and Washington (100 points). Last season, the New York Islanders (84 pts) missed out on the playoffs.

But this season, oddsmakers have them ready to jump to the division’s upper part. That’s while the rebuilding looks to continue in Columbus (81 pts), New Jersey (63 pts) and Philadelphia (61 pts).

Odds Courtesy: Bet365.com

Carolina Hurricanes

Entering the 2022-23 season, the Carolina Hurricanes are the favorite to repeat as the Metropolitan division champions. Expectations are high in Carolina, who fell short of their goals last season when they lost in seven games to the New York Rangers in the second round of the playoffs.

New York Rangers

Speaking of the Rangers, after losing to Tampa Bay last season in the Eastern Conference Finals, the Rangers appear to be a team on the rise, led by goalie Igor Shesterkin, who is only 26 years old and coming off a Vezina Trophy (best goaltender in the NHL) winning season.

Pittsburgh Penguins

As long as Sidney Crosby is a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins, the team will be considered one of the favorites to win their division and Stanley Cup. However, last season ended in a not-so-typical way for Sid and crew, as his team blew a 3-1 series lead to the Rangers in the first round of the playoffs.

Rounding out the East Coast

Just like Crosby in Pittsburgh, Alexander Ovechkin brings the same star quality to the Washington Capitals, and just like the Pens, the Caps were bounced in the first round of the playoffs last year.

Rounding out the top five in the Metropolitan are the New York Islanders. The Islanders are looking to stay in the conversation as one of the better teams in the division, rather than fade in and out of the conversation on a year-to-year basis.

Bottom of the Pack

As the division hits its bottom half, the New Jersey Devils (+2500 to win the division – +5000 to win the Stanley Cup) and the Columbus Blue Jackets (+2500 to win the division – +6600 to win the Stanley Cup) continue to gather draft picks and look towards the future.

But with the division being so top-heavy, it appears these teams are still years away from cracking into the top half. Rounding up the division are the Philadelphia Flyers (+4000 to win the division – +8000 to win the Stanley Cup), who are in unchartered waters this season, with virtually zero expectations on the club this year.

It’s been a quick drop to the basement for Philadelphia, who finished second place in the Metropolitan division just two years ago.