NHL Ice Hockey Betting Preview – Eastern Conference

Following on from our NHL Western Conference preview, we take a look at the Eastern Conference Ice Hockey Betting, which is deemed to be the more competitive, the tougher physically of the two. There are some fantastic rivalries in this conference, and arguably two of the teams with the most Stanley Cup winning potential are here, the Washington Capitals and the Pittsburgh Penguins. They are the powerhouses of the East, and each has a young superstar which has changed the face of the game over the past five years. Eastern match ups are often a little more physical than the west, and looking at some ante post NHL Ice Hockey betting, especially on the conference market for the East, there are some incredibly tempting prices to take. Here is our guide to the NHL Eastern Conference

Eastern Conference Outright Betting Odds

Washington Capitals: 7/2 at Boylesports
Pittsburgh Penguins: 7/2 at Victor Chandler
Philadelphia Flyers: 7/1 at Boylesports
Boston Bruins: 9/1 at Stan James
New Jersey Devils: 10/1 at Victor Chandler

This is probably the division which draws the most interest from the neutral viewer, and it is easy to see why. That is because two of the NHL’s biggest stars go head to head in this division. For the Washington Capitals you have Alexander Ovechkin, who is a big hitting, net driving, stick handling genius. For the Penguins you have Sidney Crosby, the poster boy of the NHL, who is a prolific points getter with all the flair and skill you could ask for. When the two sides meet there is generally fireworks, and the two will go head to head in the 2011 Winter Classic, which is a regular league match played outdoors on open ice. With their respective teams being built around the two stars, it is clear that no one else in the conference is going to get much of a look in when it comes to the title. Realistically you have too look t these two as being the strongest, with the Washington Capitals coming as close to having a perfect team as you can imagine. From back to front, they are built for scoring goals and with Ovechkin hitting over 50 goals a season, you have a team which should be able to get over recent disappointments in the Stanley Cup and go all the way. Their nearest rivals, the Penguins have had to shake up the defensive corps a bit, but they still have to be pencilled in as one of the teams to beat. Fantastic goaltending, incredible production from Crosby and fellow superstar Evgeni Malkin will keep them going strong. Disappointed in an early exit from the Stanley Cup play-offs last year as defending Champions. Expect them to hit back with a bang. The Conference should come down to these two.

Atlantic Division Outright Betting

Pittsburgh Penguins: 11/10 at Stan James
New Jersey Devils: 7/2 at Boylesports
Philadelphia Flyers: 4/1 at Totesport
New York Rangers: 22/1 at Boylesports
New York Islanders: 40/1 at Stan James

You could sit down and wax lyrical about the talent at the Pittsburgh Penguins all day long. The core of players which they have, really elevate the rest of the players around them. Sidney Crosby, a three times NHL All Star is the big name at the club and he is arguably one of, if not the best player in the NHL. Ice Hockey bet has to focus around the Pittsburgh Penguins somehow, and the price to win the Atlantic Division is good enough to back well. What gives a further advantage to the prolific nature of the Penguins, is that the rest of the division haven’t been enjoying the greatest times. The Rangers and Islanders looked a little lost last year, stuck between rebuilding and pushing forward, while the Philadelphia Flyers, a great hardworking side only showed their true potential when they hit the playoffs. The Flyers are a good bet to reach the play-offs again, as they did it last year without playing particularly great, and with some turmoil behind the scenes. The Devils have the best goaltender in the league, and they now have a true world star in Ilya Kovalchuk to add some better offensive balance to their defensive side. The Devils will remain hard to beat, and it will be interesting to see if everything comes together in a balanced side. Will be competitive like the Flyers, but not in the league of the Penguins.
Tip: Penguins, Flyers

Northeast Division Outright Betting Odds

Boston Bruins: 23/20 at Stan James
Buffalo Sabres: 9/2 at Boylesports
Montreal Canadiens: 9/2 at BetFred
Ottawa Senators: 9/2 at Boylesports
Toronto Maple Leafs: 20/1 at Stan James

Not one of the strongest divisions in the NHL, but the Boston Bruins are seen as the strongest, even though they don’t have the offensive power to really challenge too hard for the cup. They have a good squad, plenty of strength in depth, but it’s probably not quite the right quality, which makes this division one of the more open ones. The Buffalo Sabres have a goaltending star in Ryan Miller, and have plenty of attacking quality, but they just need to gel together more consistently. If they find a rhythm, then there is no reason why they can’t seriously contend for the division title, simply because they have already a good balanced side and should be in the play-offs. Disappointed when they got the play-offs last season, but they earned enough regular season points to suggest that they will be back again. Montreal always look better on paper than what they produce on the ice, and it doesn’t look as if it is going to be much better this season. Have changed up the roster a bit, so there is an element of an unknown quantity about them, but the fact that the main core is still there, and they are relying on a goaltender who hasn’t nailed that consistency, they won’t be up there. The Senators are pretty much in the same boat as the Canadiens in this feisty division. The Sens need to find more goal scoring power, but you can lump them in a hat with the Canadiens and Sabres and pull one out to see who could sneak the division title. The best tip would be the Sabres, as they have a more proven balanced side.
Tip: Sabres, Bruins

Southeast Division Outright Betting Odds

Washington Capitals: 1/9 at Bet365
Tampa Bay Lightning: 7/1 at Totesport
Atlanta Thrashers: 20/1 at Boylesports
Caroline Hurricanes: 22/1 at Blue Square
Florida Panthers: 40/1 at Boylesports

If you have read the above, then it’ll be no surprise as to who is the strongest team is going to be in this division. This should be something of a cakewalk again for the Caps, whose cause will be aided by having very little in the way of competitive teams in the division. You really cannot see a threat coming from any of them in terms of challenging the Caps. The Canes have the firepower to challenge, but they really never got going last year because of key injuries and a lack of depth to back it up. There is potential there for a good play off run again, but just like Tampa Bay and Atlanta, they are more decent sides to anything which is going to go out and challenge for the division or the Stanley Cup. The Lighting have great potential with experience and youth, especially in Steven Stamkos who is another young superstar of the NHL, and the Thrashers actually look an exciting prospect after having a major overhaul. Take out the Caps and this is a pretty evenly matched division (apart from the Panthers, who will be hanging around the bottom of the division, conference and league).
Tip: Capitals, Thrashers