NHL Eastern Conference Odds & Predictions 2025: Back the Florida Panthers to Three Peat

• Carolina is listed as the betting favorite to win the Eastern Conference championship

• The Florida Panthers have won two straight conference championships

• The Panthers rank top-7 in Expected Goals For and Expected Goals Against in All Situations

Heading into the playoffs, the Florida Panthers have the opportunity to make history as the reigning Stanley Cup champions can be the first team to win three straight conference titles since the New York Islanders did it in 1982-1984. It won’t be easy as there are plenty of teams capable of dethorning them, including the Carolina Hurricanes who enter the playoffs listed as the betting favorite to win the Eastern Conference championship.

NHL Eastern Conference Championship Odds

Odds provided by BetMGM Sportsbook. Get up to $1,500 back in the form of bonus bets* should you lose your first wager after creating an account with the WSN promo code WSNSPORTS.

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NHL Eastern Conference Winner Predictions

Even after trading away Mikko Rantanen, the Carolina Hurricanes offense have managed to sustain their high level of play as they enter the playoffs ranked first in Expected Goals For in All Situations. With their defense also steadily improving over the past few weeks, the Hurricanes have made a strong case for being the team to beat as oddsmakers have listed them as the betting favorite to win the Eastern Conference championship.

As for the number one overall seed, the Washington Capitals also possess a high powered offense as their front line ranks sixth overall with an average of 3.34 Expected Goals per game. Unfortunately for Washington, their defense may hold them back from being able to make a deep run in the playoffs as they also rank below league average in Expected Goals Against.

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NHL Eastern Conference Winner Pick: Florida Panthers (+450) at BetMGM

With health back on their side, the Florida Panthers are arguably one of the more complete teams in the league as they head into the playoffs ranked top-7 in Expected Goals For and Expected Goals Against in All Situations. Sergei Bobrovsky has also managed to round back into dominant form after a shaky start to his season as the former Vezina Trophy winner is averaging just 2.44 Goals Against per game and a .906 Save Percentage.

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How to Bet on the NHL Eastern Conference Winner

A team’s level of play at all three areas of the ice is essential to factor in as a well balanced team is in a great position to make a deep run in the playoffs. Two metrics to look at are Expected Goals For and Expected Goals Against in All Situations as they indicate how well a team is at creating high quality scoring opportunities as well as how good they are at defending against them.

A team’s goalie play is also important to factor in as a productive goaltender helps limit the amount of variance in their contests. When grooming through the crop of goalies, take a look at their marks in average Goals Against per game and in Save Percentage.

How to Read NHL Eastern Conference Winner Odds

Before placing a wager on the conference winner market, it’s vital to understand how the listed odds work. If you bet $100 on the Florida Panthers at their early playoff odds of +450, then you would profit $450 if they win the Eastern Conference championship.

If you wait to see if they make another deep run in the playoffs and are listed with a minus sign in front of their odds (-135 for example), then you would need to wager $135 to profit $100. Make sure you always line shop before placing a wager as the odds for the same market can drastically vary between each sportsbook.

Where to Bet on the NHL Eastern Conference Winner

BetMGM Sportsbook has been a great app for new users to use for the Eastern Conference winner market as they normally beat out the other competitors in regard to their listed odds. If you have not signed up yet with BetMGM, use our promo code WSNSPORTS and claim the welcome offer: Get Up to $1,500 in Bonus Bets*.

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FanDuel Sportsbook has also been another great app to use as they offer a wide range of markets for their users to bet on. FanDuel is also offering a sign up promotion where new users can claim: Bet $5, Get $250 in Bonus Bets if Your Bet Wins. No promo code is required. New users just need to create an account and win their first bet of at least $5.

NHL Eastern Conference Winner History

Unlike the Western Conference, the Eastern Conference has seen plenty of repeat champions over the past 10 years with the Florida Panthers the latest to pull it off in 2023-2024. The Tampa Bay Lightning won two straight championships in 2020-2022 while the Pittsburgh Penguins did it in 2016-2017.

If the Florida Panthers are able to three-peat, then they would be the first team to do so since the New York Islanders did it in 1982-1984 when the Eastern Conference was called the Prince of Wales Conference. A win would also move them one step closer to the current leaders as the Detroit Red Wings and Pittsburgh Penguins lead the conference with six titles apiece.