NHL Eastern Conference Odds & Predictions 2025: Panthers Make a Statement in Game One

• The Florida Panthers are the betting favorite to win the Eastern Conference Finals

• The Panthers beat the Carolina Hurricanes 5-2 in game one of their series

• Carolina’s offense leads all playoff contenders in Expected Goals For 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

With the NHL season wrapping up, this market is no longer available. Check back with us soon, as we will bring you the latest predictions as soon as odds become available at online sportsbooks.

NHL Eastern Conference Winner Predictions

After setting the league on fire with their offense, the Carolina Hurricanes crashed hard back down to reality in game one of their series against Florida as the reigning Stanley Cup champions held them to just two total goals. A stunning performance from the Hurricanes as their front line entered the contest ranked first overall of all playoff contenders in Expected Goals For in All Situations with an average of 4.13 Expected Goals per game.

Fortunately for Carolina, positive regression looms large as their result in Expected Goals indicates they were very unlucky. Even though the Hurricanes lost 5-2 on the actual scoreboard, they won in Expected Goals as they finished the contest 3.73-2.20. Should the puck start to find the back of the net at a more consistent rate, then expect the Hurricanes to tie up the series and potentially move on to the Stanley Cup Finals.

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NHL Eastern Conference Winner - My Pick

Florida Panthers (-250) at BetMGM

After getting off to a slow start against Toronto, the Florida Panthers offense have managed to round back into form by generating Expected Goals at a higher rate. A level of play that mirrored their regular season performance as the Panthers rank second in Expected Goals For in All Situations. Should their defense continue to give them the production they need to be a well rounded unit, then the Panthers are in a great position to win their third straight ECF title.

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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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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.