NHL Eastern Conference Odds & Predictions 2025: Panthers Desperate for Bobrovsky to Return to Form

• The Toronto Maple Leafs won the first game of their series against Florida

• Carolina’s odds to win the Eastern Conference championship continues to grow

• The Panthers Sergei Bobrovsky is averaging a Save Percentage of .886 in the playoffs

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

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NHL Eastern Conference Winner Predictions

The Carolina Hurricanes offense continues to light up the scoreboard as their front line leads all playoff contenders in Expected Goals For in All Situations with an average of 4.14 Expected Goals per game. Scarier yet, their defense has also given them the production they need to be a well rounded contender as their back line ranks top-3 in Expected Goals Against while Frederik Anderson averages just 1.45 Goals Against per game and a .935 Save Percentage.

The Toronto Maple Leafs meanwhile survived a thriller against Florida, beating the reigning Stanley Cup champions 5-4 in game one of their series. More impressive yet, their defense held the Panthers to an Expected Goal of 2.85. An impressive level of play for a defense who ranks below league average in Expected Goals Against in All Situations, especially when facing off against a Panthers front line who averages 3.45 Expected Goals per game.

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NHL Eastern Conference Winner Pick: Florida Panthers (+280) at BetMGM

After rounding back into form at the end of the regular season, Sergei Bobrovsky has struggled to carry over his momentum into the postseason as he is averaging a Save Percentage of .866 in the playoffs. His low level of play brings in a higher amount of variance into their contests which hurts their chances of winning. Should Bobrovsky recapture the same success he had at the end of the year, then expect Florida to move on to the next round of the playoffs.

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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.