It's only two months into the young 2023-24 NHL season. However, it's never too early to put some money down on who could win the Eastern Conference. Right now, there's a plethora of teams that look dangerous. The Boston Bruins are a +525 favorite, but the Carolina Hurricanes (+550) and New York Rangers (+550) aren't far behind them. With every team having plus odds, this is a great time to get in on the Eastern Conference futures.
Before we get into the odds and preview, make sure to check out our online sportsbook reviews, and the top NHL betting sites.
Eastern Conference Odds
| Team |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boston Bruins | +525 | +425 | +500 |
| Carolina Hurricanes | +550 | +550 | +525 |
| New York Rangers | +550 | +450 | +500 |
| New Jersey Devils | +650 | +750 | +700 |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | +650 | +550 | +575 |
| Florida Panthers | +800 | +750 | +700 |
| Tampa Bay Lightning | +900 | +1200 | +1000 |
| Pittsburgh Penguins | +1600 | +1800 | +1700 |
| Detroit Red Wings | +1800 | +2000 | +1700 |
Some other intriguing options to keep an eye on are the Florida Panthers (+800), Tampa Bay Lightning (+950), and the Detroit Red Wings (+1800).
The Panthers are the reigning Eastern Conference champions, having beat the Hurricanes to advance to the Stanley Cup. Before that, the Tampa Bay Lightning won in back-to-back years. The Pittsburgh Penguins' four East titles since 2000 are a conference-best.
Bruins (+525)
Some believed the Bruins wouldn't be as dominant this season. Boy, were they wrong. They sit at the top of the Atlantic Division at 15-4-3 and look like a Cup contender. Sure, Boston collapsed in the playoffs after their historic 2022-23, but that's in the past. The Bruins are top-10 in goals scored and fewest goals allowed. David Pastrnak is proving why he's a superstar, registering a team-best 33 points, scoring 13 goals, and supplying 20 assists. There's balance all through this roster. Don't sleep on Boston.
Hurricanes (+550)
Carolina was in the conference finals last season, so it's not a surprise to see their odds at +550. The Hurricanes are second in the Metropolitan Division behind the surging Rangers with a 13-8-1 record. Their goal difference is slightly concerning but this is still a strong squad. Carolina ranks eighth in goals scored with 3.36 per contest. Seth Jarvis and Sebastian Aho are leading the way with 18 and 20 points, respectively. If Andrei Svechnikov can get it going as well, it's going to help the Hurricanes a lot. This is a team to watch as the season rolls on.
Rangers (+550)
The Rangers are always a pretty decent club. However, they've looked like arguably the best team in the NHL so far. Under new head coach Peter Laviolette, New York is thriving at 16-4-1. They're playing very gritty hockey and flourishing in more ways than one. Defensively, Laviolette has improved the Rangers tremendously. The blue line is only allowing 2.43 goals per game, which is third-best in the league. Offensively, Artemi Panarin has 12 goals and 19 assists for 31 points, proving to be the star of the roster. The only complaint about NY is there could be more goal-scoring from everyone. It's fell mostly on Panarin and Chris Kreider. Other than that, the Rangers look like the real deal. Could it be their year?
Devils (+650)
It's actually interesting to see the Devils this high on the list because they're second-last in the Metropolitan with an 11-10-1 record. But, the sportsbooks believe Jack Hughes and Co. can turn things around. Scoring is far from an issue for New Jersey. The offense is doing its part, ranking fifth in the NHL with 3.62 goals per night. However, the defense has been atrocious, which is exactly why they're in this position. The Devils need to figure it out pretty quickly.
Maple Leafs (+650)
Toronto is in a similar position. The core four of Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, John Tavares, and William Nylander are producing but the blue line is struggling and has been dealing with too many injuries. The Maple Leafs aren't far off first in the Atlantic Division though and if they do trade for a couple of D-men, it will make a drastic difference.
Panthers (+800)
Florida just represented the Eastern Conference in the Stanley Cup. For that reason alone, they cannot be ignored. The Panthers are only three points behind the Bruins and Matthew Tkachuk has barely done anything offensively. That's a scary sight because once he figures it out, Florida becomes a whole different beast. to be honest, outside of Sam Reinhart's 15 goals and 13 assists, the Panthers aren't shining in front of goal. A stout defense is what's keeping them in the mix.
Eastern Conference Futures Picks
Like any futures, the best bet is to make a few picks this early in a season. For the time being, I like the Bruins, Panthers, and Rangers. The Maple Leafs will likely choke again and the Red Wings aren't quite ready to be a serious contender.
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