2021 NHL East Division Odds, Predictions, and Point Totals
By Robert Duff in NHL Hockey
Updated: January 12, 2021 at 6:45 am ESTPublished:
- At odds of +250, the Boston Bruins are favored to win the NHL’s East Division title
- Boston is followed by the Philadelphia Flyers (+375), Pittsburgh Penguins (+400), and Washington Capitals (+400)
- Four of the top seven teams in the NHL in 2019-20 in terms of points are housed among this group
Despite the loss of captain Zdeno Chara, the Boston Bruins remain the chalk to finish atop the NHL’s East Division. The Bruins are listing at +250 in the NHL divisional odds.
Boston won the Atlantic Division regular-season title last season. In the NHL’s COVID-19 realignment of the divisions, the reigning Metropolitan Division champion Washington Capitals (+400) are also situated in the East this season.
2021 NHL East Division Odds
| Team | Odds To Win Division | Odds To Win Stanley Cup | Total Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boston Bruins | +250 | +1500 | 71.5 |
| Philadelphia Flyers | +375 | +1800 | 67.5 |
| Pittsburgh Penguins | +400 | +2100 | 67.5 |
| Washington Capitals | +400 | +2000 | 66.5 |
| New York Rangers | +800 | +3000 | 61.5 |
| New York Islanders | +1000 | +3000 | 61.5 |
| Buffalo Sabres | +2000 | +5000 | 54.5 |
| New Jersey Devils | +2500 | +5500 | 54.5 |
Odds taken Jan. 10th at DraftKings.
Four of the top seven regular-season teams in the NHL last season are grouped in the East.
Philadelphia Flyers
- 2019-20 record: 41-21-7
- 2019-20 goals for per game: 3.29 (7th)
- 2019-20 goals against per game: 2.77 (7th)
- 2019-20 power play: 20.8 (14th)
- 2019-20 penalty kill: 81.8 (11th)
- Starting goalie: Carter Hart (24-13-3, .914 SV%, 2.42 GAA)
A team already loaded with young, emerging talent, Philadelphia will welcome back forwards Nolan Patrick, out all last season with persistent migraines, and forward Oskar Lindblom.
Strong, powerful and anxious for a full season. @oskarlindblom is feeling good and looking good on the ice. #AnytimeAnywhere pic.twitter.com/DLRbgu0zqN
— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) January 5, 2021
Lindblom was tied for the team lead with 11 goals when he was diagnosed with bone cancer a year ago. The Flyers were the NHL’s #1 faceoff team last season (54.6%).
Key Offseason Moves
| Key Additions | Key Losses |
|---|---|
| Erik Gustafsson | Matt Niskanen |
| Nolan Patrick | Tyler Pitlick |
| Derrick Pouliot | Nate Thompson |
The Flyers allowed the fewest shots on goal per game last season (28.7). Carter Hart’s 2.42 GAA was second-best among NHL goalies who played at least 40 games. The Flyers could be one of the most complete teams in the NHL and have a great shot at winning the 2021 Stanley Cup.
- Prediction: 77 Points (1st)
Boston Bruins
- 2019-20 record: 44-14-12
- 2019-20 goals for per game: 3.24 (9th)
- 2019-20 goals against per game: 2.39 (1st)
- 2019-20 power play: 25.2 (2nd)
- 2019-20 penalty kill: 84.3 (3rd)
- Starting goalie: Tuukka Rask (26-8-6, .922 SV%, 2.26 GAA)
The NHL’s #1 defensive team last season, the Bruins sent two of their best defensemen packing when Chara and Torey Krug left via unrestricted free agency. To make matters worse, Boston added no new defensemen.
Key Offseason Moves
| Key Additions | Key Losses |
|---|---|
| Craig Smith | Zdeno Chara |
| Greg McKegg | Torey Krug |
| Zach Senyshyn | Joakim Nordstrom |
Upfront, two-thirds of Boston’s Perfection Line – Brad Marchand (sports hernia) and David Pastrnak (hip) – underwent offseason surgery.
Boston Bruins Brad Marchand,recovering from hernia surgery,left practice early today.@wbznewsradio pic.twitter.com/Tbzbn3BAby
— Tom Cuddy (@TomCuddySports) January 10, 2021
Pastrnak is on IR and out until February. Marchand left a weekend camp scrimmage with an undisclosed injury. The Bruins are the top East Division team in the 2021 Stanley Cup odds at +1400. This Bruins team has been stellar over the past decade, but this could be the year we start to see them slow down a little bit with so many injuries to start the season.
- Prediction: 72 points (2nd)
Washington Capitals
- 2019-20 record: 41-20-8
- 2019-20 goals for per game: 3.42 (2nd)
- 2019-20 goals against per game: 3.07 (18th)
- 2019-20 power play: 19.4 (17th)
- 2019-20 penalty kill: 82.6 (6th)
- Starting goalie: Ilya Samsonov (22-16-6, .913 SV%, 2.55 GAA)
Washington is a team that continues to count on Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom, and John Carlson to carry the load.
Zdeno Chara's first (scrimmage) goal as a Washington Capital! 🚨
🎥: @Capitals pic.twitter.com/gDhSCdIsvK
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) January 10, 2021
They added another oldster to this group, signing 43-year-old Chara. That being said they did add some valuable pieces to their defensive core in Justin Schultz and Trevor van Riemsdyk.
Key Offseason Moves
| Key Additions | Key Losses |
|---|---|
| Justin Schultz | Ratko Gudas |
| Trevor van Riemsdyk | Braden Holtby |
| Zdeno Chara | Ilya Kovalchuk |
| Conor Sheary | Travis Boyd |
With Braden Holtby gone and free-agent addition Lundqvist (heart surgery) out for the year, Ilya Samsonov is Washington’s only option in goal.
- Prediction: 71 points (3rd)
Pittsburgh Penguins
- 2019-20 record: 40-23-6
- 2019-20 goals for per game: 3.20 (10th)
- 2019-20 goals against per game: 2.84 (12th)
- 2019-20 power play: 19.9 (16th)
- 2019-20 penalty kill: 82.1 (10th)
- Starting goalie: Tristan Jarry (20-12-1, .921 SV%, 2.43 GAA)
The Pens are still the team of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang, as they have been for the past 15 seasons. The supporting cast doesn’t seem as strong as in past seasons, though.
Key Offseason Moves
| Key Additions | Key Losses |
|---|---|
| Kasperi Kapanen | Patric Hornqvist |
| Mike Matheson | Matt Murray |
| Colton Sceviour | Jack Johnson |
| Cody Ceci | Patrick Marleau |
The Penguins were first in the league last season in one-goal game winning percentage (.615).
The @penguins are looking at Tristan Jarry (@tjarry35) to be their No. 1 guy in net.
They have much to look forward to. 👏 pic.twitter.com/BcW31dk86O
— NHL (@NHL) January 5, 2021
Trading Matt Murray to Ottawa, Pittsburgh is counting on Tristan Jarry’s all-star effort of last season as proof that he’s the real deal. The Penguins seem to rotate new defensemen in every off-season as well. They added Mike Matheson from Florida and Cody Ceci from Pittsburgh to beef up their depth heading into the 2021 NHL season.
- Prediction: 69 points (4th)
New York Islanders
- 2019-20 record: 35-23-10
- 2019-20 goals for per game: 2.78 (22nd)
- 2019-20 goals against per game: 2.79 (9th)
- 2019-20 power play: 17.3 (24th)
- 2019-20 penalty kill: 80.7 (15th)
- Starting goalie: Semyon Varlamov (19-14-6, .914 SV%, 2.62 GAA)
Coach Barry Trotz works miracles with an Islanders team that on paper, doesn’t look deep enough to be a playoff squad. Their commitment to a bend but don’t break defensive system serves them well and got them to the Eastern Conference final last season.
Key Offseason Moves
| Key Additions | Key Losses |
|---|---|
| Austin Czarnik | Thomas Greiss |
| Ilya Sorokin | Johnny Boychuk |
| AJ Greer | Derick Brassard |
| Dmytro Timashov | Devon Toews |
Offensively, Mathew Barzal was their top point producer (19-41-60), but that was only good enough for 40th overall in the Art Ross Trophy race. Barzal just signed a 3-year $21 million contract extension with the Islanders before the start of the season.
It all starts this week. pic.twitter.com/DPTWrpvzfA
— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) January 11, 2021
They’ll be hard-pressed to make it back to the postseason. Salary cap issues forced the Isles to trade solid young defender Devon Toews to Colorado. He’ll be missed. Thomas Greiss, half of their stellar goaltending tandem, departed as a UFA. KHL veteran Ilya Sorokin will be counted on to fill that void.
- Prediction: 65 points (5th)
New York Rangers
- 2019-20 record: 37-28-5
- 2019-20 goals for per game: 3.33 (5th)
- 2019-20 goals against per game: 3.14 (23rd)
- 2019-20 power play: 22.9 (7th)
- 2019-20 penalty kill: 77.4 (23rd)
- Starting goalie: Igor Shesterkin (10-2-0, .932 SV%, 2.52 GAA)
A team already deep in young stud forwards adds first overall draft pick, Alexis Lafreniere. With Artemi Panarin and Mika Zibanejad leading the way, scoring goals won’t be an issue for the Rangers. They allowed the second-most shots on goal per game last season (34.0).
Key Offseason Moves
| Key Additions | Key Losses |
|---|---|
| Anthony Bitetto | Henrik Lundqvist |
| Jack Johnson | Marc Staal |
| Alexis Lafreniere | Jesper Fast |
#NYR working in some tight-area live drills now and Igor Shesterkin just got back-to-back doorstep saves on Kaapo Kakko and Alexis Lafrenière.
He doesn't seem impressed by their status as high-draft picks 🙅♂️ pic.twitter.com/7sF7MsdjEs
— Vince Z. Mercogliano (@vzmercogliano) January 6, 2021
The goal crease belongs to Russian prospect Igor Shesterkin after Henrik Lundqvist’s contract was bought out. Lafreniere and Shesterkin are strong Calder Trophy favorites.
Journeyman Jack Johnson won’t improve their defense and the Rangers lost top checking forward Jesper Fast. Although this team has a bright future, I don’t think this will be the year where they take that next step just yet.
- Prediction: 63 Points (6th)
Buffalo Sabres
- 2019-20 record: 30-31-8
- 2019-20 goals for per game: 2.80 (21st)
- 2019-20 goals against per game: 3.12 (22nd)
- 2019-20 power play: 18.9 (20th)
- 2019-20 penalty kill: 74.6 (30th)
- Starting goalie: Linus Ullmark (17-14-3, .915 SV%, 2.69 GAA)
Former Hart Trophy winner Taylor Hall should give the Sabres more offense. Buffalo finished 20th or worst in every major statistical category last season.
Key Offseason Moves
| Key Additions | Key Losses |
|---|---|
| Taylor Hall | Jimmy Vesey |
| Cody Eakin | Michael Frolik |
| Tobias Rieder | Wayne Simmonds |
| Riley Sheahan | Dominik Kahun |
Cody Eakin and Tobias Reider will boost the NHL’s 30th ranked penalty kill. The Sabres were the NHL’s worst faceoff team last season (45.4%).
The Sabres have announced the following update regarding forward Zemgus Girgensons. pic.twitter.com/7RrS6bKDse
— Sabres PR (@SabresPR) January 6, 2021
A team lacking in depth, the Sabres already lost forward Zemgus Girgensons (hamstring surgery) for the season. Even with the addition of Taylor Hall and the potential emergence of rookie forward Dylan Cozens, this division is too competitive for the Sabres to make a push for the playoffs.
- Prediction: 55 Points (7th)
New Jersey Devils
- 2019-20 record: 28-29-12
- 2019-20 goals for per game: 2.68 (24th)
- 2019-20 goals against per game: 3.25 (29th)
- 2019-20 power play: 18.0 (21st)
- 2019-20 penalty kill: 82.4 (7th)
- Starting goalie: MacKenzie Blackwood (22-14-8, .915 SV%, 2.77 GAA)
Goalie Corey Crawford, a two-time Stanley Cup winner signed to improve the Devils’ 29th overall GAA in the off-season. However, he opted to retire instead. New Jersey allowed 224 five-on-five goals last season, tied for fifth-worst in the NHL.
Key Offseason Moves
| Key Additions | Key Losses |
|---|---|
| Andreas Johansson | Corey Crawford |
| Dmitry Kulikov | Mirco Mueller |
| Ryan Murray | Kevin Rooney |
https://twitter.com/NJDevils/status/1347928189809659907?s=20
The Devils’ SAT of 46.1% was 30th in the NHL. Their five-on-on-five offensive zone percentage of 46.8 was also 30th. New Jersey’s biggest offseason add was veteran coach Lindy Ruff. This Devils team will struggle mightily in this division with a lack of certainty around goaltending and their inability to score.
- Prediction: 53 Points (8th)
Other Division Previews:
Sports Writer
An industry veteran, Bob literally taught the course on the history of sports at Elder College. He has worked as a Sports Columnist for Postmedia, appeared as a guest on several radio stations, was the Vice President of the Society For International Hockey Research in Ontario, and written 25 books.
