Panthers vs Hurricanes Series Odds, Schedule & Early Pick – 2025 Eastern Conference Final

• The Florida Panthers and Carolina Hurricanes meet in the Eastern Conference Final
• Opening odds favor defending Stanley Cup champion Panthers despite Carolina’s home-ice advantage
• Read below for Panthers vs Hurricanes opening odds, schedule, and preview

The Florida Panthers and Carolina Hurricanes are set to clash in what should be an electric Eastern Conference Final. This monster matchup was locked in Sunday night when the Panthers knocked off the Toronto Maple Leafs in a blowout Game 7, setting up a rematch of the 2023 Eastern Conference Final.

Bookmakers wasted no time dropping the opening Panthers vs Hurricanes odds after Florida’s series-clinching victory, and they’re giving the slight edge to the defending champs despite not having home ice. Florida sits as a -125 moneyline favorite in the series odds, while Carolina can be had at +105.

Let’s break down the opening Panthers vs Hurricanes odds and the full series schedule.

Florida Panthers vs Carolina Hurricanes Odds

Florida is priced at -125 on the moneyline in the Eastern Conference Final odds, giving them a 55.6% implied probability to advance to the Stanley Cup Final for the third straight year.

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Odds as of May 18 at DraftKings Sportsbook. Register with the DraftKings promo code to make an early Panthers vs Hurricanes prediction. 

Panthers Favored Despite Carolina’s Dominant Playoff Run

Oddsmakers are siding with the defending Stanley Cup champion Panthers in the Eastern Conference Final odds despite Carolina having the better regular season record and cruising through the first two rounds with an 8-2 mark.

The Hurricanes stroll into the Eastern Conference Final having absolutely smothered their opposition, allowing a playoff-best 1.80 goals per game while making quick work of New Jersey and Washington. Carolina’s defense has been a brick wall, anchored by Frederik Andersen’s ridiculous .937 save percentage and 1.36 GAA.

It’s not hard to see why bookmakers still favor Florida, though. The Panthers are the defending champs and just showed their championship DNA by winning Game seven on the road against Toronto. Sam Bennett and Eetu Luostarinen have been fantastic, with Luostarinen leading the team with 12 points in 12 games.

The betting market clearly respects Florida’s playoff experience and championship pedigree. Both teams have put up nearly identical underlying metrics, with Corsi percentages north of 56% at five-on-five, but Florida’s finishing touch (11.59% shooting percentage compared to Carolina’s 7.54%) gives them a potential edge in what should be a dogfight of a series.

Series Schedule

The Eastern Conference Final kicks off Tuesday, May 20th with TNT handling the broadcast duties. Game 1 drops the puck at Lenovo Center in Raleigh, as the Hurricanes enjoy home-ice advantage.

Eastern Conference Final

*If necessary

The Panthers vs Hurricanes series schedule features games every other day throughout the matchup. This could play into the Hurricanes’ hands, as they come in with fresher legs after wrapping up both playoff rounds in just five games each.

Panthers vs Hurricanes H2H History

During the 2024-25 NHL regular season, the Panthers and Hurricanes locked horns three times, with Florida taking two of three meetings. Their most recent clash on January 2nd, 2025 saw Carolina grab a 3-1 win.

FLA vs CAR Recent Results

The heavyweight matchup that matters most between these squads was their 2023 Eastern Conference Final showdown where Florida swept Carolina in four straight games. That series victory sparked the Panthers’ run to their first Stanley Cup Final appearance in the modern era, though they ultimately fell to Vegas.

Carolina hasn’t forgotten that painful sweep, with key players like Andrei Svechnikov and Sebastian Aho repeatedly mentioning it as motivation throughout this season.

Panthers vs Hurricanes Team Comparison

This matchup features two puck-possession monsters. Both the Panthers and Hurricanes rank among the elite possession teams in these playoffs, but they convert that advantage differently. Florida has been more opportunistic, burying 11.59% of their shots compared to Carolina’s 7.54%.

The goaltending battle might just be the X-factor in this series. Frederik Andersen has been lights-out for Carolina, posting a league-best 1.36 GAA and sparkling .937 save percentage. Sergei Bobrovsky has been rock-solid for Florida with a 2.31 GAA and .901 save percentage, but hasn’t quite reached the same dominant level.

Special teams will loom large, with Carolina flashing both the top-ranked penalty kill (93.3%) and fourth-best power play (28.1%). Florida counters with the second-best penalty kill (89.5%), setting up a fascinating special teams chess match.

Projected Odds Movement & Early Lean

The Panthers opening as favorites without home ice advantage shows the massive respect oddsmakers have for the defending champs. That said, I’m expecting some early Carolina money to pour in before Game 1, potentially pushing this series price closer to even money.

Carolina’s eye-popping metrics and stellar goaltending make them an awfully tempting underdog at +105. Their 8-2 cruise through two rounds jumps off the page, and they’ve been the more efficient team, avoiding any seven-game battles in either series.

If Andersen keeps standing on his head between the pipes, the Hurricanes could flip to favorites after the first two home games. For bettors hunting value, grabbing Carolina at plus-money before any potential line movement feels like the sharper play.

The total games market deserves a look too, with Over 5.5 games screaming value considering how evenly matched these teams are. We’re watching two elite defenses collide with two dangerous offenses—exactly the recipe for a long, grueling series that could easily stretch to six or seven games.

Early FLA-CAR Picks:

• Canes to Win Series (+105at DraftKings)
• Over 5.5 Game (-104 at FanDuel)