Updated Odds to Make 2019 NHL Playoffs Entering April
- The Arizona Coyotes trail the Colorado Avalanche by one point in the standings, but the Avs hold the tiebreaker and have a game in hand
- The Canadiens trail the Hurricanes by one point in the East with three three games remaining for each team
- Get the latest odds to make the 2019 NHL playoffs heading into the final week of the season
As the calendar flips to April, no more than four games remain for on the schedule for any of the 31 teams in the NHL.
In addition to 2019 Stanley Cup odds, the oddsmakers have posted lines on the final playoff races. With just one spot up for grabs in each conference, let’s take a closer look at who is a good bet to make or miss the playoffs.
Odds to Make 2019 NHL Playoffs: Western Conference
| Team | Odds to make 2019 NHL playoffs | Odds to miss 2019 NHL playoffs |
|---|---|---|
| Arizona Coyotes | +250 | -400 |
| Colorado Avalanche | -400 | +250 |
*Odds taken 04/01/19
Will the Coyotes or Avalanche Earn the Final Playoff Spot in the West?
The Coyotes trail the Avalanche by one point in the standings but the Avs have four games to play while the Coyotes have three. That’s a big difference.
Arizona also finishes up with a difficult schedule, to boot. They’ll host the Los Angeles Kings, who they should beat, but then have to go to Las Vegas and host Winnipeg, two playoff teams.
Congrats to @dkuemps35 on being named the @NHL third ⭐️ of the week!
You earned it, Darcy! ? pic.twitter.com/IpR5277ncT
— Arizona Coyotes (@ArizonaCoyotes) April 1, 2019
On the other hand, their schedule is more spaced out than Colorado’s, and the Avs are playing three of their final four against playoff teams, as well (Blues, Jets, Sharks, plus the Oilers).
Rest-wise, the Coyotes will have one day off in between games this week; the Avs, on the other hand, will have a back-to-back (at Blues, vs Oilers), three games in four nights, and four in six.
Even so, pass on the Coyotes. The game in hand is likely to be the difference.
The other key factor to like about the Avalanche is that they’re on a roll right now. Arizona has won two of three but, prior to that, had lost five in a row. One of those losses was to Colorado. As for the Avs, they’ve won six of seven with their only loss coming in a shootout.
Nathan MacKinnon gets JUST enough of this Gabe Landeskog pass to give #GoAvsGo a 1-0 lead in the 2nd period vs. #OurPack.
It’s a PPG & MacKinnon’s 39th goal of the season.
Landeskog’s 70th point of the season too in his first game back from injury. pic.twitter.com/czZdxyiBfL— Nathan Kanter (@NathanKanter11) March 30, 2019
As mentioned, Colorado will have some tough tests this week as they’ll have to go to St. Louis (Monday) and to San Jose (Saturday), and will play Edmonton (Tuesday) and Winnipeg (Thursday) in between.
The concern is their record against these teams. They are 0-3 against the Blues, 2-2 against Winnipeg, 1-1 against Winnipeg and 0-2 against San Jose.
I would like to take a flier with Arizona at +250 but the issue is that they don’t hold the tiebreaker here because of the last loss. That being the case, Colorado likely needs just three points to make the playoffs. They’re the better bet.
Pick: Colorado to make the playoffs (-400)
Odds to Make The Playoffs: Eastern Conference
| Make Or Miss The Playoffs | Odds to make 2019 NHL playoffs | Odds to miss 2019 NHL playoffs |
|---|---|---|
| Carolina Hurricanes | -400 | +250 |
| Montreal Canadiens | +250 | -400 |
*Odds taken 04/01/19
Will the Hurricanes or Canadiens Earn the Final Playoff Spot in the East?
The Hurricanes were actually in a better playoff position about a week ago. They enter April having lost three of four with their offense in a funk. They’ve tallied just 11 goals in their last five games.
Their remaining three games are at Toronto, home to New Jersey, and at Philadelphia. They’re 3-0 against the Flyers this season, 1-2 against the Devils, and 1-1 against the Maple Leafs. Toronto is their toughest game but the Leafs are slumping and are will be in a back-to-back situation.
It is not too late to pick the Carolina Hurricanes as your favorite Eastern Conference team. pic.twitter.com/SNtidK10fG
— Luke Slabaugh (@LukeSlabaugh) March 24, 2019
The Hurricanes probably make the playoffs but I’d pass on the -400. It’s a big price to pay and they’re not sure thing.
With just three games to play, the Canadiens are one point back of the Hurricanes and two points back of the Columbus Blue Jackets. However, the Habs are trending in the right direction as they are 5-1-1 in their last seven games.
On se sent comme chez nous dans les prairies. ❤
Feeling the love in the prairies.#GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/e6ODx88g9X
— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) March 30, 2019
The challenge for Montreal is the schedule. They still have to face three playoff teams: the Tampa Bay Lightning, Washington Capitals and Toronto Maple Leafs. I’m actually somewhat inclined to take a shot as the Habs are 23-12-4 at home. Tampa Bay has nothing to playoff for and the Leafs are slumping, so I see two wins.
At +250, it’s worth a little flier here.
Pick: Montreal to make the playoffs (+250)
For over 15 years, Dave has been working in mainstream media and sports betting. He hosted a station on Sirius Satellite Radio for four years, and is currently a senior writer for AskMen. He's interviewed hundreds of hundreds of high-profile sports stars like Shaquille O'Neal and Floyd Mayweather.
