2020 NHL Divisional Tracker

• This page monitored the divisional odds for all 31 National Hockey League teams for the 2019-20 NHL season
• The 2020 regular season ended prematurely when the coronavirus pandemic hit in early March
• Looking for current NHL divisional odds?

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Editor’s note (Aug. 7): In late May, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman announced that the regular season was over. The following teams finished atop their divisions: Boston (Atlantic), Washington (Metro), St. Louis (Central), Vegas (Pacific). Most sportsbooks are grading NHL divisional futures wagers based on that outcome, meaning that, if you are holding a ticket on Boston, Washington, St. Louis, or Vegas to win their division, you are likely going to be paid out. If you are holding a ticket on any other team, your wager will likely be graded as a loss. But each sportsbook has the prerogative to cancel all wagers, instead. It all depends on the decision of management. 

During the offseason and 82-game regular season, sportsbooks posted odds on which teams will win each of the four NHL divisions. Below, we tracked those odds and provide the averages for all 31 teams throughout the 2019-20 season.

Eastern Conference

 

Atlantic Division Top Contenders

Mar. 10: The Bruins have re-opened a  six-point lead over TB and are back to being prohibitively short -1050 Atlantic Division favorites.

Feb. 20: It’s still neck and neck at the top, with TBL’s odds (-115) continuing to catch up to Boston’s (-130).

Feb. 10: The Bolts (+130) keep inching closer, now three points back with a game in hand on the Bruins (-188).

Jan. 22: If TB wins its games-in-hand, it will be just two points behind the Bruins, which is why Boston’s odds have trended further down (now -190).

Jan. 9: Don’t look now, but Boston’s lead is down to seven over Tampa and the Lightning have two games in hand. TBL has improved to +300.

Dec. 16: Preseason favorites Tampa Bay continue to slide, now sitting at +630. Though they still have the second-best odds in the division.

Dec. 5: The Bruins have a 14-point lead over the field in the Atlantic and their odds (-380) give them a 79% chance to hold onto it.

Nov. 21: The Leafs’ odds cratered during the six-game losing streak that led to Mike Babcock being fired, falling from +400 to +880.

Nov. 14: Three straight losses has brought Boston (+150) back to the pack a bit, while the Canadiens have surged to +1200.

Nov. 7: Boston is almost even-money (+120) thanks to a three-point lead in the division with games in hand.

Oct. 29: The Leafs have sunk to +580, while the Bruins (+460) have almost caught the Lightning (+420) for favorite status.

Oct. 23: The Sabres (+730) have knocked the Panthers (+1400) out of the top-four contenders in the division thanks to an 8-1-1 start.

Oct. 7: Toronto (+220) is inching closer to Tampa (+150) at the top of the Atlantic Division title odds.

Oct. 1: The Panthers continue to rise, going from +760 to +700 on the eve of the regular season.

Aug. 27: The Buffalo Sabres are the biggest movers in the Atlantic, going from +7500 in mid-July to +5600 as September approaches.

Aug. 9: Tampa continues to lead the Atlantic pack, but the Panthers are now considered a somewhat legitimate threat at +760.

July 15: Tampa Bay is a sizable favorite to repeat (+130) despite the Leafs beefing up their roster in the offseason with the likes of Tyson Barrie.

Atlantic Division Odds

Odds last updated Mar. 10, 2020.

Metro Division Top Contenders

Mar. 10: A 9-1 record in their last ten games has put the Flyers right in the Metro mix. They are now second-favorites to WAS at +140 with the Caps at +128.

Feb. 20: The Pens have taken over the division lead and are now the favorites for the first time all year at -142.

Feb. 10: The Penguins (+155) are maintaining their steady play and remain (effectively) two points behind Washington (-178).

Jan. 22: The Pens are just four points behind Washington now, and their odds have improved from +533 to +245.

Jan. 9: Pittsburgh (+533) has leapfrogged NYI (+667), but the Caps (-317) are still getting shorter by the week.

Dec. 16: The Penguins have jumped to +830 as they continue their strong play without Sidney Crosby.

Dec. 5: The Capitals (-170) are shorter than even money for the first time this season. The Caps lead the division by nine points.

Nov. 21: Despite poor possession and shot metrics, the Islanders just keep winning. Their division odds keep getting shorter in tun (+270 to +170).

Nov. 14: An injury to Sidney Crosby has sent the Penguins from +510 to +630, while the Flyers have improved from +2000 to +820.

Nov. 8: The Caps and Islanders are neck and neck in the standings, but Washington has the sizable edge in the odds (+160 vs +350).

Oct. 29: NYI is making another push, winning seven straight improving from +680 to +350 on average.

Oct. 23: The three preseason favorites (Capitals, Hurricanes, Penguins) sit 1-2-3 early on and all saw their odds get shorter in the latest update.

Oct. 7: Washington (+270) and Carolina (+350) continue to separate from the Metro pack after strong performances in the first week of the season.

Oct. 1: The Capitals are the clear favorites now, going from +350 to +310. The Hurricanes are next at +430.

Aug. 27: The Penguins (+440) and Hurricanes (+450) are neck and neck for second-best odds in the Metro, narrowly beating Washington (+350).

Aug. 9: The Capitals have taken sole possession of first in the Metro odds, going from +400 to +350. Pittsburgh also improved (+550 to +440).

July 15: Re-signing Sebastian Aho has led to oddsmakers taking a favorable view of the Hurricanes, who are tied with the Capitals atop the first Metro odds at +400.

Metro Division Odds

Odds last updated Mar. 10, 2020.

Western Conference

Central Division Top Contenders

Mar. 10:  The Blues (-110) and Avalanche (+105) remain neck-and-neck.  STL is two points up in the standings, but COL has a game in hand.

Feb. 20: COL sits a point back of both STL and DAL but still has a game in hand; coupled with their division-best +44 goal difference, oddsmakers see the Avs (-120) as favorites.

Feb. 10: The Avalanche (+138) can retake the division lead if they win their two games in hand on St Louis (-125).

Jan. 22: STL is now -210, the shortest any team has been in the Central all season.

Jan. 9: The Blues own a seven-point lead on the field and are shorter than even-money to win the Central, sitting at -117 just past the halfway point of the season.

Dec. 16: An 8-1-1 stretch has put the Avalanche alone on top of the Central standings at +140, well ahead of the Blues (+280).

Dec. 5: The Wild (+2200) made the biggest gains, picking up points in ten straight (7-0-3).

Nov. 21: The Jets (+530) made big gains thanks to a 7-2-1 stretch.

Nov. 14: The Blues are now favored at +175 thanks to a red-hot 8-1-1 stretch.

Nov. 8: The injury-riddled Avalanche finally fell, and sharply, going from +140 to +250, well behind new favorite Nashville (+160).

Oct. 29: Despite injuries to Mikko Rantanen and Gabe Landeskog, the Avs are still heavy Central favorites at +140.

Oct. 23: The Avalanche are inching closer to odds-on favorite status (+140) after going 7-1-1 out of the gate.

Oct. 7: Colorado is living up to its billing as preseason favorite and has improved to +220 on average, followed by the Blues (+360).

Oct. 1: The Avalanche are the consensus favorites still (+290). But Dallas (+390) is ahead at certain sportsbooks

Aug. 27: No real changes in the Central. It’s still a tightly-packed top five followed by the Blackhawks (+790) and then a huge drop-off to the Wild (+4200).

Aug. 9: There’s a ton of love for the Avalanche out there. Colorado was already favored, and then got even shorter in the hyper-competitive Central, going from +350 to +300.

July 15: A deep playoff run coupled with the addition of Nazem Kadri has led to Colorado having the best odds to win the Central to start out.

Central Division Odds

Odds last updated Mar. 10, 2020.

Pacific Division Top Contenders

Mar. 10: Vegas has a three-point lead over the Oilers in the standings, resulting in their odds going from +175 all the way to -238.

Feb. 20: VGK is finally playing up to preseason expectations, going 6-3-1 in its last ten. Now just one point out of first, they have the best odds to win the Pacific at +175.

Feb. 10: A modicum of separation has appeared in the standings, with the Canucks (+250), Oilers (+350), and Golden Knights (+225) at least a couple points up on the Flames (+500) and Coyotes (+675).

Jan. 22: The Canucks (+325) now sit second in the Pacific Division odds, barely behind Vegas (+313), but five teams are between +300 and +400.

Jan. 9: The top-five teams in the Pacific standings are separated by just four points, yet VGK (+132) and ARI (+250) are heavily favored in the odds.

Dec. 16: The Coyotes (+240) are now just behind Vegas (+200) in the odds. Arizona sits a point up in the standings with a game in hand.

Dec. 5: The Sharks (+600) have surged back into contention and now sit ahead of both Vancouver (+700) and Calgary (+1300).

Nov. 21: The Oilers (+310) and Coyotes (+320) continue to inch closer to the declining Golden Knights (+220).

Nov. 14: Vegas’ slow start has continued and their odds continue to slide, dropping from +110 to +150 as of mid-November.

Nov. 8: The Canucks (+1100 to +500) improved significantly, now sitting second only to Vegas (+110) in the Pacific Division odds.

Oct. 29: There could be a changing of the middle tier in the Pacific. The Canucks and Coyotes are ahead of the Flames and Sharks in the standings, though Calgary still has the shortest odds of the four at +600.

Oct. 23: The Oilers lead the division early and saw the biggest improvement in the Pacific Division title odds (+900 to +340).

Oct. 7: Vegas (-120) has moved to shorter than even-money after just two games, both lopsided wins over San Jose.

Oct. 1: Inauspiciously for the Flames, their odds fell (+400 to +410) while both Vegas (+110 to +100) and San Jose (+520 to +490) improved.

Aug. 27: The Coyotes (+880) jumped well ahead of the Canucks(+1100) and Oilers (+1200).

Aug. 9: Vegas is getting all the early action and is now even money to win the Pacific. The Sharks’ odds have gotten considerably longer, falling from +380 to +540.

July 15: Despite finishing third in the division last year and losing in the first round of the playoffs, Vegas finds itself well ahead of defending Pacific champion Calgary (+160 vs +280).

Pacific Division Odds

Odds last updated Mar. 10, 2020.