At the break, the Atlantic Division odds are probably the clearest of the bunch. The Boston Bruins have a healthy lead, with the Florida Panthers as the closest competition. The Tampa Bay Lightning, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Detroit Red Wings are all fighting for a playoff spot, but the division crown is an uphill battle.
So, as the league enters its final stretch, will the Atlantic Division see a repeat champion, or will someone deny the Bruins from winning again? Time is ticking for the field. Here’s a look at the updated Atlantic Division odds before the second half begins.
Atlantic Division Odds Entering the Second Half
| Boston Bruins (-190) | Florida Panthers (+220) |
| Toronto Maple Leafs (+1200) | Tampa Bay Lightning (+2500) |
| Detroit Red Wings (+10000) | Ottawa Senators (+50000) |
| Montreal Canadiens (+50000) | Buffalo Sabres (+50000) |
| *Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook | |
Favorite: Boston Bruins (31-9-9; 71 Points; Odds to Win Division: -190)
Forget the Atlantic Division title, the Boston Bruins are gunning for their second straight Presidents’ Trophy. They’re tied for the best points percentage and most points in the NHL with 33 games remaining. Their lofty goals will be incomplete if they don’t avenge last season’s early playoff exit.
On the ice, the Bruins don’t have many flaws. They’re fifth in goals per game and power play percentage. Boston has the seventh-best penalty kill while allowing the fourth-fewest goals per game. One goalie, Linus Ullmark, won the Vezina Trophy last season. The other, Jeremy Swayman, is a strong candidate to take it home this season. David Pastrnak is one of hockey’s best scorers. Good luck taking the Atlantic Division from Boston.
Contender: Florida Panthers (31-14-4; 66 Points; Odds to Win Division: +220)
Five points back of the Bruins with the same number of games remaining, Florida is the only team in the Atlantic Division within 10 points of Boston. Last year’s Eastern Conference champions used a 9-2-2 January to keep pace. When the Panthers resume their schedule, they’ll try to keep a four-game winning streak alive during a three-game homestand.
Florida’s strength is keeping pucks out of the net, as they surrender the third-fewest goals per game. The Panthers are 10th in power play percentage and eighth in penalty kill percentage, so special teams aren’t an issue. They’ve climbed up to 13th in goals per game after a strong scoring surge before the break. Sam Reinhart and Sergei Bobrovsky are trying to get this team back to the Stanley Cup Finals. Catching the Bruins to win the Atlantic Division would help them a lot come playoff time.
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Follow Andre on Twitter at @TowerTalkSports. You can also reach out to Andre Ifill via email at andre.ifill.jr@gmail.com. For Andre’s hockey talk, listen to this podcast every weekday. Andre also discusses the NFL, NBA, and MLB here. You can read and follow Andre’s betting picks at Winners and Whiners or read more of his stuff here on Total Apex Sports. He has spent years writing, talking, and picking sports professionally at the highest level.
