We’re not that far away from the midpoint of the NHL regular season. By now, Stanley Cup contenders have made themselves very clear. In this article, we’re picking the NHL conference championship teams — both in the East and the West. You’re going to want to keep reading to get our favorite futures bets because this wager can pay big bucks come May.
- What: 2024 NHL Conference Championship
- When: May 2024
NHL Conference Championship Betting Futures
One thing we’ll say upfront is you want to do one of two things when betting NHL conference championship futures — either bet small right now or make multiple bets (at a bigger size). This is because the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs are notoriously unpredictable. So you either just want to have multiple “lottery tickets” or more conviction bets when the playoffs start and you at least know who has momentum going into the postseason. Whatever route you choose, you may want to prioritize bets on the following teams at this point:
NHL Eastern Conference Betting Pick
Per the best betting sites for NHL, the Eastern Conference title race is going to be a dead heat. Realistically speaking, seven teams have pretty solid odds right now of winning the conference. Have a quick look-see at the current Eastern Conference betting hopes:
| Team |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carolina Panthers | +500 | +500 | +500 |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | +550 | +550 | +550 |
| Boston Bruins | +550 | +550 | +550 |
| New Jersey Devils | +600 | +600 | +600 |
| New York Rangers | +600 | +600 | +600 |
| Florida Panthers | +850 | +850 | +850 |
As it stands, the Rangers are tied for the most wins in the NHL. There’s reason to believe they’ll carry that momentum the whole season. New head coach Peter Laviolette has a habit of turning teams into immediate Stanley Cup participants upon joining. He has coached three teams to the Stanley Cup Final within his first three seasons of joining — Carolina (won), Philadelphia (lost), and Nashville (lost). Our money says the same thing happens with New York and probably in year one.
Look, we all know the value of an elite goaltender, especially in the postseason. New York has that covered with Igor Shesterkin behind the net. He won the Vezina Trophy two seasons ago, and has a shot at it this year again, especially if the Rangers continue winning at this torrid pace. Shesterkin is surrounded by a good supporting cast that could finally push the Rangers “over the hump.” New York is as good of a play as any out East.
NHL Western Conference Betting Pick
So far, three teams have firmly put themselves at the top of the Western Conference pecking order — Avalanche, Kings, and reigning champion Golden Knights. All three are off to blistering starts and that’s reflected in the Western Conference betting odds. This is how it’s being pegged in mid-December:
| Team | | | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colorodo Avalanche | +350 | +350 | +350 |
| Vegas Golden Knights | +450 | +450 | +450 |
| Dallas Stars | +500 | +500 | +500 |
| Los Angeles Kings | +550 | +550 | +550 |
| Edmonton Oilers | +750 | +750 | +750 |
You can honestly make solid arguments for each team right now. For the Kings, they’ve become road warriors. Get this, LA has won 11 consecutive games on the road to start the season. That’s a brand-new NHL record. Los Angeles has snuck up on teams, but the more they win, the more the target gets put on their back. The other two teams, the most recent Stanley Cup winners, sure know that target-on-your-back feeling by now.
Then there’s the 2022 champions, Colorado. The biggest thing with them is can the Avs stay healthy enough to return to the Stanley Cup? This team was ravaged by injuries to every major player a season ago — and managed to win their division nonetheless. Still, the West is better this season and they need their big guns. So far, it’s been a mixed bag. Captain Gabriel Landeskog is out for the year and Cale Makar just returned from injury.
Then last but not least, you have Vegas. What’s that famous Ric Flair saying, “to be the mean. You have to beat the man?” Welp, the defending champions are the men until beaten. The Golden Knights are currently tops in the Pacific division, just ahead of the Kings. It’s not easy returning to the Stanley Cup, but it can be done as the Lightning proved so often the past few seasons.
If we had to pick one out of the three to bet on, we’re leaning toward Vegas. Nevermind the title defense, but this feels like a win-now season for the Golden Knights. The team has a number of contracts up at the end of the season, and probably not enough money to sign everyone back. We wouldn’t be surprised to see Vegas play with a sense of urgency in ways the Avs or Kings won’t. We’re backing the champs here.
How To Bet On NHL Betting Futures?
NHL betting futures can be extremely profitable — especially this time of the year when betting odds are quite long. Futures don’t have just be on conference winners either. Similar bets exist for the actual Stanley Cup champion plus end-of-the-year awards like Hart or Vezina Trophy. To get all these bets, check out one of the bookies below, all of which are rated high in our latest sportsbook reviews.
The best part? There are lucrative sign-up bonuses available that can bankroll your betting. That’s right, free play is available in the hundreds to thousands of dollars range. See the table below for a list of the best offers on the table. Pick one and your NHL bets are on the house.
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