The Atlantic Division in the NHL is not just one of the top divisions in Ice Hockey but also sports leagues on the North American continent. So with three top teams set to slug it out again this year, we look at who has the best chance of topping one of the iconic sports leagues.
The top three teams I’m referring to are the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Florida Panthers, and the Tampa Bay Lightning.
There’s not much between all three in the latest Vegas NHL odds to win the Atlantic Division. And they are also all in the running with the best NHL betting sites to win the Eastern Conference and the 2023 Stanley Cup.
To give you an idea of just how competitive the three sides take up three of the top four betting positions in the 2023 Stanley Cup betting. And they also take up three of the top four betting positions to win the Eastern Conference.
Winning the division is essential, as the Florida Panthers found last season. The finishing top gave them a 1st Round playoff match against one of the Wild Cards, while second and third-placed teams had the unenviable task of playing each other. In the end, the second versus third match was a cracking series, with Tampa Bay edging Toronto 4-3 to progress to the 2nd round.
In the next round, Florida failed to cash in on their favorable draw and was thrashed 4-0 by Tampa Bay, so ultimately, winning the Atlantic Division did them no favors last season.
| 2022/23 Atlantic Division Betting |  |  |
|---|---|---|
| Florida Panthers | +175 | +175 |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | +175 | +175 |
| Tampa Bay Lightning | +250 | +225 |
| Boston Bruins | +1400 | +1200 |
| Ottawa Senators | +2500 | +2200 |
| Detroit Red Wings | +2500 | +2500 |
| Buffalo Sabres | +6600 | +5000 |
| Montreal Canadiens | +10000 | +12500 |
And it’s the two sides who got knocked out first and who are the joint favorites to win the Atlantic Division in 2023. The Toronto Maple Leafs and the Florida Panthers are +175 to win the division, with Tampa Bay next at +250. The Boston Bruins make up the first four in the betting, although they are a distant +1400 with BetUS.
There’s not much between the three sides in the betting to win the Eastern Conference either. The rogue team in between the Atlantic trio is the Carolina Hurricanes.
Rod Brind’Amour’s Hurricanes are +575, the same price as the Maple Leafs and the Lightning. The Florida Panthers are just the favorites ahead of those three, at +475.
Again, in the odds to win the big one, the three sides are in the top 4 betting to win the 2023 Stanley Cup.
The favorites are going to be the Colorado Avalanche after the way they dominated the NHL last season. Jared Bednar’s team are clear favorites, at just +350.
Following the Avalanche, the Panthers are second at +900, with the Lightning and Maple Leafs at +1100. It is a touch tighter behind the trio in this market.
At +1200, comes the Hurricanes, although there is a bit of a gap to the New York Rangers at +1600. This is more of a five-horse race market, with the three Atlantic Division sides all in the running.
This is a difficult call to make. The three sides are all equally matched; The best online sportsbooks even seem confused. They can’t separate the Panthers and Maple Leafs in the betting to win the Atlantic Division, but they all seem to believe that the Panthers have the better chance of winning the Stanley Cup.
The Panthers will have a new head coach this upcoming season in Paul Maurice. Will the arrival of Maurice give the franchise the stability they didn’t have under Andrew Brunette? Or will he take time to settle, and the Panthers could struggle?
It’s fair to say that Brunette didn’t do too badly when he was in charge. He was handed a bit of a poisoned chalice and finished the season with a 51-18-6 record. He also won the President’s Trophy.
It’s in the playoffs where Brunette seems to have been judged, though. His side’s 4-0 thrashing at the hands of the Lightning in the 2nd Round was an embarrassment.
The Maple Leafs’ long Stanley Cup drought continued, but many punters expect them to improve this season. They have the goals of Auston Matthews and are widely regarded as a team heading in the right direction.
But can they handle the pressure of ending the barren run of over 50 years without winning the Stanley Cup as an up-and-coming team?
Winning the Stanley Cup isn’t relevant in this market, as we’re looking at the division. And I think with the uncertainty around Florida and the fact that the Lightning seems stronger in the playoffs than they do in the regular season, it all points to a title for the Maple Leafs.
A lot can change, and with the season not even starting, it’s probably too early to call. But if pushed for a winner now, it would be Toronto.
