We’re more than one-quarter of the way through the 2022-23 NHL season. We now have enough games to update our 2023 NHL conference champion futures bets — and that’s exactly what we’re doing in this article. Whether you already have money on this wager or not, you need to read this for a current plan of attack.
2023 NHL Eastern Conference Betting Pick
Let’s begin out East, where the conference is loaded with Stanley Cup contenders. It should come as zero surprise that there are numerous candidates to be the NHL Eastern Conference winner pick. However, as it stands, these teams are favored to win it most at top NHL betting sites:
| Team |  |  |
|---|---|---|
| Boston Bruins | +330 | -165 |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | +500 | +185 |
| Carolina Hurricanes | +600 | +800 |
| New Jersey Devils | +600 | +3000 |
| Tampa Bay Lightning | +700 | +10000 |
We’re not going to lie, the Bruins have proven us wrong. When the team got off to a strong start, part of us said it was a fluke. After all, Boston wasn’t being viewed as a serious contender before the season. The preseason hype was reserved for Toronto, Carolina, and three-time-conference-reigning champs, Tampa Bay. However, the Bruins keep winning and it’s hard to argue against their success.
Part of our initial skepticism was around the schedule. Admittedly, Boston faced less-than-stellar foes early on. However, they just finished a stretch against some of the best teams in the league — the Lightning (twice), Panthers, Hurricanes, Avalanche (twice), and Golden Knights (twice). How did the Bruins fare? They went 6-1-1. Just for perspective, they trounced the reigning world champions, Colorado, twice and outscored them 9-1.
Folks, Boston is for real and they are deserving of a bet right here — especially if you don’t already have money on ‘em (which is probably many of you). Bruins rank atop the league or near close to it in most major categories: overall record, goals for, goals against, etc. If this hot streak continues, we fear Boston’s betting line will keep losing value. That’s why we’re being urgent and putting money on them right now.
The only other team in the East we would entertain a bet on is the Lightning. You just really can’t ever rule ‘em out. Tampa is off to an ok start, but after three straight trips to the Stanley Cup Finals, they’re not a team that wants to overwork themselves in the regular season anyway. At its current odds, the Lightning is worth having money on in case they “flip the switch” during the postseason.
2023 NHL Western Conference Betting Pick
Admittedly, there’s been a lot of change in the Western Conference from the preseason to now. The Avalanche began the new season as the favorites to repeat out West and that hasn’t changed despite a slow start (14-0-2). Vegas has over-performed but not enough to leapfrog over Colorado odds-wise. Here’s a look at the Western Conference betting picture:
| Team | | |
|---|---|---|
| Colorado Avalanche | +250 | +250 |
| Vegas Golden Knights | +350 | +350 |
| Calgary Flames | +600 | +600 |
| Dallas Stars | +800 | +800 |
| Edmonton Oilers | +900 | +900 |
Our pick here remains unchanged, it’s the Avs. Our rationale is two-fold. First, the team has been undone by a rash only injuries more than anything else — not poor play. A list of players currently injured includes Darren Helm, Gabriel Landeskog, Josh Manson, Val Nichushkin, and too many others to name. The injuries have to start at some point, right?
You’d think so. And if they do, watch out. As expected, Colorado is absolutely lethal up front. Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen has with 33 and 31 points, respectively, in 22 games. Collectively, the team has an insane 32.5 percent power play.
The second reason we’re sticking with Colorado is, well, no other team in the Western Conference has convinced us to change our mind. The Golden Knights are beginning to cool off. The Kraken isn’t letting up from its surprise start, but even then, we’re not ready to bet on a second-year team to take the whole conference.
How To Bet On 2023 NHL Betting Futures?
While we’re confident in the two betting picks above, you’re free to disagree with us. And if you want to vote with your money, then consider one of the online bookmakers listed below. Any one of these sites will offer a bevy of NHL betting futures — not just on conference winners, but also on the Stanley Cup championship.
Take a close look at the table if you can’t decide the best sportsbook for you. Our table includes up-to-date site reviews and details on sign-up bonuses offered at each site. It’s easy to sign up for a sportsbook — like a few clicks away and minutes type of easy. Hit one of the play now buttons in the table to get started right away!
About the Author
Eric is uniquely suited to be a writer for SBS. For one, he's a journalist by trade. Eric spent a large part of his career, covering sports — high school, college, and professional — for newspapers and online-based sites. However, Eric is a bettor himself too. He has first-hand experience hanging out in smoky sportsbooks and casinos, dealing with the ebbs and flows of gambling, and an understanding of how bookies operate. Both these unique qualities make him an expert bet picker for SBS. You'll also see Eric report on the sports betting industry as a whole.
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