The NHL’s 32 teams are down to just 16 in the postseason, with the opening games of the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs are underway.
If you want to bet on Hockey futures and awards (Stanley Cup, James Norris Memorial Trophy, Rocket Richard Trophy, Vezina Trophy etc) visit the NHL futures & props page.
Longest Active NHL Team Playoff Droughts
The 2024 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs began in mid-April 2024 – but which teams have failed to reach the playoffs for the longest timespans?
- Buffalo Sabres: 12 seasons (2012)
- Detroit Red Wings: 7 seasons (2017)
- Ottawa Senators: 6 seasons (2018)
- Anaheim Ducks: 5 seasons (2019)
- San Jose Sharks: 4 seasons (2020)
NHL Betting Frequently Asked Questions
What is the moneyline in NHL betting?
The MoneyLine is the easiest wager for the novice NHL bettor to understand, as it’s simply a straightforward bet on which team you think will win any single game.
The favorite to win the game in the betting odds on any NHL game will be indicated with a negative number. For example say the NHL Vegas odds are -200, next to the team name. In this instance, you would have to stake $200 on that team in order to win $100 (+ the return of your initial stake).
In this example, the underdog in the game might have MoneyLine odds of +150. That means that you would need to stake $100 on that team in order to win $150 (+ the return of your initial stake).
The biggest problem with waging on the MoneyLine is that you will get a poor return with winning bets if putting your money on a strong favorite in a game.
What is the puck line in NHL betting?
The Puck Line is the most popular market to bet on in an NHL game and is the direct equivalent of betting on the Point Spread in the NFL or the 'Run Line' in baseball.
When it comes to the MoneyLine betting odds to win, games are rarely perceived to be totally evenly matched. The Puck Line is used by the sportsbooks to ensure that the odds for those backing the favorite are more attractive.
The NHL Puck Line is always set at +/-1.5 (the half-point is sometimes referred to as a “hook”, which ensures there is no possibility of a push, or tie).
What that means in basic terms is that you have to subtract 1.5 goals from the team’s final score that was favorite going into the game to see if they still win the game on the Puck Line. Or to put it another way, the favorite going into the game will need to win by a minimum of a two-goal margin for a Puck Line wager on them to be a winning bet.
For a wager on the underdog on the Puck Line to win, they would have to either win the game or to lose it by no more than a one goal margin.
How do you bet on Totals (Over/Under) in NHL?
In Totals or Over/Under betting, the result of the game is irrelevant. The only concern in this market is how many goals will be scored overall in the game.
The typical Totals spread in NHL betting is +/-5.5, although sportsbooks do occasionally vary this depending on the game.
You are effectively choosing between two options in a NHL Totals bet – Over 5.5 Goals (i.e. there being a total of six goals or more in the game) or Under 5.5 Goals (i.e. there being a total of five goals or less in the game).
The Totals spread will be set at a point where the betting odds for Over and Under will either be the same, or there will only be a marginal difference.
What are Parlay bets in NHL?
A parlay (also known as an accumulator, combo bet or multi) is a single wager that links together two or more event. A single parlay can cover a number of sports and markets but, for the sake of simplicity, we’ll use the NHL Puck Line as our example here.
So, you might have a parlay bet on the Tampa Bay Lightning, Toronto Maple Leafs, Washington Capitals and Boston Bruins all to win on the Puck Line in one round of matches. Were three of those teams to oblige, but the Bruins fail to do so, the entire parlay is now a lost bet.
Parlays are incredibly popular bets in that it is possible to win a sizeable amount of money from a relatively small stake. However, the more events you include in any such bet, the more likelihood there is of at least one result letting you down.
What are NHL Prop bets?
NHL prop bets allow you to wager on specific players and events happening within the game, such as who scores the first goal of the game, whether a specific player will score a goal, etc. They are basically simple 'Yes/No' bets as to whether something will happen during a game in their simplest form.
Who are the current NHL champions?
In 2023 The Western Conference champions the Vegas Golden Knights defeated the Eastern Conference champions the Florida Panthers 4 games to 1 in the a-of-seven series to earn their first championship win in their sixth season.
Which NHL teams have won the most Stanley Cups?
- Montreal Canadiens - 24
- Toronto Maple Leafs - 13
- Detroit Red Wings - 11
- Boston Bruins - 6
- Chicago Blackhawks - 6
- Edmonton Oilers - 5
- Pittsburgh Penguins - 5
- New York Islanders - 4
- New York Rangers - 4
What are the 31 ice hockey teams that make up the NHL?
- Anaheim Ducks
- Arizona Coyotes
- Boston Bruins
- Buffalo Sabres
- Calgary Flames
- Carolina Hurricanes
- Chicago Blackhawks
- Colorado Avalanche
- Columbus Blue Jackets
- Dallas Stars
- Detroit Red Wings
- Edmonton Oilers
- Florida Panthers
- Los Angeles Kings
- Minnesota Wild
- Montreal Canadiens
- Nashville Predators
- New Jersey Devils
- New York Islanders
- New York Rangers
- Ottawa Senators
- Philadelphia Flyers
- Pittsburgh Penguins
- San Jose Sharks
- St. Louis Blues
- Tampa Bay Lightning
- Toronto Maple Leafs
- Vancouver Canucks
- Vegas Golden Knights
- Washington Capitals
- Winnipeg Jets
When does the 2023-24 NHL Season Start?
The regular season is scheduled to run from October 2023 to April 2024, followed by the Stanley Cup playoffs until June. 2023–24. Details are not 100% public domain however the LA Kings dropped the 2023-24 opening night date via twitter
What is NHL All-Star Weekend?
The National Hockey League All-Star Game is an exhibition ice hockey tournament traditionally held during the regular season of the National Hockey League calendar.