NHL Eastern Conference 1st-round betting preview: Prepare for upsets
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The favorites were tough to bet against in our Western Conference preview, but that couldn't be further from the truth in the East, where the chaos factor is off the charts.
Which giants are poised for an early postseason exit?
Philadelphia Flyers (-240) vs. Montreal Canadiens (+195)
This isn't going to be a walk in the park for the Flyers. The Canadiens are an excellent team at five-on-five - they finished third in expected goals percentage this season - whereas Philadelphia is more middle of the road in that regard. The Flyers have more elite talent, but the Habs make up for that in depth.
Nick Suzuki and Jesperi Kotkaniemi give the Canadiens a lot of flexibility down the middle, with Claude Julien able to play around with matchups. The Flyers were a great team during the regular season, but it's going to be tough for them to keep up that level of play against a Montreal side that won't just sit back and let them play with the puck.
Philadelphia is the better team - and has an answer to the Carey Price conundrum in Carter Hart - but this series will be a lot closer than the line suggests, and there's plenty of value in Montreal at this price.
Pick: Canadiens (+195)
Tampa Bay Lightning (-225) vs. Columbus Blue Jackets (+185)
Even without the injured Victor Hedman and Steven Stamkos, the Lightning should be too much for the Blue Jackets. Any offensive, defensive, or goaltending stat flatters Tampa Bay, which has few weaknesses. However, we've seen this before.
The Blue Jackets are a tenacious, physical, and relentless bunch who are completely committed to the cause. Defensively, they have a proven ability to slow elite offenses and the goaltending to match.
Puck luck will have to be on Columbus' side if it's to win this series, though it'll be interesting to see how quickly Tampa Bay can ramp up its intensity following a lackadaisical round robin. The Lighting are the easy choice if you're picking a winner straight up, but I'm not willing to pay -225 to find out if they're ready to exorcise their playoff demons.
Pick: Blue Jackets (+185)
Washington Capitals (-167) vs. New York Islanders (+140)
Barry Trotz leads his Islanders into battle against his former team, which will know exactly what to expect. The Isles have a clear identity: they suppress chances, block a lot of shots, and make teams fight for every inch. They are deep down the middle and on the blue line, which will be a real test for the Capitals' elite forwards, who were quiet during the round robin.
Still, the Capitals are excellent at driving play and keeping possession. They have an abundance of high-end talent who will ensure the bulk of this series is played in the Islanders' end. It's unlikely that Semyon Varlamov, who's largely sheltered by New York's strong defensive play, is capable of stealing the series from Washington.
John Carlson's health will be a major factor, but all signs point to him being ready for Game 1, in which case Washington - provided Braden Holtby is solid enough between the pipes - will outlast the Islanders in a tight series.
Pick: Capitals (-167)
Boston Bruins (-137) vs. Carolina Hurricanes (+116)
This is going to be a ton of fun. The Bruins are a strong defensive team with talent up front and stellar goaltending. The Hurricanes are an elite offensive team with a stacked blue line that will include Dougie Hamilton. This pair of powerhouses shine both on paper and the ice, but the price feels inflated.
Boston's top line is superior, but Carolina is deeper up and down its lineup. The Hurricanes get greater offensive contributions from their bottom six and have the best defensive corps in the NHL. The Bruins hold the edge in goal, though, and they might actually need to lean on Tuukka Rask more than they'd like to during this series.
This Carolina team is a much stronger and less naive group than the one the Bruins swept last season. It rolled through the New York Rangers in the play-ins while Boston was largely uninspiring, finish 0-3 during round-robin play. Having a healthy Hamilton - the best defenseman in this series - is a huge bonus for the Canes, who have all they need to pull off the upset.
Pick: Hurricanes (+116)
Alex Moretto is a sports betting writer for theScore. A journalism graduate from Guelph-Humber University, he has worked in sports media for over a decade. He will bet on anything from the Super Bowl to amateur soccer, is too impatient for futures, and will never trust a kicker. Find him on Twitter @alexjmoretto.