Sports

NHL Playoff Betting: Wild Card Spots Still Up For Grabs

by
Samantha Gordon
April 15, 2025

All NHL franchises have either one or two games left to play this season. The postseason is scheduled to begin on Saturday.

Odds for betting on the NHL Playoffs are available for all known series, but there are a few loose ends to tie up in the wild card races in both conferences over the remaining days of the regular season.

Eastern Conference Wild Card Rankings

*Ottawa Senators – 44-36-6, 94 Points
Montreal Canadiens 39-31-11, 89 Points
Columbus Blue Jackets 38-33-9, 85 Points

*Top Wild Card Spot Secured

The Ottawa Senators are four points ahead of the Montreal Canadiens in the wild card standings. The Canadiens only have one game remaining, so Ottawa has the top wild card spot locked up.

The Columbus Blue Jackets have two games remaining and can catch up with the Canadiens if they win both of them and Montreal loses its final contests.

Online NHL sportsbooks are favoring the Senators to win at home tonight against the Chicago Blackhawks and lock up the number six spot in the East.

Chicago Blackhawks @ Ottawa Senators

Spread: Blackhawks +1.5 (-108), Senators -1.5 (-112)
Moneyline: Blackhawks +240, Senators -290
Over: 6.0 (-110)
Under: 6.0 (-110)

Should the Senators falter, the Blue Jackets have a decent shot at making up some ground as they are favored on the road against the Philadelphia Flyers.

Columbus Blue Jackets @ Philadelphia Flyers

Spread: Blue Jackets -1.5 (+168), Flyers +1.5 (-198)
Moneyline: Blue Jackets -142, Flyers +122
Over: 6.5 (+102)
Under: 6.5 (-122)

Over in the west, it is a three-way dance for the two available wild card spots.

Western Conference Wild Card Standings

Minnesota Wild 44-30-7, 95 Points
St. Louis Blues 43-30-8, 94 Points
Calgary Flames 39-27-14, 92 Points

Both the Minnesota Wild and the St. Louis Blues have one game left to play. The Calgary Flames have two contests remaining in 2025, and they’ll need to win both to keep up with the pack and retain any hopes for making it into the playoffs.

Anaheim Ducks @ Minnesota Wild

Spread: Ducks +1.5 (-125), Wild -1.5 (+105)
Moneyline: Ducks +210, Wild -250
Over: 6.0 (-105)
Under: 6.0 (-115)

The Wild are favored to beat the Anaheim Ducks tonight and will lock up a postseason berth with the win. St. Louis hosts Utah and is favored to win as well.

Utah Hockey Club @ St. Louis Blues

Spread: Utah +1.5 (-195), Blues -1.5 (+165)
Moneyline: Utah +133, Blues -155
Over: 6.0 (EVEN)
Under: 6.0 (-120)

If the Blues win in regulation, they’ll clinch a wild card spot and eliminate the Flames from postseason contention. Calgary is favored at home tonight against Vegas, and can make the final day of the season interesting if St. Louis somehow loses to Utah.

Vegas Golden Knights @ Calgary Flames

Spread: Golden Knights +1.5 (-280), Flames -1.5 (+230)
Moneyline: Golden Knights -105, Flames -115
Over: 5.5 (-120)
Under: 5.5 (EVEN)

The Stanley Cup Playoff picture for 2025 is already locked in for the Stars, Avalanche, Kings, Oilers, Hurricanes, and Devils. Series prices have been set for the following best-of-sevens that will begin on Saturday.