The 2024-25 NHL season began last Friday with a game played in Prague between the New Jersey Devils and Buffalo Sabres. The Devils swept both games in the Global Series to jump-start the regular season, winning 4-1 on Friday and 3-1 on Saturday.
The official opening day is tomorrow night. ESPN is hosting three prime-time games, and there are already hockey betting lines taking action online.
Opening Night NHL Betting Lines
St. Louis Blues vs. Seattle Kraken
- Puck Spread: n/a
- Game Moneyline: Blues +125, Kraken -140
- Over: 1.5 (-115)
- Under: 1.5 (-105)
Boston Bruins vs. Florida Panthers
- Puck Spread: n/a
- Game Moneyline: Bruins +132, Panthers -148
- Over: 1.5 (-115)
- Under: 1.5 (-105)
Chicago Blackhawks vs. Utah Hockey Club
- Puck Spread:
- Game Moneyline:
- Over: 1.5 (-135)
- Under: 1.5 (-115)
The Arizona Coyotes are no longer an active NHL team. The franchise has relocated to Salt Lake City and is now called the Utah Hockey Club.
The Florida Panthers defeated the Edmonton Oilers in the 2024 Stanley Cup Finals to win their first NHL title. NHL betting sites rate the Oilers and Panthers as the most likely teams to reach the finals this season, with Edmonton getting the edge this time.
The Oilers have won five Stanley Cups, with their last coming in 1990.
The odds for betting on the Stanley Cup also place the New Jersey Devils, Dallas Stars, Colorado Avalanche, Carolina Hurricanes, New York Rangers, and Toronto Maple Leafs as contenders for the championship.
First NHL Head Coach Fired
- Mike Sullivan (PIT) +300
- Andre Tourigny (UTA) +400
- Derek LaLonde (DET) +800
- Ryan Huska (CGY) +900
- Jim Montgomery (BOS) +1000
- Jared Bednar (COL) +1200
- John Tortorella (PHI) +1400
- Patrick Roy (NYI) +2000
BetOnline AG has the above NHL prop for the first head coach to get fired this year. Mike Sullivan of the Pittsburgh Pirates and Andre Tourigny of the recently relocated Utah team are well ahead of the remainder of the pack.
Kim Montgomery of the Boston Bruins is an excellent sleeper pick at +1000. Boston ownership will have zero patience with Montgomery if he gets off to a slow start in October.
Will the Boston Bruins make the playoffs?
- Yes -220
- No +180
The above NHL betting line for Boston’s first game of the year projects a loss for the Bruins. To be fair, most franchises would be underdogs when facing the Panthers. The following odds for betting on the NHL Playoffs imply that they will qualify as one of the final eight teams in the Eastern Conference.
Sources:
