10 NHL Atlantic Division Predictions Chosen By Experts for the 22-23 Season

A three-way race between the Toronto Maple Leafs, Detroit Red Wings, and Ottawa Senators is predicted in a tight 2022-23 Atlantic Division

NHL Atlantic Division Predictions – Recommended Bets

Tight Atlantic Division Predicted 

According to the Atlantic Division odds, the Toronto Maple Leafs enter training camp perched as the frontrunner in what is likely to be a tight three-way race for the top of the Atlantic Division standings. The Detroit Red Wings and Ottawa Senators are poised to finally make gains after years of futility, while the Boston Bruins struggle to stay in the playoff picture.

NHL Atlantic Division Standings: 21/22 Season

Team

Wins

Losses

Overtime Losses

Points

Panthers 58 18 6 122
Maple Leafs 54 21 7 115
Lightning 51 23 8 110
Bruins 51 26 5 107
Sabres 32 39 11 75
Red Wings 32 40 10 74
Senators 33 42 7 73
Canadiens 22 49 11 55

Here’s a look at the NHL Atlantic Division odds and NHL predictions as the countdown to puck drop on the NHL season continues. 

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NHL Atlantic Division Predictions:

Toronto Maple Leafs Predictions

The Maple Leafs return to action again, sporting one of the most potent attacks in all hockey. Led by two-time Rocket Richard trophy-winning and reigning Hart Trophy winner Auston Matthews, the Leafs were second only to the Florida Panthers in team scoring last season. In most offensive categories, they should sit at or near the top of the NHL team stats. 

Indeed, looking at Atlantic Division Odds, Matthews offers solid value as a -114 bet at FanDuel to top 56.5 goals during the regular season, while linemate Mitch Marner is pegged as a -114 (also at FanDuel) wager to tally 94.5 or more points for the third time in his career. 

However, the Leafs look to the new campaign facing a familiar problem. With Jack Campbell departing for Edmonton during the offseason, Toronto once again faces big goaltending questions. 

A two-time Stanley Cup winner, new addition Matt Murray brings solid credentials with him to Toronto and a long-time relationship with coach Sheldon Keefe and general manager Kyle Dubas. However, Murray has mustered just 15 wins in 47 appearances over a pair of lost seasons in Ottawa. And while Ilya Samsonov started his NHL career as a highly touted first-round draft pick, he fell out of favor in Washington last season while compiling a modest 3.02 goals against average and .896 save percentage.

NHL Atlantic Division Predictions: Maple Leafs Recommended Bets 

Florida Panthers Predictions

The Florida Panthers went all in last season. While it lifted the club to their first divisional title in six seasons and a Presidents’ Trophy title as the top team in the league during the regular season, it failed to translate into playoff success. 

Now faced with an empty cupboard of prospects and a dearth of draft picks after bulking up at the trade deadline, the Panthers also saw a steady exodus of veterans, including Claude Giroux, Mason Marchment, Ben Chiarot, and Robert Hagg. The team also made the biggest offseason splash, pulling the trigger on a blockbuster trade that sent leading scorer Jonathan Huberdeau and MacKenzie Weggar to Calgary in exchange for disgruntled pest Matthew Tkachuk. 

But whether all that off-season roster juggling has made the Panthers a better team is far from certain. It is tough to overstate just how much this team has lost by dealing Huberdeau, who got in on over one-third of Florida’s total goals last season. In addition, with no cap space and no first-round picks in the next three NHL Drafts, the Panthers will be hard-pressed to fill holes in their lineup during the season and will struggle to reach a strong points total again. 

Accordingly, this team may be better positioned to make noise in the playoffs if they can stay healthy, but expectations of a second straight divisional title should be tempered. Looking through at the various Atlantic Division odds options, the Under is the best bet. 

NHL Atlantic Division Predictions: Panthers Recommended Bets 

Tampa Bay Lightning Predictions

The Tampa Bay Lightning saw their bid for a third straight Stanley Cup victory halted by the Colorado Avalanche last spring. However, rumors of this team’s championship window closing are very premature. The Lightning saw a pair of notable veterans leave town during the summer, with forward Ondrej Palat heading to New Jersey and rearguard Ryan McDonough heading to Nashville. 

However, with the core remaining largely intact, this remains a team built first and foremost for the playoffs. The Lightning has been the closest thing to a dynasty the NHL has seen over the past decade, reaching the Stanley Cup Final four times over the past eight years and lifting the Cup twice. But it is important to note that the Bolts failed to win the Atlantic in any of the four seasons in which they closed with a Final appearance.

More of the same should be expected this season. Once again, the top line of Steve Stamkos, Nikita Kucherov, and Braydon Point lead the attack, while netminder Andrei Vasilevskiy remains one of the best in the game and is a good bet to win the Vezina Trophy. This team once again sports hard-nosed, veteran depth that may get them into trouble from time to time over the long regular season but which will transform into complementary parts that are to be feared come playoff time.

The Lightning remains worthy of a value bet to return to the Stanley Cup Final again, but don’t expect this team to peak until after Christmas.

NHL Atlantic Division Predictions: Lightning Recommended Bets

NHL Atlantic Division Predictions: Dark Horses and Longshots

Senators, Red Wings Poised to Take Flight

While it remains a three-way race to win the Atlantic Division, there should be no shortage of movement among the teams further down the standings.

The Detroit Red Wings enjoyed a fast start to last season after years of futility and sported a .500 record as the calendar turned to March. The Red Wings faded badly down the stretch, but with another year of experience, this team may be poised for a big jump in the standings this time.

In addition to welcoming their next wave of young talent, the Red Wings bolstered their youthful lineup with some key veteran additions, including defenceman Ben Chiarot and forwards David Perron and Dominik Kubalik. The addition of Ville Husso also sets up a fierce battle for the starting goaltender’s job against incumbent Alex Nedeljkovic.

Of course, the Red Wings’ hopes of returning to the playoff picture will hinge on the continued development of last season’s rookie sensations Moritz Seider and Lucas Raymond. Seider appears poised to take the next leap in the wake of a 38-point Calder Trophy-winning campaign and offers intriguing value as a +2000 bet with Caesars to win this season’s Norris Trophy as the league’s top defenceman.

The Ottawa Senators should also make gains this season after enduring five straight losing campaigns. Winners in 10 of their final 16 games last season, the Senators bolstered their rapidly developing core with the addition of veteran sniper Claude Giroux. They also found an upgrade on departed goalie Matt Murray in veteran Cam Talbot. 

A return to the playoffs may be just out of reach for the Senators, but their -130 odds of topping 86.5 points in the Atlantic Division are worth a look.

NHL Atlantic Division Predictions: Recommended Bets

Bruins in Decline as Canadiens, Sabres Join Race to the Bottom

The Boston Bruins were steady, if not spectacular, last season, earning a sixth straight playoff berth with 107 points and a fourth-place finish in the division. However, with the departure of star rearguards Charlie McAvoy and Matt Grzelcyk and uncertain how their bottom six will look, this team is at risk of missing the postseason this time.

As for the Sabres and Canadiens, it will be another long year. The Sabres have been in perpetual rebuild mode for the best decade with no end in sight. Conversely, the new Montreal Canadiens’ administration has kept busy since committing to a rebuild. In addition to parting ways with Shea Weber and Jeff Petry, the team has pulled off some astute trades to restock their prospect shelf. However, the Canadiens remain close to another last-place overall finish. 

NHL Atlantic Division Predictions: Bruins and Canadiens Recommended Bets

Odds to Win NHL Atlantic Division

Odds to win NHL Atlantic Division BetMGM BetRivers Caesars DraftKings FanDuel
Toronto Maple Leafs +200 +200 +210 +170 +180
Florida Panthers +225 +225 +230 +200 +230
Tampa Bay Lightning +250 +250 +250 +300 +260
Boston Bruins +900 +1100 +700 +1100 +1000
Ottawa Senators +2500 +1700 +2200 +2800 +2500
Detroit Red Wings +2800 +2000 +2200 +3000 +3000
Buffalo Sabres +6600 +10000 +2800 +7000 +7000
Montreal Canadiens +10000 +20000 +5000 +20000 +10000

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What NHL teams are in the Atlantic division?

The NHL’s Atlantic Division consists of the Boston Bruins, Buffalo Sabres, Detroit Red Wings, Florida Panthers, Montreal Canadiens, Ottawa Senators, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Toronto Maple Leafs. It is one of two divisions in the Eastern Conference.

Who is the best NHL team in the 2022-23 season?

Most sportsbooks predict the Colorado Avalanche will win the Stanley Cup again in the 2022-23 season. FanDuel has them at odds of +450. Their closest rivals are expected to be the Carolina Hurricanes and (according to the NHL Atlantic Division Odds) the Toronto Maple Leafs, both +1000 with FanDuel.

Conclusion 

We could be looking at a similar tale to last season in the NHL Atlantic Division. Interested in more NHL content? Be sure to read our guide: How To Win at Sports Betting or check out our complete handbook for our full NHL predictions and our Metro and Central Division Previews. Visit our odds comparison tool to compare the latest odds.

 

Written by Daniel Coyle.  

Daniel has written professionally about sports for two decades and covered the sports betting beat for the past nine years. He is an expert EPL, MLB, NBA, NFL, NHL, and UFC writer.    

His work has featured in various newspapers, magazines, and online media, including the Montreal Gazette, Globe & Mail, Faceoff.com, Sports Illustrated, Bleacher Report, NESN, Sportsnet, Featurd, SB Nation, Oilers Nation, and The Nation.