Oddsmakers Don’t Like Bruins In Atlantic Division

The 2023-24 NHL season may have just come to a close on Monday, but that doesn’t mean it’s too early to begin projecting next year.

NHL betting odds for the 2024 playoffs are already out, and early predictions don’t look favorably upon the Boston Bruins.

At plus 700, the Bruins have just the fourth-best odds to win the Atlantic Division. Meanwhile, the newly crowned Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers are the odds-on favorite to win the division next year at plus-185. Closely behind are the Toronto Maple Leafs at plus-340 and the Tampa Bay Lightning at plus-48o.

As disheartening as those initial projections may be, they’re even more surprising.

The race for the Atlantic Division was a dead heat last season. The Bruins spent much of the year leading the division and were in the discussion to win the President’s Trophy as well. It wasn’t until the very end of the year that the Bruins saw the Panthers jump them in the standings, and even then, Florida only finished one point ahead when it was all said and done.

But given recent events, one can understand the thought process behind the latest odds. Perhaps the Bruins would have better chances had they not just broken up the strongest goalie tandem in the league by trading away Linus Ullmark.

The one-two punch of Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman has been the backbone of the Bruins over the last few years, and oddsmakers now seem to believe the team will regress without the dynamic duo behind them. The Florida Panthers remain a heavy betting favorite to repeat as Stanley Cup champions, too.

One also must remember the current state of the Bruins’ roster overall. A gaping hole in the middle of their top two lines and a vacancy on the left side of their defense corps are the top needs the Bruins have this offseason. The rest of the teams in the Atlantic certainly have their own agendas for the offseason,  but they all look to be much more complete projects right now than the Bruins.

The good news for the Bruins, though, is that they have plenty of time and money to make those necessary improvements.

According to Puckpedia, the Bruins currently have a projected $25.02 million in cap space, which is more than every other team in their division besides the Detroit Red Wings. With a heavy wallet, the Bruins are expected to be big spenders when NHL free agency begins next week, as they’ve been tied to many of the top players on the market, such as Elias Lindholm, among others.

So, while the latest odds reflect where the Bruins are now, they don’t quite show where they are going. The landscape of the NHL will look entirely different at this time next week and the odds will adjust accordingly.

Far from being a lock while not necessarily being a longshot either, the Bruins make for an intriguing bet to make right now before the chaos truly gets underway.

The odds may be against the Bruins, but when has that ever been a problem for them in the past?