Watching the NHL this season, it’s clear there’s an interesting battle brewing among the 7 Canadian teams. Some are surging to new heights while others are plummeting, sparking plenty of drama and debate across hockey bars stretching from St. John’s to Victoria. Most teams have played 46 games out of the maximum 82 divisional games. For sport betting fans, there is plenty of opportunity to bet on upsets or turnarounds, as there is still just under half a season to go before the NHL reaches the playoffs.
Western Pacific Division
The Western Pacific division looks poised for at least 2 Canadian NHL teams to make the playoffs in the 2023/24 season.
Vancouver Canucks: Vancouver Canucks are leading the way in the Western Pacific division with an impressive 7-point lead over second-place Vegas Golden Knights. The team looks unstoppable, with only 11 losses out of 46 games.
Calgary Flames: Canada’s Calgary Flames seemed poised to go toe-to-toe with the Edmonton Oilers for divisional dominance out West. However, the team has dropped 5th place since superstar Johnny Hockey (Johnny Gaudreau) flew the coop to the Columbus Blue Jackets. It will take one heck of a winning streak to get back into playoff contention, considering the points gap between 3rd place Edmonton and Edmonton’s 4 games in hand.
Edmonton Oilers: Led by icons McDavid and Draisaitl, Edmonton was also shaped to become a balanced contender after adding some grit in the offseason. GM Brad Treliving retooled on the fly, and coach Darryl Sutter has this blue-collar group firing on all cylinders. Although the Oilers are 3rd in the division, the team has played 4 games less than the Vegas Golden Knights in 2nd on 59 points and the Vancouver Canucks on 66 points. If the Oilers win all 4 games, they’ll be just 5 points behind the leaders. However, a couple of overtime wins could take the Oilers even closer.
Eastern Atlantic Division
From the 3 Canadian NHL teams in the Eastern Atlantic Division, current performances suggest that only the Toronto Maple Leafs have a shot at making it through to the playoffs.
Toronto Maple Leafs: The Leafs remain as intriguing as ever. At one point, most fans swore they were done with them after Matthews’ goal tally last year. Their offence can pile points faster than poutine on a plate, but can they exorcise the playoff demons of springs past? The window is open now, so either Toronto makes a run, or heads could roll this summer. Currently on 54 points and in 3rd place, the team could make or break as it stands just 1 point above 4th and 5th but only 4 points behind second-place Florida Panthers. As for chances of winning the division, all hope seems lost as the Boston Bruins have a clear lead, sitting 11 points clear of the Maple Leafs.
Ottawa Senators: The Ottawa Senators were off to a quick start; however, as many predicted, the team has returned to wandering in the league basement ever since. With that being said, though, guys like Brady Tkachuk, Drake Batherson and shiny youngster Tim Stützle make the Sens fun to watch on any given night.
Montreal Canadiens: As for Montreal, the team has devolved into a full soap opera. The team is way down in 6th with 11 home defeats and a home overtime loss; the second-worst home performance in the division with an 11-12-1 record, while the team’s away record is 10-9-4. It feels like the season is already over for the Canadiens, and the team will be looking to rebuild for next season unless a miracle happens.
Western Central Division
Canadian team Winnipeg Jets are flying. Can they remain consistent and pinch the division title? It may not even be pinch, as the team is poised to take a convincing lead if it continues to run hot.
Winnipeg Jets: Winnipeg always flies under the radar on the prairies. Losing Scheifele to injury and Wheeler to the Rangers has hurt, but Kyle Connor and Nikolaj Ehlers still dazzle regularly. They’ve hung tough in that Central dogfight and are now at the top of the division by a single point. Yet, the team’s key advantage right now is that they’ve played 3 games less than the Colorado Avalanche.
How will the campaign wrap up?
However, this campaign wraps up; at least a few Canadian squads have redemption on their mind. Can McDavid raise Edmonton’s first Cup in 30+ years by taking advantage of the team’s 4 games in hand? Will the Flames stay hot to win one for Captain Markstrom? Can the Leafs get over the hump that keeps tripping them up? Or maybe Ottawa shocks the world behind Stützle’s brilliance? Who knows, but as the deadline nears, the Great White North looks ready to bring the drama.
