NHL Metro Division Betting Odds Update: Storming Through
Hurricanes Favored to Capture Metro Thanks to Schedule
Odds Give Carolina Over an 80 Percent Chance
Currently, with 103 points, the Carolina Hurricanes sit atop the Metropolitan Division and are heavily favored to stay here when the season concludes. The Metro Division betting odds (-550) give Carolina roughly around an 84 percent chance of maintaining its pace to hold off the New Jersey Devils (+450) and the surging New York Rangers (+1200). Looking at their remaining schedule, the ‘Canes appear to have it locked up.
The Metropolitan’s Top Teams’ Paths to the Division Title
As mentioned, the Metro Division betting odds heavily favor the Hurricanes thanks mainly to the easiest schedule in the division. Using the strength of schedule calculator, the Hurricanes have it easier than New Jersey and the Rangers (the higher the number, the harder the schedule):
- Carolina’s remaining opponents’ SOS: 1.038 (nine teams)
- New Jersey’s remaining opponents’ SOS: 1.090 (eight teams)
- New York Rangers’ remaining opponents’ SOS: 1.097 percent (eight teams)
All nine of Carolina’s remaining games are against teams that are currently out of the playoff picture. They play fringe playoff teams like the Panthers and Predators and have two games against both Detroit and Ottawa. Carolina will likely deliver on the NHL scores and odds when these are done.
New Jersey’s schedule is a little bit tougher as it still faces Boston and the Rangers. On top of that, it also takes on Pittsburgh and Winnipeg, which are both playoff teams. But it also has some “gimmes” against Columbus and Chicago. And its Hudson River rivals, the Rangers, have the toughest schedule with games against Toronto, Tampa Bay, and the Devils.
The Devils-Rangers game could be what clinches Carolina’s division title, which happens today, March 30. If the Rangers beat the Devils in regulation time (no overtime or shootout), that could take New Jersey out of the race. Carolina should be favored to beat Detroit on the same night. A three-point lead may be all it takes as Carolina still has a game in hand. The Metro Division betting odds will be much wider should this happen.
Carolina’s Final Form: Picking Up Speed
The Hurricanes are this close to clinching its third straight division title. Even if six of its last nine games are on the road, Carolina is 22-7-6 on the road. This is the fourth-best road record in terms of point percentage. But one area of concern for the team is how it is handling the absence of Andrei Svechnikov.
As far as NHL injuries are concerned, the loss of Svechnikov (knee) is big for a team that can struggle to score at times. He had 23 goals and four of which were game-winning. Both ranked third on the team. Svechnikov also brought physicality and led the team in hits prior to getting hurt. Carolina has gone 4-4-1 since he got hurt.
These five losses also came against the elite of the conference like Boston, Tampa Bay, and Toronto. Fortunately, Carolina faces none of them in this final stretch. But fans have a right to be concerned as the Hurricanes head to the postseason. But on a positive note, Carolina has gone 25-4-4 against non-playoff teams so clinching the Metro title should be a cinch.
New Jersey Versus New York: Trending Differently
As for New Jersey or the Rangers, it seems like a case of “so close yet so far”. The Devils even beat the Hurricanes 3-0 in a pivotal meeting with them. But the team followed that up with three straight losses, two of which were to the struggling Lightning. New Jersey has struggled to close to the season and is 2-4-2 in its last eight games.
As for the Rangers, they have gone 9-1-1 in their last 11 games. Both the team’s offense and its goaltending, namely from Igor Shesterkin, have taken off. The Rangers have an NHL-best +22 goal differential in this span and the team scored 4+ goals in seven of these games.
At 12-1, the Rangers may be a better bet to challenge the Hurricanes for the Metro title. It needs to beat New Jersey and then continue to deliver on the road: five of its next six games are away. New Jersey is struggling to put the puck in the net and its goaltenders are not on the same level as Shesterkin. New York looks like a Stanley Cup contender and may be favored against New Jersey in their first-round matchup.
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