NHL Pacific Division Odds and Forecast

Watching the NHL standings in 2022-23 has been an enjoyable ride for most of Pacific Divisions’ fan bases, after what has to be one of the most competitive first 50 games in recent memory.

The Pacific Division was ruled by the Vegas Golden Knights after a 13-3 start, but since, Vegas is 16-15-4 allowing the Seattle Kraken, Los Angeles Kings, and Edmonton Oilers to crawl back toward the top of the division.

The odds to win the Stanley Cup still reflect the Golden Knights (+110) as the favorites among the Pacific Divison NHL teams to represent the West in the finals but we know that number will always be short with the books trying to avoid as much liability as possible with the home fans putting their cash behind their team.

Let’s start off our NHL Pacific Division odds preview and forecast with a look at each team starting with the Seattle Kraken.

It’s safe to say that no one expected to see first place next to the Seattle Kraken at this point in the NHL season but here we are. Not only is the team making the fan base happy but bettors are cleaning up on the Kraken who are the most profitable team in the NHL with 1087 units won.

So where is the Kraken doing the most damage to sportsbooks? We’ll start with their incredible 16-12 SU record as an underdog, winning 1080 units for players. That’s good enough for the top spot in the league along with their 13-5 mark as a road dog (+1436 units).

That record is good enough to be even more profitable than the New Jersey Devils who are 11-1 as a road dog but producing 1173 units. That discrepancy means the Kraken is winning games that no one has expected them to. That should change in the second half when bookmakers are sure to not be so generous with their plus money.

With 33 NHL games to go, Seattle has exceeded their point total from last season by using their incredible depth, something that will be an asset come playoff time.

Prediction: Don’t expect GM Ron Francis to stay put at the deadline, but as of right now it’s difficult to think anyone is better than Seattle in the division, but they still have some work to do to be on the level of the Dallas Stars who we see beating the Kraken in the Western Conference Final.

The Los Angeles Kings are an interesting study because everything about them screams regression in the second half of the season, but so far, they are more than hanging in with the best in the division. In fact, the Kings are tied with the Kraken for first overall but the Kraken has four games in hand.

The reason for the lack of confidence starts with their goaltending rank of 23rd in goals allowed per game (3.4) and a penalty kill that has managed success just 75% of the time. We’re going through another year where the Kings’ brass feel more comfortable with someone other than Jonathan Quick.

Pheonix Copley is this year’s choice, but there are signs that this time the mistrust is warranted. The former all-star was 3-4 in the postseason last year and is 8-12-4 this season with a save percentage of .881 to go with a save percentage of 3.41.

Expect Rob Blake to look for goaltending at the deadline. With an 0-3 record against the Kraken, you can clearly see there is a gap between the two clubs.

Los Angeles is 7-11 (-592 units) as a favorite between -115 and -200. Something to keep in mind in the second half.

Prediction: Unless the Kings go out and shore up the goaltending, we can’t see this team making the postseason with every relevant team having games in hand in their division.

The Vegas Golden Knights started the season with 13 wins in their first 16 games, which was not unexpected after an off-season that presumably allowed them to get healthy without the “burden” of a playoff run. Since the complete opposite happened. NHL Injuries have once again reared its ugly head striking Jack Eichel, Mark Stone, and Shea Theodore to name a few.

However, were expectations too high for this team to begin with? There was talk of Jack Eichel being a 100-point player, something he has never done in his career. Mark Stone who had off-season back surgery started the season strong but has recently been sidelined with that same back issue.

In addition, the team is constantly battling salary cap issues making it very difficult to make impactful moves at the deadline. From a betting perspective, you can clearly see where the Knights are at their worst and that’s when they’re -200 favorites or more with a paltry 19-19 record. A little more consistency against teams they should beat would have the VGK’s comfortably in first.

Prediction: It’s hard to believe the Golden Knights won’t make the postseason but currently they’re five points away from losing their grip on at least a wild card spot. They once had tremendous home advantage but that’s not been an asset this season with a 14-13 record at ‘The Fortress” where it appears someone left the drawbridge down. We think they’ll get into the postseason but lose to the Edmonton Oilers in the first round.

There isn’t a team in the NHL that has been more disappointing than the Calgary Flames with close to 1100 units lost for bettors this season. Only the Anaheim Ducks have been worse with 1512 units lost, but no one expected them to make any noise this season.

The public was massively penalized for their faith in Darryl Sutter’s team who is just 14-19 (-1193 units) when receiving 50% or more of the total bets.

That’s the worst mark in the NHL with the Edmonton Oilers being the next closest team, but still 442 units away from the Flames. It appears as if Sutter is still trying to find the right mix after losing Mathew Tkachuk to the Florida Panthers in the offseason, a move that smells like Krejci/Cassidy part two.

There have been some rumblings that there could be a power struggle between Sutter and GM Brad Treliving and that’s never good for bettors or the teams’ chances to make a deep run in the postseason.

Prediction: Calgary slides by a hair into the postseason, but is dismissed in five games by the Dallas Stars.

The Vancouver Canucks have thrown in the towel knowing a couple of things after moving Bo Horvat to the New York Islanders a month before the trade deadline. First, they weren’t going to resign Horvat who is in the last year of his deal, and second, the team has finally figured out that finishing in the middle of the pact every season isn’t going to help them build a franchise that is in desperate need of a star.

It’s important for bettors to know that the Canucks have turned their sights on the future with a likely trade of Luke Schenn on the horizon. Schenn would look great in a Boston Bruins jersey but nothing is imminent.

Of course, the elephant in the room is the future of Brock Boeser whose name seems to come up every time GM Patrik Allvin is ready to deal. Regardless, it’s best for bettors to fade the Canucks or keep them off your card altogether.

Prediction: Far out of the playoff picture, something that they should have done for a few seasons after losing the Stanley Cup to the Boston Bruins in 2011.

The San Jose Sharks are a long way away from contention and have very little cap space to maneuver in the right direction. They hired David Quinn as if he was the only seat left on the coaching merry-go-round, and that was after naming Mike Grier as their GM in early June.

This franchise has been behind the 8-ball for a long time and will continue to be. It seems as if the win against the Vegas Golden Knights in the first round of the playoffs, where the Knights handed them the series –  was the season the deal with the devil had been struck.

They haven’t been back to the postseason since. As an underdog, San Jose is 11-29 against the moneyline (-1158 units) and 4-13 as a home dog (-759 units).

Only the Arizona Coyotes draw fewer fans at home and that’s because they play at ‘The Mullet” with a capacity of 5,000. In what will be their first step forward, you can bet that the rebuilding process will start with shipping out pending RFA Timo Meier.

Prediction: The rest of the division will pass the Sharks up for a few seasons, and yes that includes the Anaheim Ducks who will likely go on a spending spree to push the Sharks into the Pacific cellar where sharks are usually comfortable anyway. Definitely a go against the puck line team in the second half.

Give the fans in Anaheim Ducks credit, they still manage to pull over 15,000 a game despite the fact that their team is clearly the worst in the National Hockey League. They outdraw the New Jersey Devils who are competing for the top spot in the Metro but draw 600 fewer people a game.

Puckline bettors have been battered when backing the Ducks this season with 1512 units loss. They have been a favorite in just three games this season, losing all three.

Hear us loud and clear, no matter how juicy +300 looks, run away. This team can’t generate any offense five-on-five and when they do it usually results in a missed opportunity.

There is not one aspect of the Ducks game that you can build on and no one feels worse for goaltender John Gibson who would be a multiple-time all-star in any other organization that had a couple of defensive pairings that could consistently protect the 29-year-old.

The sun isn’t going to come up in the 2022-23 season but with a projected cap space of just under 36 million, there is light at the end of the tunnel.

Prediction: This is clearly another go-against puck line team for the rest of the season but unlike the San Jose Sharks, there will be better days.

That concludes our NHL Pacific Division odds and forecast breakdown. All the best to everyone in the second half.

Get the feel of sports betting with these other articles:

• NHL Mid-Season Central Division Report
• Bruins vs Maple Leafs Betting Odds: Atlantic Division Clash on Wednesday Night
• NHL Regular Season Awards: Betting Odds
• NHL Weekend Game Odds ; Analysis
• 2023 NHL Friday Matchups Odds, Predictions ; Analisys Games