2026 NHL Eastern Conference Winner Picks

There's just over a month left until the playoffs commence with 16 teams set to battle for the Stanley Cup. With the NHL trade deadline in the rearview mirror, rosters are set for the greatest tournament in professional sports.

What club will win three rounds and claim the Prince of Wales Trophy before representing the Eastern Conference in the Stanley Cup Final? Let's take a look at the latest futures and make our picks. Odds are subject to change.

2025/26 Eastern Conference Futures
Tampa Bay Lightning	+200	+200	+200
Carolina Hurricanes	+235	+235	+235
Buffalo Sabres	+650	+650	+650
Montreal Canadiens	+1200	+1200	+1200
Columbus Blue Jackets	+1800	+1800	+1800
Pittsburgh Penguins	+1800	+1800	+1800
New York Islanders	+2000	+2000	+2000
Ottawa Senators	+2000	+2000	+2000
Detroit Red Wings	+2200	+2200	+2200
Boston Bruins	+5000	+5000	+5000
Washington Capitals	+6600	+6600	+6600
Florida Panthers	+8000	+8000	+8000

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Will Lightning strike again?

Tampa Bay (+200) has dropped five of its past six contests, but they practically guaranteed a trip to the Stanley Cup Finals with the acquisition of Corey Perry, right? The 40-year-old has made five Cup Finals in the past six years, losing each one.

The Lightning are without Steven Stamkos, of course, but they still have the same core (Nikita Kucherov, Brayden Point, Victor Hedman, Andrei Vasilevskiy and coach Jon Cooper) that won back-to-back Cups in 2020 and 2021.

ONE OF THE MOST ENTERTAINING GAMES YOU WILL EVER SEE!!

15 GOALS AND A COMBINED 102 PENALTY MINUTES IN SABRES-LIGHTNING 🤯 pic.twitter.com/LsCZTCcGBp

— ESPN (@espn) March 9, 2026

Hurricanes will blow over again

Carolina (+235) is in a relatively easy Metropolitan division that should lead to another berth in the Conference Finals. However, the Hurricanes have failed to make the Cup Final in each of the past seven seasons despite having one of the best teams in the NHL throughout that span. Once again, goaltending is a concern with career AHLer Brandon Bussi posting a 3.07 GAA and an .884 SV% over his last 15 starts.

Two young Atlantic teams

Montreal (+1200) is closing in on Tampa Bay for second spot in the East after going 6-1-3 in their last ten. While the Canadiens are viewed as "true contenders", their dangerous mix of young talent (Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki, Juraj Slafkovsky, Lane Hutson, Ivan Demidov) make them an intriguing longshot bet.

Ottawa (+2000) has gone on a 7-1-2 tear to get within five points of the final Wild Card spot. However, while the Senators are a fun and exciting young team, it's hard to compete in the playoffs with league-worst goaltending.

- This Habs game-winning goal all starts with Cole Caufield stealing the puck from behind

- Juraj Slafkovsky doesn’t hesitate to pass it quickly to his captain

- You know it’s a huge goal when Nick Suzuki does his celly

pic.twitter.com/GQIo6d61qL

— /r/Habs (@HabsOnReddit) March 8, 2026

Bullish on the Bruins

Boston (+5000) continues to be disrespected by oddsmakers even though they're on a 13-game home winning streak. With one of the best forwards (David Pastrnak), defensemen (Charlie McAvoy) and goalies (Jeremy Swayman), the Bruins have a stud at every position and will be a hard out for any team in the postseason.

2026 NHL Eastern Conference Winner Picks

Buffalo (+650) is a tremendous value considering they're on an eight-game winning streak and have been the best team in the NHL since December 9, 2025 with a 29-6-2 record.

While the Sabres deadline was disappointing, thanks to Blues defenseman Colton Parayko refusing to waive his no-trade clause, there's no denying their results of late.

Buffalo Sabres to win Eastern Conference

+650

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