The Toronto Maple Leafs last made the playoffs back in 2013, and sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com are giving the edge to them missing out on the post-season again this year.
The Maple Leafs are sitting at -140 odds (wager $140 to win $100) to miss the playoffs this season, and at a betting line of even to get back into the post-season.
Toronto put up 57 points in the lockout-shortened 2012-13 campaign, then lost in the first round to the Boston Bruins in seven games. Prior to that, their most recent playoff appearance was in 2004.
Last year the Maple Leafs put up 69 points in 82 games to finish eighth in the Atlantic Division. Heading into the weekend, Toronto has 42 points in 37 games, which puts them on pace for 93. The Detroit Red Wings slipped into the playoffs with 93 points last season.
The best bet of the Canadian teams to make the playoffs this season, according to NHL oddsmakers, is still the Montreal Canadiens despite a recent rash of injuries. Sitting comfortably atop the Atlantic standings, the Canadiens hold down -1200 odds to make the playoffs and +600 odds to suffer a second-half free-fall and miss the post-season. Montreal started strong last season, but lost Carey Price to injury and ended up with just 82 points.
The Edmonton Oilers haven’t made the playoffs since reaching the Stanley Cup Final back in 2006. Now led by Connor McDavid, they’re at -500 odds to finally get back to the post-season this year and +300 odds to fade in the second half and continue their streak of futility.
Edmonton has been passed by the San Jose Sharks and the Anaheim Ducks in the Pacific standings and is now battling provincial rival Calgary Flames for third place in the division.
The Flames, however, are at just -135 to make the playoffs and -105 to miss them, putting the club behind the Ottawa Senators on those NHL props.
The Senators, riding a three-game losing streak that has allowed the pack to catch up to them behind the Canadiens in the Atlantic Division, are at -160 odds to make the playoffs and +120 odds to miss them again.
Meanwhile, the Winnipeg Jets are +190 underdogs to make the playoffs and -290 favourites to miss them, while the Vancouver Canucks have the least optimistic line on the board at +300 to make the playoffs and -500 to miss the post-season. Vancouver, though, enters the weekend riding a five-game winning streak that has pushed them to 41 points in 40 games.
