After a four-month pause, the NHL is ready to resume. Yes, hockey is happening in August. But it’s 2020, and does anything really surprise you anymore?
The Stanley Cup qualifiers begin on Saturday, Aug. 1. The NHL is keeping the remainder of the season confined to hub cities Edmonton and Toronto, with no spectators.
The Pittsburgh Penguins (40-23-6) are among the Stanley Cup qualifiers. They will play a best-of-five series against the Montreal Canadiens (31-31-8). The team that gets ousted will be entered into Phase 2 of the NHL Draft Lottery.
The Philadelphia Flyers (41-21-7) are one of the top four teams in the Eastern Conference, so they will play a three-game round robin for seeding in the first round.
Pennsylvania online sportsbooks are ready for the puck to drop and have plenty of betting lines, boosts and promos to welcome back hockey and NHL bettors.
Philadelphia Flyers return-to-play schedule
Sunday, Aug. 2: Flyers vs. Bruins, 3 p.m. EST
Thursday, Aug. 6: Capitals vs. Flyers, TBD
Saturday, Aug. 8: Flyers vs. Lightning, TBD
Pittsburgh Penguins return-to-play schedule
(5) Pittsburgh Penguins vs. (12) Montreal Canadiens
Saturday, Aug. 1: Canadiens vs. Penguins, 8 p.m. EST
Monday, Aug. 3: Canadiens vs. Penguins, 8 p.m. EST
Wednesday, Aug. 5: Penguins vs. Canadiens, 8 p.m. EST
Friday, Aug. 7: Penguins vs. Canadiens*
Saturday, Aug. 8: Canadiens vs. Penguins*
Philadelphia Flyers futures betting
Flyers Stanley Cup odds:
- FanDuel: +1000
- DraftKings: +1000
- Fox Bet: +1100 boosted to +1300
- BetRivers: +1000
Eastern Conference winner:
- FanDuel: +500
- DraftKings: +550
- Fox Bet: +600
- BetRivers: +550
DraftKings Team to win the No. 1 seed:
- Flyers: +550
Flyers vs. Bruins round-robin betting lines
Sunday, Aug. 2: Flyers vs. Bruins
Puck line: Flyers (-245)/Bruins (+200)
Over 5.5 (+106)/Under 5.5 (-129)
Philadelphia Flyers betting stats from DraftKings:
- The Flyers have won the second period in five of their last seven games as underdogs.
- Each of the Flyers’ last eight day games against Atlantic Division opponents has gone OVER the total goals line.
- The Flyers’ puck line record is 43-23 (ranks second), and 37 of their games have gone OVER.
- The Flyers have covered the puck line in 62% of their games, the Bruins in 45%.
Pittsburgh Penguins futures betting
Pittsburgh Penguins Stanley Cup odds:
- FanDuel: +1500
- DraftKings: +1500
- Fox Bet: +1400 boosted to +1600
- BetRivers: +1500
Eastern Conference:
- FanDuel: +900
- DraftKings: +850
- Fox Bet: +900
- BetRivers: +850
Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Montreal Canadiens qualifying series odds
To win series (via FanDuel):
- Canadiens: +185
- Penguins: -230
DraftKings exact outcome of Penguins vs. Canadiens series (via DraftKings):
- Penguins win the series 3-2: +335
- Penguins win the series 3-1: +350
- Penguins win the series 3-0: +400
- Canadiens win the series 3-1: +485
- Canadiens win the series 3-2: +500
- Canadiens win the series 3-0: +1000
Saturday, Aug. 1: Canadiens vs. Penguins game lines (via DraftKings)
Puck line: Canadiens (+143)/Penguins (-165)
Over 5.5 (-103)/Under 5.5 (-120)
Pittsburgh Penguins betting stats from DraftKings:
- The underdog has won the third period in three of the last four games between these two teams.
- Each of the last four games between the Canadiens and the Penguins has gone UNDER the total goals line.
- The “OVER 1.5 Goals Period 3” market has hit in each of the Pens’ last six games.
- As favorites, the Pens are 31-13-5.
- The Canadiens cover the puck line 68.6% as underdogs.
FanDuel NHL return promos
FanDuel NHL Goal Bonus:
- Opt in. Place a minimum $50 pregame moneyline bet on the Aug. 2, 3 p.m. Flyers vs. Bruins game and you get $5 in site credit for every goal that team scores.
- Receive $5 in site credit for every goal your selection scores (e.g., if you pick the Flyers on the moneyline, and if they score three goals, you get $15 in site credits.)
- Max bonus $50 per game; bonus issued 24-48 hours following completion of the game.
- One wager per person per game.
NHL Odds Boost:
- New York Islanders to win the Eastern Conference boosted from (+2,000) to +2400 (Max bet $25)
- New York Rangers to sweep the Carolina Hurricanes boosted from (+700) to +820 (Max bet 20)
DraftKings NHL return promos
The DraftKings NHL Playoff Goal Bonus: Place a minimum $50 bet on any team to win their qualifying series matchup and get $5 toward a free bet for every goal they score all series. Terms include:
- Round-robin teams excluded
- Must opt in before placing bet
- One qualifying bet per user
Fox Bet NHL Bet Boosts
Fox Bet always brings an array of bet boosts. Here are some for NHL return-to-play:
- Flyers to win the Stanley Cup boosted from (+1100) to +1300
- Penguins to win Stanley Cup boosted from (+1400) to +1600
- Penguins to make second round of playoffs boosted from (+200) to +230
Aug. 1, Penguins vs. Canadiens boosts:
- Penguins to win 4-1, 4-2 or 5-3 boosted from (+500 ) to +550
- Penguins to win 3-0, 4-2 or 5-2 boosted from (+550) to +600
- Canadiens to win 3-1, 4-2, or 5-2 boosted from (+900) to +1000
- Canadiens to win 2-0, 4-1, or 5-3 boosted from (+1200) to +1400
Aug. 2, Flyers vs. Bruins boosts:
- Bruins to win 4-1, 4-2 or 5-3 boosted from (+650) to +700
- Bruins to win 3-0, 4-2, or 5-2 boosted from (+700) to +750
- Flyers to win 3-2, 4-2, or 5-2 boosted from (+700) to +750
- Flyers to win 2-0, 4-1, or 5-3 boosted from (+850) to +1000
Earn free bets at BetRivers/PlaySugarHouse
BetRivers Sportsbook and PlaySugarHouse are celebrating the return of hockey by offering bettors free wagers. On Saturday and Sunday, earn up to two free $5 live (in-play) bets for placing a minimum $50 pregame bet on any NHL game.
- Free bets loaded to your account with 24 hours of placing a qualifying bet
- Free bets valid for 48 hours after issue
Conn Smythe betting
Who will emerge with the Conn Smythe trophy for the most valuable player during the Stanley Cup playoffs? In 2019, St. Louis Blues center Ryan O’Reilly skated away with the award after posting eight goals and 15 assists. When the odds for the award were released last May, O’Reilly opened at +3,500 at FanDuel.
Conn Smythe odds (via DraftKings)
Top favorites:
- Nathan MacKinnon: +1400
- Nikita Kucherov: +1500
- Tuukka Rask: +1700
- David Pastrnak: +2000
- Mark Stone: +2100
Flyers and Penguins players’ Conn Smythe odds:
- Sean Couturier: +2700
- Sidney Crosby: +3000
- Claude Giroux: +4000
- Jake Guentzel: +3500
- Evgeni Malkin: +3500
- Carter Hart: +5000
- Kris Letang: +15000
