2025-26 NHL team points betting odds: Best over bets
Earlier in the week we took a look at two NHL teams that could disappoint this season, and those write-ups go hand-in-hand with these potential overachievers, who hold similar over/under totals and are in the same divisions.
Seattle Kraken (Team Point Total Over 78.5 at bet365)
The Kraken have lacked a superstar forward throughout their entire existence, and that will remain the case this season. That flaw may suggest the organization should have gone in a different direction this offseason and attempted to win the Gavin McKenna sweepstakes, but that was not the case, and the Kraken look more likely to end up in the mushy middle of the standings.
After recording only 76 points in 2024-25, the Kraken rightfully opted to relieve head coach Dan Bylsma of his duties and bring in Lane Lambert, who should prove to be an upgrade. Due to the team’s offseason moves and likely progression from key young skaters, Lambert should have a better chance at leading the team to a respectable record than Byslma did.
Andre Burakovsky struggled mightily for the Kraken last season, recording 10 goals and 37 points while offering below-average defensive play. Shipping Burakovsky off to the Chicago Blackhawks to help provide Mason Marchment a suitable role should prove to be a significant upgrade, as Marchment produced 47 points in 62 games last season while bringing a significantly higher compete level.
Chandler Stephenson led all Kraken forwards in average time-on-ice last season and struggled mightily, recording a -7.1 expected Goals Above Replacement rating, based largely on his horrific defensive play.
Management may have put some pressure on Byslma to award Stephenson big minutes after they signed him to one of the league’s worst contracts in the previous offseason. Still, it seems hard to believe Lambert will award such a hefty role to Stephenson this season with the team taking a competitive stance this offseason. Matty Beniers and Shane Wright are both likely candidates for year-over-year improvement, which could slot Stephenson into a more reasonable role as the third-line center.
While the Kaapo Kakko for Will Borgen trade looks quite reasonable for both sides, a full season of Kakko should upgrade the Kraken’s roster this year. Kakko produced 30 points in 49 games for the Kraken last year, and defenders such as Ryker Evans and the newly-acquired Ryan Lindgren can help mitigate the loss of Borgen.
Joey Daccord has been fantastic in goal over the last two seasons, playing to a +22.9 GSAx rating and a record of 46-41-16.
With a strong number-one goaltender set to play behind what will likely be a more competent defensive side under Lambert, the Kraken’s floor looks higher than a total of 78.5 suggests.
Tampa Bay Lightning (Team Point Total Over 101.5 at bet365 + To Win Atlantic Division +300)
The Lightning failed to get past a juggernaut Florida Panthers side when it counted last year, bowing out quietly in five playoff games, which makes it easy to forget how dominant they were in the regular season. Tampa Bay held the Eastern Conference’s best goal differential (+75) by a wide margin while finishing with 102 points and could be even more dominant this season.
The Lightning’s top six were are entirely dominant once again and is a major reason for the team’s high floor. Nikita Kucherov, Brayden Point, and Jake Guentzel comprise one of the best lines in the league, with Kucherov and Point offering an elite level of play year after year.
Anthony Cirelli and Brandon Hagel should both remain close to their true primes, and as a result, the Lightning should once again have one of the best second lines in hockey. A full season of Oliver Bjorkstrand may upgrade the third spot on the second line, though Gage Concalves also showed well in his first full season and gives head coach Jon Cooper another good option.
The Lightning did not make any significant offseason additions, but their bottom six is highly likely to be more effective than it was for the majority of last season.
Luke Glandening was a drastically below-average skater in 2023-24, and while Pontus Holmberg and Jakub Pelletier are not big names, they are clear upgrades to Glandening acquired this offseason. A full season of Yanni Gourde also figures to help the bottom six achieve better results.
Tampa’s Bay’s defensive core looks rock solid from top to bottom, and a potential drop-off in form from Victor Hedman at age 34 is the only real concern on a unit featuring numerous proven veterans and two high-upside young talents in J.J. Moser and Emil Lilleberg.
Andrei Vasilevskiy is on a short list of goaltenders that have offered an elite level of play season after season and is another reason the Lightning’s regular season floor appears to be among the highest in the league.
As I outlined in my previous article, the Panthers are a worthy Stanley Cup favorite this season but may be poised for a less dominant regular season than expected. The Toronto Maple Leafs could be in a similar boat, as while finally shaking up the core four could help them finally have some success in the playoffs, the loss of Mitch Marner undoubtedly will make accruing points in the regular season a more difficult task.
The Montreal Canadiens, Buffalo Sabres, and Detroit Red Wings may combine to take steps forward and make the Atlantic Division more competitive, but the Lightning appear to be the team to beat in the regular season out of the big three that figure to compete for the division crown.
At +300, there looks to be strong value in backing the Lightning to win the division, and there also looks to be value in a safer bet on them to record over 101.5 points.
Montreal Canadiens (Team Point Total Over 90.5 at bet365 + To Make Playoffs +115)
We won’t go as in-depth on the Canadiens, who I already outlined as a potential overachiever earlier on in the summer in our first futures piece. The market has come around on them to some extent since my previous piece as their price to make the playoffs has dropped from +130 to +115, but there still looks to be value in backing the Canadiens to overachieve the expectations of oddsmakers.
Offensive depth was an issue for the Canadiens last season, although they were still able to sneak into the playoffs with 91 points. Zack Bolduc was highly effective at both ends of the ice and could prove to be an excellent addition, while Ivan Demidov is a heavy Calder favorite and will likely make a significant impact.
The Canadiens’ three most important skaters from last season, Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, and Lane Hutson all figure to offer a similarly dominant level of play this season, which would go a long ways to preventing any regression.
Noah Dobson has very high potential and could prove to be a significant pickup on a blue-line that has likely become far more of a strength than a weakness.
And as outlined in my previous piece, Samuel Montembeault and Jakub Dobes should form one of the league’s better tandems in goal and provide a strong backbone to the team.
2025-26 Complete Season Point Totals (bet365)
| Team | Over | Under |
| Anaheim Ducks | 82.5 (-130) | 82.5 (+100) |
| Boston Bruins | 80.5 (-110) | 80.5 (-110) |
| Buffalo Sabres | 82.5 (-130) | 82.5 (+100) |
| Calgary Flames | 83.5 (-105) | 83.5 (-115) |
| Carolina Hurricanes | 106.5 (-110) | 106.5 (-110) |
| Chicago Blackhawks | 67.5 (-115) | 67.5 (-105) |
| Columbus Blue Jackets | 84.5 (-115) | 84.5 (-105) |
| Colorado Avalanche | 104.5 (-130) | 104.5 (+100) |
| Dallas Stars | 104.5 (-130) | 104.5 (+100) |
| Detroit Red Wings | 84.5 (-105) | 84.5 (-115) |
| Edmonton Oilers | 104.5 (-115) | 104.5 (-105) |
| Florida Panthers | 106.5 (-115) | 106.5 (-105) |
| Los Angeles Kings | 98.5 (-105) | 98.5 (-115) |
| Minnesota Wild | 95.5 (-105) | 95.5 (-115) |
| Montreal Canadiens | 90.5 (-130) | 90.5 (+100) |
| Nashville Predators | 86.5 (-110) | 86.5 (-110) |
| New Jersey Devils | 99.5 (-105) | 99.5 (-115) |
| New York Islanders | 84.5 (-105) | 84.5 (-115) |
| New York Rangers | 95.5 (+100) | 95.5 (-130) |
| Ottawa Senators | 95.5 (-105) | 95.5 (-115) |
| Philadelphia Flyers | 83.5 (-115) | 83.5 (-105) |
| Pittsburgh Penguins | 77.5 (+100) | 77.5 (-130) |
| Seattle Kraken | 78.5 (-115) | 78.5 (-105) |
| San Jose Sharks | 70.5 (-110) | 70.5 (-110) |
| St. Louis Blues | 92.5 (-105) | 92.5 (-115) |
| Tampa Bay Lightning | 101.5 (-115) | 101.5 (-105) |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | 99.5 (-105) | 99.5 (-115) |
| Utah Mammoth | 93.5 (-105) | 93.5 (-115) |
| Vancouver Canucks | 90.5 (-105) | 90.5 (-115) |
| Washington Capitals | 96.5 (-105) | 96.5 (-115) |
| Winnipeg Jets | 97.5 (-110) | 97.5 (-110) |