NHL 2024-25 season predictions and ice hockey betting tips: Vegas Golden Knights equipped to bounce back

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Best bets for the NHL 2024-25 season

Vegas Golden Knights to win Pacific Division
1pt 4-1 BoyleSports, Hills

Boston Bruins to win Atlantic Division
1pt 5-1 BoyleSports

NHL 2024-25 season predictions

We look set for a fiercely competitive NHL season with several teams having strengthened over the summer and aiming at least for a decent run in the playoffs.

Vegas Golden Knights cleverly circumnavigated the salary cap to tool up for the playoffs last season, but their Stanley Cup defence ended in the first round at the hands of the Dallas Stars.

That was no disgrace as the Stars were a seriously good team and it took the full seven games to decide the series.

Vegas have lost some of their attacking pieces and it may take time for them to readjust, but they retain five of the six defencemen who helped them to Stanley Cup glory two years ago and that will take some of the pressure off.

Edmonton look solid favourites to win the Pacific Division but Vegas could be underrated and look a value bet.

Boston finished just a point behind eventual champions Florida Panthers in the regular season last year.

Closing out games was a problem for the Bruins, who lost narrow leads late on on several occasions, and that was compounded by losing a whopping 15 games in overtime.

They lacked a genuine number-one centre last term, a gap they hope to have filled by signing Elias Lindholm.

Contract negotiations with star goalie Jeremy Swayman seem to have stalled, but if they get that sorted out they should be set for another strong run. 

The addition of hulking defenceman Nikita Zadorov will make them more of a physical presence – another weakness last season – and the Bruins are the pick in a competitive Atlantic Division.

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