What Are the Biggest NHL Playoff Rivalries?

In the NHL, there’s nothing quite like a matchup between historic rivals. When the Toronto Maple Leafs or Boston Bruins face the Montreal Canadiens, and the Edmonton Oilers face the Calgary Flames, there’s extra intensity between players and fans that creates ultra-competitive play at Ozoon Sportsbook.

Whether it’s the frequency that comes with intra-divisional matchups or the passionate fanbases, it’s clear that when these teams face off on the ice, emotions reach intense highs.

Betting on NHL playoff rivalries can also be tumultuous; the feverish play can lead to unpredictable outcomes. Certain strategies can be employed to help boost your success on your bet slip for these high-volume betting events.

What Makes an NHL Playoff Rivalry So Intense?

When a matchup between teams becomes so intense that riots break out, you’ve got a rivalry on your hands. Key factors play into developing rivalries, including:

• Geographic Proximity
• Repeated Playoff Matchups
• Physical Style of Play

Regional proximity leads to repeated matchups as teams in the same division face each other more often, allowing players to hold onto grudges year over year and fuel the rivalry.

Teams that have a physical style of play also elicit more hate from the opposition; serious injuries at the hands of a rival always get a response from teammates. No Habs fan will ever forget captain Max Pacioretty’s career-threatening fractured vertebra caused by Boston’s Zdeno Chara in 2011.

Betting on rivalry games comes with its own set of considerations; they can lead to close games that go to overtime—especially in the postseason.

One of the most memorable NHL overtime goals in playoff history between rivals would be Boston’s 2011 Stanley Cup-winning postseason when they faced Montreal in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals. After overcoming a 0-2 series deficit, Boston reached Game 7, which went to overtime; Boston’s Nathan Horton scored the game winner to eliminate Montreal, who had been historically dominating Boston to that point. Three of the seven games in the series went to overtime.

Toronto Maple Leafs vs Montreal Canadiens

Canada’s greatest NHL rivalry with the league’s two oldest teams, the Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens represent different parts of Canada. Toronto’s position as English Canada’s economic hub with a team that reigned supreme during the Conn Smythe era, always bring their A-game when hosting Montreal.

The Habs, meanwhile, represent Atlantic Canada and Francophone culture and have experienced the most success in league history. Their fanbase is beyond passionate and any French Canadian civil duties that conflict with playoff games often get rearranged to accommodate them. With this level of loyalty, there’s definitely a strong emotional bias that plays out on the gamelines for any games featuring the NHL’s popular teams in Canada.

Edmonton Oilers vs Calgary Flames – The Battle of Alberta

Edmonton, the capital of Alberta, and Calgary, the economic hub, represent different sides of the province, and that divisiveness can be seen on the ice anytime the Oilers and Flames face each other. This “Battle of Alberta” rivalry started in the ‘80s when both teams joined the league. With Wayne Gretzky in the lineup, Edmonton won four Stanley Cups, and another without him in 1990. 

The Flames, meanwhile, won in 1989, beating the Canadiens, whom they lost to in the Stanley Cup finals three years prior. With the geographic tension between Calgary and Alberta, fans had an opportunity to lean into the rivalry at an Oilers vs Flames second-round series in 2022. Both teams laid on the offence as Game 1 saw a total of 15 goals scored between them. Bettors who took the over that night were rewarded.

Boston Bruins vs Montreal Canadiens

No other NHL rivalry is as heated as Montreal-Boston. These two Original Six teams have decades of postseason battles under their belt—they’ve faced off in the postseason 34 times.

Traditionally, Boston has been the underdog in this rivalry; from the ‘30s to ‘80s, Montreal won most of the postseason matchups. The dynamic started to shift in the early ‘90s when Boston improved, winning the President’s Trophy for the first time in 1990.

In more recent times, Montreal and Boston faced off in back-to-back postseasons in 2008, when Montreal won their Eastern Conference quarterfinal series 4-3, and in 2009 when Boston swept Montreal 4-0. The most recent postseason matchup between these rivals was in 2014, during the Carey Price and Tukka Rask era, when both teams featured stout defence; that made the ‘under’ a strategic betting consideration for totals. The Canadiens won 4-3, with Price making 29 saves in Game 7.

Pittsburgh Penguins vs Washington Capitals

A newer rivalry that has been brewing in the last 25 years has been the Pittsburgh Penguins vs Washington Capitals. The close proximity between these neighboring cities helps make it possible for fans to watch from either arena, leading to boisterous “away” crowds for both.

The rise of two generational talents in Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin in the 2010s helped spur on a passionate fanbase. Being part of the Metropolitan division since 2013, both teams have faced off in the playoffs 11 times. In the two years before the Caps won the Stanley Cup in 2018, the Penguins eliminated them in the postseason. So to finally reach the Stanley Cup in 2018, Washington had to beat the their rivals in the second round.

As for the Penguins, they beat Ovi and the Capitals en route to back-to-back Stanley Cup wins in 2016 and 2017. Ovechkin and the Caps ultimately blocked them from a third straight Cup.

• With such big names still on the rosters, both teams offer excellent player prop betting opportunities, including the Conn Smythe Trophy race

What Are Some Recent NHL Playoff Rivalries to Watch?

One old rivalry from the ‘80s that has seen a resurgence in recent times is the Edmonton Oilers vs LA Kings.

The Western Conference juggernauts faced off in the postseason seven times from 1982-1992, when the Oilers were new to the league. Led by Wayne Gretzky, the Oilers beat the Kings en route to Stanley Cup wins in 1985, 1987 and 1988. Then, after trading Gretzky to LA, Edmonton lost to the Kings in 1989. Both teams faced off in the postseason again from 1990-1992, with Edmonton winning the Cup in 1990 and then eliminating the Kings in ’91 and ‘92.

Fast forward to the last five postseasons, and the Kings vs Oilers rivalry has reignited—much to LA’s chagrin. Led by Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, the Oilers beat the Kings in the first round of the playoffs on all five accounts.

• New rivalries create opportunities for dynamic betting environments where we could see a flip in outcomes.   

How Do Rivalries Impact NHL Playoff Betting?

Rivalry games bring on a higher level of volatility in NHL betting markets. Fans are more likely to bet from an emotional stance, leaving opportunities for sharps to bet against the grain.

For those who want to bet with the grain, placing bets before the masses get in and shift the lines could get you better value. To learn more betting strategies like this, we have a guide on how to bet on NHL playoffs.

Why Do Canadian Rivalries Matter Most in the NHL?

Canadian rivalries, like the Toronto Maple Leafs vs Montreal Canadiens, and Calgary Flames vs Edmonton Oilers have the biggest impact on betting lines at Canadian sportsbooks like Ozoon. These are the games that bring in the biggest national fanbases and garner the most media attention.

When the rivalry matchup happens in the postseason, regional alliances are on full display. In these scenarios betting early is advisable. Keep on top of the NHL’s popular teams in Canada to stay in the loop of the most highly-anticipated matchups.

NHL Playoff Rivalries FAQ