As we approach the NHL preseason, the team at RotoWire.com used a scoring system to develop a ranking of the top 25 NHL rivalries of the modern era (since the 2005 lockout). We used the following categories and points for NHL betting customers to digest:
- Fan Passion & Media Hype – 25 points
- Competitiveness – 25 points
- Geography & Divisional Rivalry – 20 points
- Playoff Clashes – 15 points
- Superstar Clashes – 10 points
- Modern Relevance (since 2020) – 5 points
Here's what we came up with when it comes to the top rivalries in today's NHL:
Best 25 Modern NHL Rivalries
Rank | Matchup | Points |
1 | Edmonton Oilers vs. Calgary Flames | 94.5 |
2 | Boston Bruins vs. Toronto Maple Leafs | 91.0 |
3 | Philadelphia Flyers vs. Pittsburgh Penguins | 88.5 |
4 | Montreal Canadiens vs. Boston Bruins | 87.0 |
5 | Washington Capitals vs. Pittsburgh Penguins | 85.5 |
6 | Vegas Golden Knights vs. San Jose Sharks | 83.0 |
7 | New York Rangers vs. New York Islanders | 82.5 |
8 | Chicago Blackhawks vs. St. Louis Blues | 81.5 |
9 | Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Boston Bruins | 80.5 |
10 | Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Florida Panthers | 79.5 |
11 | Los Angeles Kings vs. San Jose Sharks | 78.0 |
12 | Chicago Blackhawks vs. Los Angeles Kings | 76.5 |
T13 | New York Rangers vs. New Jersey Devils | 75.5 |
T13 | St. Louis Blues vs. Colorado Avalanche | 75.5 |
T15 | Chicago Blackhawks vs. Nashville Predators | 74.5 |
T15 | Chicago Blackhawks vs. Vancouver Canucks | 74.5 |
T17 | Washington Capitals vs. New York Rangers | 73.5 |
T17 | Anaheim Ducks vs. Los Angeles Kings | 73.5 |
19 | Detroit Red Wings vs. Chicago Blackhawks | 71.5 |
20 | Colorado Avalanche vs. Dallas Stars | 70.0 |
21 | Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Montreal Canadiens | 69.5 |
T22 | Winnipeg Jets vs. Nashville Predators | 68.5 |
T22 | Edmonton Oilers vs. Vancouver Canucks | 68.5 |
24 | Carolina Hurricanes vs. Washington Capitals | 67.0 |
25 | Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Tampa Bay Lightning | 66.5 |
With preseason games starting this weekend and the regular season set to start Oct. 7, your source for the best hockey betting promo codes provides a way to further debate on which NHL rivalries bring tension to the ice and fire up hockey fanbases every year.
Which Rivalries Are The Most Intense in Today's NHL?
The top NHL rivalry across the metrics used for this story is the so-called "Battle of Alberta," between the Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames. These Canadian rivals have faced off 266 times dating to 1980, when the Flames moved from Atlanta to Calgary. The Flames hold a 131-110-18-7 advantage over the Oilers.
The two provincial rivals notched a total rivalry score of 94.5 points, beating out an "Original Six" pairing (Boston vs. Toronto, at 91.0 points) and the Philadelphia Flyers vs. the Penguins (88.5 points). Another traditional "Original Six" tilt between the Montreal Canadiens vs. the Bruins was fourth, with 87.0 points, providing plenty of intensity for U.S. sportsbook apps customers with a sense of history.
Rounding out the NHL top five was the ongoing feud between the Washington Capitals and the Penguins, which had 85.5 points. A more newfound fling between the Vegas Golden Knights and San Jose Sharks was sixth, with 83.0 points.
NHL betting apps will have ever-evolving odds for games, team futures, player props and much more all season.
The New York Rangers against the Washington Capitals is a rivalry that might fly under the radar a bit; it's tied for 17th on our list. But those two teams have met in the playoffs six times since 2006, more often than any other pairing over the past two decades. The Penguins have met two rivals five times each in the playoffs since 2006: The Rangers (who lead Pittsburgh 3-2 in those series) and the Ottawa Senators (Pittsburgh leads 4-1 including the past four postseason meetings).
Where Teams Stand Entering 2025-26 NHL Season
As the NHL gets ready to drop the puck on the league's season, the two-time defending champs from Broward County enter as commanding betting favorites to "three-peat" as champs on DraftKings Sportsbook. The Florida Panthers have +600 odds of hoisting the hardware as of Sept. 18, with the Carolina Hurricanes (+800), Golden Knights (+850), Oilers and Colorado Avalanche (+900 each) rounding out the top of the operator's odds board.
The Panthers (+310) and Golden Knights (+400) are the odds-on favorites to win their respective conferences, while the Hurricanes (+380), Oilers and Avalanche (+450 each) are next in line in the East and West this hockey season.
