As we approach the All-Star break, the playoff picture has really taken shape.

There are still some interesting races where we aren't sure exactly how things will shake out. Let's look at three of the best bets to either make or miss the playoffs, per the NHL odds to make playoffs at FanDuel Sportsbook.

Note: Lines are subject to change after this article is published. All NHL betting odds and totals are from the NHL odds at FanDuel Sportsbook. All advanced statistics are used from MoneyPuck.com and NaturalStatTrick.com.

NHL Odds to Make Playoffs

New Jersey Devils to Miss the Playoffs (-115)

The New Jersey Devils entered the season as one of the favorites for the Stanley Cup. They came off an excellent 2022-23 regular season and made the second round of the playoffs. There were certain things that could go wrong to potentially derail them -- and those things have gone wrong.

The Devils currently sit in ninth in the Eastern Conference, four points out of the last wild card spot. They have two games in hand on the Detroit Red Wings, the team they are chasing. They still have a worse points percentage than Detroit. New Jersey is still in striking distance, but they have problems with their current roster.

The first problem they've had is goaltending. They didn't come into the season with an established starter in net, but that wasn't a problem for them last year. Their team save percentage ranked 11th last campaign, and it's down to 31st this season.

They brought back Vitek Vanecek and Akira Schmid. They were the two goalies they used last season, and both had positive goals saved above expected (GSAx). This season, both of them are negative in GSAx, and Nico Daws is also in the negative.

They do have the cap space to potentially make a trade, but it's hard to trade for a goalie in-season, because most of the good goalies are on playoff teams. At this point, you'd have to wonder if it's even worth it.

The second problem is their injuries. They've been without Dougie Hamilton since November 28th. Hamilton was by far their best defenseman last season and finished sixth in Norris Trophy voting for the league's best defenseman. It seems likely that he will be out for the entire season with his torn pectoral.

They are also currently without Jack Hughes, so they are playing without their best forward and best defenseman. Also missing from the lineup right now are Jonas Siegenthaler, Ondrej Palat, Erik Haula, Michael McLeod and Callan Foote.

I can't see the Devils climbing into the playoffs with their injuries and the current state of their goaltending. I'll lay the -115 odds that they come up short.

Pittsburgh Penguins to Make the Playoffs (-150)

The Pittsburgh Penguins made a big splash this offseason after missing the postseason last year. They acquired the Norris Trophy winner in Erik Karlsson in an effort to give them one of the most talented power plays and a top-heavy lineup of stars.

The power play aspect hasn't worked for the Penguins. They currently have the second-worst power play in the league, ahead of only the lowly Chicago Blackhawks. Overall, their goals-per-game ranks 22nd in the league, way worse than we would expect from a team with this much offensive firepower.

The Pens have underperformed their expected goals (xG) percentage at five-on-five this season. They are the seventh-best team in this metric, with every team above them occupying a playoff spot.

As the standings sit now, Pittsburgh has a bunch of teams in front of them that they'd have to leapfrog to get into the playoffs. They are behind the Devils, New York Islanders, Washington Capitals, Red Wings and Philadelphia Flyers for either the last wild card spot or the last spot in the Metropolitan Division.

These teams all have their flaws. We know about the Devils. The Islanders struggle to win games in regulation. Washington doesn't score a ton. Detroit is fairly weak defensively, and Philly is in a bit of a freefall and may have lost their starting goalie for the foreseeable future.

Keep in mind that while all of those teams listed above have more points, the Pens have a higher points percentage than Washington and the Islanders.

The Penguins may be the strongest team -- or may have the fewest flaws -- of this group. They've gotten strong goaltending from both Tristan Jarry and Alex Nedeljkovic, as their team save percentage is the fourth-highest in the NHL.

If they can improve on the fifth-lowest shooting percentage in the league, Pittsburgh should make the playoffs. I don't mind laying these odds, as the Pens should be able to make the cut.

Los Angeles Kings to Miss the Playoffs (+350)

We went with two bets that were favorites, now we'll go for something a bit more spicy.

The Los Angeles Kings are in freefall. They've won just two of their last 16 games and can't seem to buy a goal. There have been quotes from head coach Todd McLellan about his job security, and from Drew Doughty questioning his teammates' effort.

Only Chicago has a worse points percentage than the Kings since December 28th, when this 16-game skid began. They've also scored the third-fewest goals per 60 minutes in this stretch.

The Kings' goaltending was strong under Cam Talbot to start the season -- until January hit. This month, he has a 4.28 goals against average and a dismal .873 save percentage. If you can't score and you get poor goaltending from your starter, you aren't going to win many games.

LA was the best five-on-five team in the league in terms of xG% before this stretch. In these 16 games, they rank 14th in xG%. So, it isn't just bad luck -- they are playing significantly worse than they previously were.

It seemed like the Kings would be able to hold off the Edmonton Oilers, but Edmonton's 16-game winning streak has quickly changed that. Now LA has the Nashville Predators, St. Louis Blues and Seattle Kraken breathing down their neck.

The Kings are right up against the salary cap and don't have much room to add anyone. Getting Viktor Arvidsson and Blake Lizotte back will help. Will that be enough to stop this slide?

At these +350 odds, I like taking the bet on the Kings missing the playoffs given how poorly they've played and the fact that they are holding on to a wild card spot by just a point.

Looking for more NHL betting opportunities? Check out all of the NHL odds at FanDuel Sportsbook.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.