Month: July 2010

Stanley Cup Betting Futures Update

Hockey betting fans sure are getting their money’s worth from the free nhl picks from Capperspicks.com.

Believe it or not, the NHL betting season will be here before you know it, so lets take a look at some early futures odds – NHL Style!

Thanks largely in part to the Ilya Kovalchuk fiasco, the NHL free agent frenzy has slowed to a crawl over the last few weeks. That means now is probably an ideal time to take a deep breath and assess the current Stanley Cup odds.

CONTENDERS

Chicago Blackhawks
Stanley Cup odds: +500

So far, books aren’t downgrading the Hawks even though they seem to lose another piece of their Stanley Cup-winning team every day. They’ve already said goodbye to Kris Versteeg, Dustin Byfuglien, Andrew Ladd and John Madden. But, fact of the matter is, some guys named Toews, Kane, Keith, Seabrook, Hossa and Sharp are still running the show. Chicago remains the team to beat.

Washington Capitals
Stanley Cup odds: +600

This is a team that frustrates me again and again at every trade deadline and during every free agency period. The Caps have so much firepower yet repeatedly fail to address their glaring need for defensive stability and perhaps even better goaltending. They won’t get my bet until they do so.

Pittsburgh Penguins
Stanley Cup odds: +600

The Pens have a great shot to represent the East in the final again this year. They lost Sergei Gonchar but may have actually improved on the back end with Paul Martin and Zbynek Michalek coming to town. They may still acquire another winger to play with Sidney Crosby as well.

RISERS

New Jersey Devils
Stanley Cup odds: +1500

Most books currently list the Devils with the same odds as L.A., Vancouver, and Philadelphia. That’s good company. Clearly, everyone expects Lou Lamoriello to figure out the salary cap conundrum and keep Ilya Kovalchuk in a restructured deal.

Los Angeles Kings
Stanley Cup odds: +1500

These guys are the next Chicago Blackhawks. This blog correctly predicted the Kings’ ascension into postseason play a year ago; it was bound to happen with the likes of Doughty, Kopitar, and Johnson leading the youth movement. Now, the Kings have potential to grow even more. Brayden Schenn, Thomas Hickey and Jonathan Bernier could become viable NHLers or the Kings could ship one of them to land another elite scorer. Tomas Kaberle? Marian Gaborik?

Tampa Bay Lightning
Stanley Cup odds: +3000

The Lightning were among the league’s busiest teams this offseason. First, they signed Steve Yzerman as their new general manager. Then, under his tutelage, they acquired Simon Gagne to join a strong offense that already included Steven Stamkos, Martin St. Louis and Vinny Lecavalier. Dan Ellis will bring stability in goal as well. Given how mediocre the Eastern Conference was last year, Tampa could return to the postseason.

FALLERS

San Jose Sharks
Stanley Cup odds: +900

The Sharks still have the fifth-best odds to win the Cup in most books but it’s been years since they ranked that low, hasn’t it? It seems bettors and books are almost ready to give up on this talented group that always seems to choke in the playoffs. If you’re looking for value, however, it’s worth noting that (a) The Sharks re-upped the only two guys who had great playoffs in 2009, Patrick Marleau and Joe Pavelski, with long-term deals. And Evgeni Nabokov’s departure for the KHL may be addition by subtraction.

Montreal Canadiens
Stanley Cup odds: +3000

The books have made their message loud and clear: you should’ve kept Jaroslav Halak and traded Carey Price, Montreal. It may seem strange for a conference finalist’s odds to plummet to the middle of the pack but, let’s face it, Halak carried the Habs in the playoffs and he doesn’t play for them anymore.

Colorado Avalanche
Stanley Cup odds: +6000

Ouch. After qualifying for the playoffs and showing real promise as a young team, the Avs now have the same odds as the Toronto Maple Leafs. I suppose oddsmakers think their situation is like Montreal’s in that a goalie, Craig Anderson, influenced their success. Don’t believe that. Colorado has some legit young talent on board with Matt Duchene, Chris Stewart, Paul Stastny and Peter Mueller leading the charge. It could be even better this year.

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Shea Matthews lives and breathes sports. He made the transition from athlete to sports journalist at a young age, writing in TV & national newspapers. He now applies his knowledge to sports betting and handicapping every day, and shares his winning picks with the world.