Betting on NHL Futures?
The NHL All-Star break is here. It represents a good time to evaluate the contenders and the pretenders to win the hardest trophy in sports – the Stanley Cup. In the NHL the cream has really started to rise to the top – there are some legitimate threats to win it all this year.
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Let’s look at 10 teams to keep an eye on and why they have a legitimate shot at bringing home Lord Stanley’s Mug.
Chicago Blackhawks 5/1
There are a lot of reasons to like the betting favorites. Unfortunately there are reasons to shy away from this team as well.
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Let’s start with the good – Chicago’s roster is the envy of nearly every team in the game, their recent playoff experience is off the charts (two Championships in the last six years) and they have about a good a coach as there is in the game right now.
But – and that is a big but, the Hawks have shown a wild inconsistency this season that we haven’t seen in quite some time. Case in point – their current 5-5-0 stretch in which they have lost to some pretty poor teams.
The Hawks will have their backers and rightfully so but to me – it just doesn’t look like their year to come out of the tough Western Conference.
Anaheim Ducks 7/1
The Ducks have overcome a mumps outbreak that sideline a few of their stars, injuries and a pretty tough Pacific Division schedule to emerge in top spot in the Overall Standings at the break – impressive indeed.
Anaheim been as good on the road as they have been at home – the Ducks have 5 regulation losses on home ice and away from home – a perfect attribute for the grind of the playoffs! There is also the addition of Ryan Kesler which takes the onus off the top line to cover their opposition’s top guys and then there is the outstanding play of goaltender Frederik Andersen this year. The Ducks are set from the crease out – as complete a team as there is in the game right now.
All of the arrows are pointing directly up for the Ducks this year. They have everything needed to make a deep run this year and are my pick to win it all.
Montreal Canadiens 10/1
The Habs feel they have some unfinished business – they lost in the East final last year – when Carey Price was forced out of the series due to injury. This year everyone seems healthy. Montreal has been consistently good all season long with just one slump a couple of months back – consistency wins in the playoffs!
With perhaps the best goaltender in the league – Carey Price, the biggest game changer on defense – PK Subban and two quality scoring lines, Montreal is certainly a threat. They are one of just a handful of teams in a somewhat weak East that stand out and own the second best defense in the game. You gotta love Montreal’s chances to advance to the Final this year as perhaps the hungriest team in the East.
St. Louis Blues 10/1
The Blues have been built for playoff success – they are big, they are tough and they are a nightmare to play against – similar to an LA Kings team that has won two of the last four Championships. Their defense has been sensational – just 111 goals against is fifth best in the NHL and their 148 goals for is third best in the game.
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The Blues have had a taste of playoff success and could quietly be the hungriest of the Western Conference teams. Simply put – there is no shame in supporting the Blues to win it all – they are a close second in my eyes behind Anaheim – decent value at 10/1.
Boston Bruins 11/1
Don’t look now but the Bruins are coming! After an unflattering start to the season they have climbed back into the playoff picture on the heels of a 6-1-3 stretch. Tuukka Rask, Zdeno Cara and company always show up during the second season but this doesn’t look like the same Bruins team to me – AT ALL!
Pittsburgh Penguins 11/1
Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin will both miss the All-Star game – uh-oh! The Penguins are a pretty fragile team in the playoffs and absolutely need everybody at full health in order to be a serious contender. Even at full health, their playoff record as of late has been horrendous – I just can’t imagine Marc-Andre Fleury shaking his long-standing playoff demons.
Tampa Bay Lightning 12/1
The Lightning are getting no love from Vegas! They lead the Eastern Conference standings at the All-Star break thanks to the best offense in the game – 156 goals thus far. Defense wins Championships however and despite Ben Bishop’s tremendous play this year, defense is a perceived weakness on this team.
Just ask Pittsburgh how a good offense and poor defense has worked out for them in recent playoff tries!
New York Rangers 14/1
Last year’s Eastern Conference Champs have something to prove and their recent play suggests that they could be prime for another long playoff run. They have won 15 of their last 18 games – as hot a team as there is at the All-Star Break.
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With Rick Nash scorching and Henrik Lundqvist between the pipes, the Broadway Blueshirts are decent value to return to the final this year.
Detroit Red Wings 16/1
How about the Wings? They enter the All-Star break on a five game win streak and in fifth in the Overall standings. The Wings have some serious experience and will be playing hard for a Coach that may depart at season’s end. Detroit’s success rests souly on health – something they haven’t been able to count on in recent years.
Something tells me injuries will come for this team – they are usually decimated by year’s end!
Nashville Predators 18/1
Looking for some value? How about the Predators who sit second in the Overall standings at the All-Star break and have maintained their stellar play despite the absence of their Vezina-claiber goaltender Pekka Rinne. Nashville is the best defensive team in the game, they have a league-best +33 goal differential and are a league best 18-2-1 on home ice at the Break.
When Rinne returns from injury, the Preds will continue to be awfully tough. If they stay atop the standings and are afforded home ice in the playoffs, the Preds could emerge and pay their backers off royally!
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