NHL Betting – 2012 Stanley Cup Futures
No sooner has the dust – not to mention the fire and blood in the streets of Vancouver – settled after Boston’s Stanley Cup victory that the 2012 odds to win it all are posted.
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Let’s examine the top 10.
1. Vancouver Canucks (+550)
Do the Vancouver Canucks deserve favorite status for 2012? Sure, they were one win away from the Cup, they had the best regular season record, they scored the most goals and allowed the fewest. They’re a stacked hockey team. But their mental toughness has come into question and we don’t know who will be their starting goaltender come October. Will they trade Roberto Luongo?
2. Boston Bruins (+800)
Some detractors will point out that (a) Boston still lacks a true offensive presence, as its leading regular-season scorer had 62 points and that (b) a 37-year-old goalie carried them to the Cup. However, Boston retains almost its entire team entering next season and many of its top forwards are very young. The future could remain bright. Even if Tim Thomas’ age catches up with him, Tuukka Rask is a more than capable replacement between the pipes.
3. Washington Capitals (+850)
The Caps’ odds surprise me. This is a team that still hasn’t shored up its blueline, locked down a bona fide No. 1 goalie or improved its toughness. The Caps also got swept in round two of the playoffs. I guess oddsmakers are banking on a bounce-back year from Alex Ovechkin?
4. Philadelphia Flyers (+900)
The Flyers still have one of the two or three deepest teams in the NHL, especially at forward. If they can acquire that elusive No. 1 netminder – Luongo? Ilya Bryzgalov? – their odds should leapfrog Washington’s.
5. Pittsburgh Penguins (+900)
Don’t forget about the Pens. This team had its second-highest point total in franchise history and pushed the Lightning to seven games despite losing Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin to season-ending injuries only halfway through the year. Pittsburgh could return to powerhouse form if its superstars return to health.
6. San Jose Sharks (+1000)
Now that the media are crowning Vancouver the king of chokers, the San Jose Sharks may be feeling less pressure. A few young stars have emerged to support the big three of Thornton-Marleau-Heatley and Anti Niemi looks like “the guy” in goal for the foreseeable future. The Sharks are another interesting darkhorse. [ad-4437448]
7. Detroit Red Wings (+1200)
The Wings will be an interesting team to watch in free agency this summer. They’re normally famous for doing very little but Father Time may force their hand this time around. Brian Rafalski retired and Mike Modano will likely follow suit. Even Nick Lidstrom may only have another year before he calls it quits. The Wings will likely contend again next year, as Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg remain in their respective primes, but Detroit needs some new blood if it wants to win Lord Stanley ‘s Mug.
8. Tampa Bay Lightning (+1400)
I see the Lightning as a potential bust pick in the top 10. Their rising stars, like Steven Stamkos and Victor Hedman, are young, so they could get better. Then again, the Lightning may have played over their heads this season, sort of like Colorado did in 2009-10 before flopping in 2010-11. Can Dwayne Roloson be the man in goal again at 41 years old? Many of Tampa’s go-to defenseman are also well into their 30s.
9. Chicago Blackhawks (+1500)
Chicago lost major depth from its 2010 championship team and paid the price this past season. However, there is arguably no better core of top-end talent one NHL team than Toews/Kane/Keith/Seabrook/Hossa/Sharp, and goaltender Corey Crawford may soon join that group. With a few breaks and a free-agent signing or two, the Hawks could return to dominance.
10. Los Angeles Kings (+1600)
The Kings are a maddening team in that their window to win the Cup should be right now but they’re not embracing that truth. Loaded with young talent, they remind me of the Chicago Blackhawks of a couple years back – except their general manager, Dean Lombardi, is gunshy. Chicago went out and got Marian Hossa before winning the Cup; why won’t the Kings step up and acquire a star to push them over the top? Jarome Iginla makes perfect sense.
