NHL Futures Analysis
The NHL season is little more than a week away. While bettors focus on the start of the football season and the close of the baseball season, NHL odds are just sitting on the board, relatively untouched.
Let’s take a look at the League’s divisional odds to see if we can find any value.
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The full list of 2014 Stanley Cup odds can be found here.
Atlantic Division
The Northeast Division sees the addition of the Detroit Red Wings, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Florida Panthers.
The Montreal Canadiens were the surprise winner of the division a year ago, but a major regression can be expected. The Boston Bruins finished second in the division and made some solid acquisitions in the offseason, including Jarome Iginla and Loui Eriksson. They certainly will offer their new division-mates a rude welcome, particularly Original Six rival Detroit.
The Red Wings are the talk of this newly formed division, bringing a top-notch pedigree over from the West. With key players poised for big Olympic years, they’ll be a tough out. The Toronto Maple Leafs added David Clarkson in the offseason, but it was the other Ontario team that will be the one to watch out for.
The Ottawa Senators had their 2013 season derailed by injuries, but they could have conceivably claimed each of the Hart, Vezina, Norris, and Jack Adams trophies.
With new addition Bobby Ryan ready to break out in a top line role, the Senators could be making a run at the Presidents’ Trophy this season.
The play: Ottawa Senators +650
Metropolitan Division
The division with the best and most out of place name features some of the league’s best teams.
The former Atlantic Division was always tough, and new additions Carolina, Columbus, and Washington will find that out in a hurry. The Pittsburgh Penguins are certainly the class of the division up front, but they enter the season with major question marks in goal that they did nothing to solve in the offseason.
The New York Islanders took a major step forward last season, but they’re still a year or two away from competing for more than a playoff spot. [ad-4437448]
Philadelphia Flyer fans are losing faith in the team’s management, as questionable personnel decisions have been a trademark of the team in recent years. The New York Rangers are just a year removed from having won the division, and after an offseason coaching change, could be in line to finish atop the division again this season.
The play: New York Rangers +700
Central Division
The Chicago Blackhawks and St. Louis Blues are certainly happy to get away from the Detroit Red Wings and the always tough Central Division. The Blackhawks cruised to a Presidents’ Trophy win last year with just about everything going right for the club. That’s not likely to happen a second year in a row.
Teams like Dallas, Nashville, Colorado, and Winnipeg will allow the top dogs in this division to feast, and could lead to a Presidents’ Trophy for the winner. Watch out for a St. Louis Blues club that is just a year removed from a Presidents’ Trophy win and is trending in the right direction.
The play: St. Louis Blues +325
Pacific Division
The teams out west add Vancouver, Calgary, and Edmonton to the club. The time of the San Jose Sharks has past.
They’ll make the playoffs but likely in a bottom four spot. Los Angeles and Vancouver have enjoyed their fair share of success in recent years, but Anaheim has been great under Bruce Boudreau.
After finishing with the most points out of this group of teams a year ago, they’re third in the odds, allowing us to get in at a fair price.
The play: Anaheim +450
