SI Gambling insider Frankie Taddeo breaks down the NHL futures market for every division, as well as the Stanley Cup
The action on the ice continues to heat up - with every club having played more than half of their slated 56-game schedule - resulting in four tightly contested NHL restructured divisional races. Focusing on one favorite or spotting a longshot who offers long-term value remains the best way for sports investors to attack futures wagering. Bettors have quietly begun targeting the Islanders who have taken over the lead in the East. New York, who last month were being offered as high as +3000, have now fallen to odds of +1600. The Edmonton Oilers still offer excellent value at odds of +2000 thanks to possessing the league’s top two scoring leaders in Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. The defending Stanley Cup Champion Tampa Bay Lightning have returned as the overall betting favorites to hoist the Cup in 2021 at odds of +475. The Toronto Maple Leafs who have struggled of late - winning just four of their last 10 games - have seen their odds nearly double, rising from odds of +550 earlier this month to +1000 this week.
Let’s dive in and take a deeper look at any changes after more than a month of games in the NHL betting odds for each of the divisions as well as Stanley Cup futures at DraftKings Sportsbook.
ODDS TO WIN 2021 CENTRAL DIVISION
- Tampa Bay -240
- Carolina +265
- Florida +550
- Dallas +8500
- Chicago +9000
- Columbus +15000
- Nashville +20000
- Detroit +25000
In a tightly bunched Central Division, the Tampa Bay Lightning 24-6-2 record (50 points) hold a slim advantage over the Carolina Hurricanes 21-7-3 (45 points) and the Florida Panthers 20-7-4 (44 points). Once again one of the hottest clubs in the NHL, Tampa Bay is on a four-game winning streak and thus have seen their odds rise from -125 favorites seen last month to win the Central to -240 this week. The Lightning possess the best goal differential (+43) of any team in the NHL by a wide margin thanks to defending Vezina Trophy winner Andrei Vasilevskiy who continues to anchor the club with an outstanding 21-3-0 record combined with the second-best overall 1.83 GAA and a .933 save percentage.
ODDS TO WIN 2021 EAST DIVISION
- NY Islanders +150
- Washington +165
- Boston +300
- Pittsburgh +750
- Philadelphia +3000
- NY Rangers +5000
- NJ Devils +75000
- Buffalo +500000
Things have flipped in the East as the Islanders (21-8-4, 46 points), who have won eight of their last ten games, have seen their odds of +900 offered last month cut to +150 this week. The Boston Bruins (16-8-4, 36 points) have lost their top spot in the Eastern standings - resulting in a shift in their odds. The Bruins, who were offered at -143 to win the East last month, can now be found at plus-odds of +300 at DraftKings Sportsbook. The Capitals (20-7-4, 44 points), who have won eight of their ten games, witnessed their peak odds of +1000 offered last month sliced down to +165 this week.
ODDS TO WIN 2021 NORTH DIVISION
- Toronto -200
- Montreal +450
- Edmonton +475
- Winnipeg +600
- Calgary +5000
- Vancouver +7500
- Ottawa +250000
The Toronto Maple Leafs (20-10-2, 42 points) continue to remain prohibitive favorites to win the North, despite the fact they are 4-6 SU in their last 10 games. The Leafs continue to be led by Auston Matthews, who is tied for the league lead with 21 goals. The oddsmakers at DraftKings Sportsbook have adjusted the Maple Leafs from -835 favorites demanded earlier this month to win the North to odds of -200. The Edmonton Oilers (21-13-0, 42 points), who possess the top two NHL scorers in Connor McDavid (21 goals; 39 assists, 60 points) and Leon Draisaitl (18 goals; 32 assists, 50 points), are now tied atop the division standings with Toronto thanks to winning seven of their 10 games. The Oilers have seen their peak odds of +1100 offered earlier this month, now reduced to +475.
ODDS TO WIN 2021 WEST DIVISION
- Vegas -112
- Colorado +105
- Minnesota +850
- St. Louis +3000
- LA Kings +8500
- Arizona +10000
- San Jose +15000
- Anaheim +50000
The Vegas Golden Knights (22-7-1, 45 points) hold a three-point lead over the Colorado Avalanche (20-8-2, 42 points) in the West. The Avalanche have won seven consecutive games and are closely behind Vegas for the top overall betting spot to win the West at DraftKings Sportsbook. The Golden Knights continue to be led by star goalie Marc-Andre Fleury who owns the NHL’s third-best 1.93 GAA and .931save percentage. The club that has made the biggest move in the betting odds remains the red-hot Minnesota Wild - who have won nine consecutive home games. The Wild, who were offered at odds of +1500 last month, have seen their once healthy double-digit odds reduced to only +850 this week.
ODDS TO WIN 2021 STANLEY CUP
- Tampa Bay +475
- Colorado +500
- Vegas +750
- Toronto +1000
- Carolina +1150
- Washington +1500
- Minnesota +1600
- NY Islanders +1600
- Boston +1700
- Edmonton +2000
- Florida +2100
- Montreal +2200
- Pittsburgh +2200
- Winnipeg +2400
- St. Louis +3000
- Philadelphia +3500
- Calgary +4500
- NY Rangers +4500
- Dallas +5500
- Chicago +6500
- Columbus +7000
- LA Kings +7500
- Arizona +8000
- Vancouver +8000
- Nashville +10000
- San Jose +20000
- NJ Devils +40000
- Anaheim +75000
- Detroit +150000
- Ottawa +175000
- Buffalo +500000
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