As the NHL enters the Olympic break, the Chicago Blackhawks remain the favourites to repeat as Stanley Cup champions in NHL futures betting at the sportsbooks. Despite a rough start to the New Year, during which they have posted a very ordinary 6-10 record SU, the Blackhawks have held steady at 11/2.
The Pittsburgh Penguins still trail the Blackhawks but have improved to 6/1 at Bodog. Pittsburgh continues to lead the NHL’s Eastern Conference, are an impressive 10-4 SU since the beginning of January, and have not suffered a defeat at home since November 13. The St. Louis Blues have also improved to 6/1 on the strength of a 10-5 record since the beginning of January.
The big movers in NHL futures odds at Bodog have been the Anaheim Ducks and Tampa Bay Lightning.
The Ducks have finally been rewarded for posting the best record in the NHL. After sitting in the middle of the pack at 14/1, Anaheim now sits at 7/1. However, the Ducks have faced recent struggles. After going undefeated in regulation through their first 24 home games and winning 18 of 19 SU through mid-January, the Ducks have lost four straight on home ice and four of their last eight overall.
The Tampa Bay Lightning have also captured the attention of oddsmakers. The surprise team in the East this season, Tampa Bay has held down second place in the Atlantic Division for over two months. However, the Lightning remained stalled at 25/1 until recently moving to 20/1 in NHL futures betting at Bodog.
Meanwhile, two oddsmaker favourites have seen their odds slip in recent weeks.
The Montreal Canadiens have had a rollercoaster season in the NHL standings, but had held steady at 25/1. However, after posting a 6-11 record SU in their last 17 games, the Habs now sit squarely in the middle of the pack at 33/1.
The Detroit Red Wings have tumbled even further from NHL futures grace at Bodog, and also sit at 33/1. Early in the season, the Red Wings were perched as high as 14/1, but since winning four in a row in late November the Wings have struggled mightily, recording a dismal 11-17 record SU and posting back-to-back victories only twice during that stretch.