While the preseason has begun, the regular NHL season starts Oct. 2 with four games. But futures wagering on which team takes home the Stanley Cup is already in full swing at Pennsylvania sportsbooks.
We’ll come back looking at the top to Stanley Cup favorites in a bit, but for Pennsylvania hockey fans, the hockey season gets underway on Oct. 3 when the Pittsburgh Penguins host the Buffalo Sabres.
While the Penguins are not considered among the top Cup contenders this upcoming season, the team captained by Sidney Crosby is impossible to count out.
Two books, PlaySugarHouse and Fox Bet, put the Pens prospects for the Stanley Cup at +2000, while FanDuel makes them +2500. Their record last season was 44 wins, 46 losses and 12 losses in overtime.
On the Eastern side of PA, regular season hockey action begins Oct. 4 with the Philadelphia Flyers hosting the Chicago Blackhawks at their revamped venue, the Wells Fargo Center, where $265 million was recently invested. That includes an online betting lounge hosted by SugarHouse and an official affiliation with the team as its designated sportsbook partner.
But that big investment hasn’t helped the team’s cup prospects for the coming season. Their odds range from +3200 to +3600 to bring home the Cup. Their record last season was 37-37-8.
Tampa Bay favored taking the NHL Stanley Cup
Three Pennsylvania sportsbooks, FanDuel, PlaySugarHouse and Fox Bet, each like the Tampa Bay Lightning to win the Stanley Cup.
FanDuel and Fox put the Lightning at +700 while SugarHouse has them on the board at+750.
Those odds speak loudly given they were swept in the first round of playoffs last season following a record-setting regular season.
Tampa takes to the ice in their home d against the Florida Panthers on Oct. 3. The Panthers stand at from +1800 to +2500 to win the cup across the three books.
The Lightning won the Atlantic Conference and had a record of 82 wins, 62 losses, and four overtime losses last season
Beyond the Lightning, there’s not much consensus yet on Stanley Cup futures wagering, except that the Ottawa Senators are the worst team in the NHL. Their odds this season to win the cup across three books range from +18000 to +22500. That’s the worst odds for any NHL team. Last season, they won just 29 games, lost 47, and lost six overtime games.
Top contenders for the Stanley Cup are in the table below:
| TEAMS | FANDUEL | SUGARHOUSE | FOX BET |
|---|---|---|---|
| TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING | +700 | +750 | +700 |
| TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS | +950 | +1200 | +1000 |
| BOSTON BRUINS | +1000 | +1300 | +1000 |
| VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS | +1050 | +1100 | +1000 |
| ST. LOUIS BLUES | +1500 | +1800 | +1400 |
| DALLAS STARS | +1800 | +1300 | +1800 |
| NASHVILLE PREDATORS | +1600 | +1700 | +1700 |
| WASHINGTON CAPITALS | +1800 | +1700 | +1700 |
| COLORADO AVALANCHE | +1800 | +1700 | +1100 |
| SAN JOSE SHARKS | +1800 | +1900 | +1700 |
| PITTSBURGH PENGUINS | +2500 | +2000 | +2000 |
| PHILADELPHIA FLYERS | +3600 | +3200 | +3300 |
A look at futures odds in the Eastern Conference
Both the Flyers and the Penguins are in the Metropolitan Division of the NHL’ s Eastern Conference.
Odds for the Penguins to win the conference via FanDuel stand at +380 and at +650 for the Flyers.
The rest of the Metropolitan and their odds of winning the conference according to the book are:
- Washington Capitals +250
- Carolina Hurricanes +430
- New Jersey Devils +650
- New York Islanders +850
- New York Rangers +1200
- Columbus Blue Jackets +2300
The other half of the Eastern Conference is made up of the Atlantic Division. The teams and their Fan Duel odds of winning their conference are:
- Tampa Bay Lightning -105
- Toronto Maple Leafs +300
- Boston Bruins +380
- Florida Panthers +750
- Montreal Canadiens +3400
- Buffalo Sabres +5000
- Detroit Red Wings +10000
- Ottawa Senators +10000
Tampa is the clear favorite, led by league MVP and leading scorer Nikita Kucherov, but the Bruins and Maple Leafs will likely contend.
Western Conference
The Pacific Division of the Western Conference is the home to the following teams, along with their conference odds from FanDuel:
- Vegas Golden Knights +105
- Calgary Flames +340
- San Jose Sharks +380
- Phoenix Coyotes +1300
- Vancouver Canucks +1500
- Edmonton Oilers +1600
- Anaheim Ducks +3400
- Los Angeles Kings +5000
Vegas, despite a lackluster postseason last season, is the top pick in the division.
The Central Division of the Western Conference is the home to the following teams, with their conference odds from FanDuel:
- Nashville Predators +300
- Colorado Avalanche +310
- Dallas Stars +380
- St. Louis Blues +380
- Winnipeg Jets +600
- Chicago Blackhawks +1200
- Minnesota Wild +4000
The Predators, Avalanche, Stars, and Blues are closely matched and make the Central Division quite competitive. FanDuel gives a slight edge to the Predators.
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