Time is running out. The Pittsburgh Penguins have kept the foundations of their franchise together since the team won back-to-back Stanley Cup titles in 2016 and 2017.
But Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin are probably past their prime. Crosby is 34. Malkin is 35. Both are expected to be out with injuries when the regular season begins on October 12.
Last year, they team performed well enough to capture first place in the East Division. However, the postseason ended abruptly, with a loss to the New York Islanders in the first round of the NHL Playoffs.
So the Penguins are looking for redemption this season. But with a foundation that is aging rapidly, the complementary players will need to elevate heir performance to give the team a chance for yet another elusive title.
Time is running out. Can the Penguins make the most of it?
Let’s see what the best PA sports betting apps are expecting from Pittsburgh this season when it comes to NHL odds in PA.
2022 Stanley Cup betting odds in PA
DraftKings Sportsbook has the Colorado Avalanche (+475) and the Vegas Golden Knights (+700) as the current favorites to win the Stanley Cup. Pittsburgh is tied for 10th in Stanley Cup futures at +2500. Intrastate rival Philadelphia Flyers are further down the list at +4000.
FanDuel and FOX Bet have the odds on the Penguins slightly lower at +2100 and +2000. As with all futures bets, it is wise to do a little comparison shopping before placing your wager.
Pittsburgh Penguins 2021-22 Eastern Conference Odds
In Eastern Conference futures, the Penguins are tied for seventh with the Carolina Hurricanes at +1300.
The Tampa Bay Lightning are the favorites to win the East at +350. The top 10 is as follows:
- Tampa Bay: +350
- Toronto: +450
- Boston: +600
- NY Islanders: +700
- Florida: +900
- NY Rangers: +1200
- Carolina: +1300
- Pittsburgh: +1300
- Washington: +1500
- Philadelphia: +2000
Once again, FanDuel Sportsbook and FOX Bet both have the Penguins odds slightly lower:
- FanDuel: +1100
- FOX Bet: +900
Pittsburgh Penguins 2021-22 Metropolitan Division futures
In Metropolitan Division futures, the Penguins sit in second or third place at most PA sportsbooks. The New York Islanders are the favorites at DraftKings (+275), with the Penguins price hovering somewhere between +400 and +475 depending on the sportsbook.
Pennsylvania’s sportsbooks also have odds posted on the Penguins’ total points in the upcoming season. DraftKings Sportsbooks has the over/under for their season total points set at 96.5. Under is priced at -125 and Over is priced at -105.
FanDuel Sportsbook has the season total set up a little differently, with pricing based on the team reaching 100+ points. FanDuel has the Penguins priced at +115 to exceed that number.
Pittsburgh Penguins 2021-22: Make/Miss Playoff Odds
Pricing is also available at Pennsylvania’s sportsbooks on whether or not each NHL team will make or miss the playoffs. For the Penguins, those odds are:
- DraftKings: Yes (-200)/No (+170)
- FanDuel: Yes (-240)/No (+182)
NHL 2021-22 Awards Futures Betting
The NHL awards odds provide yet another sign of the Penguins’ aging players. In years past, Crosby and Malkin were listed near the top in many award categories. That has changed.
Here are the odds for the award favorites and the Penguins according to DraftKings:
Hart Trophy (MVP)
- Connor McDavid: +250
- Nathan MacKinnon: +600
- Auston Matthews: +800
Penguins MVP odds
- Sidney Crosby: +3500
- Jake Guentzel: +4000
- Evgeni Malkin: +6000
- Kris LeTang: +10000
Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy (Most Goals)
- Matthews: +300
- Leon Draisaitl: +700
- McDavid: +750
- Alex Ovechkin: +1000
Penguins most goals prop odds
- Guentzel: +2500
- Crosby: +4000
Vezina Trophy (Best Goaltender)
- Andrei Vasilevskiy: +380
- Marc Andre-Fleury: +1000
- Connor Hellebuyck: +1000
- Darcy Kuemper: +1000
Penguins best goaltender odds
- Tristan Jarry: +5000
Calder Trophy (Best Rookie)
- Cole Caufield: +300
- Trevor Zegras: +500
Norris Trophy (Best Defenseman)
(FanDuel Sportsbook odds)
- Cale Makar: +400
- Victor Hedman: +600
- Adam Fox: +1000
Penguins best defenseman odds
- Kris Letang: +4000
Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay hosts Pittsburgh in season opener
The NHL season begins on Tuesday, October 12th and the Pittsburgh Penguins play in the opening game. DraftKings Sportsbook has Tampa Bay at -160 on the moneyline for the game, which will be broadcast at 7:30 p.m. on ESPN.
Pittsburgh’s moneyline price is +130. The game’s over/under is set at 6 goals.
Penguins vs. Lightning odds in PA
And later that night, the Seattle Kraken, the NHL’s newest expansion team, play the Vegas Golden Knights at 10:30 p.m.
For Pittsburgh, it’s expected that both Crosby and Malkin will miss some games when the season begins. Malkin’s timeline is somewhere near two months. Crosby may miss only a week. But Penguins fans are hoping they can both return soon enough to steer the team toward a successful season.
Neither player is getting any younger. And it’s unclear how many years they’ll have left together.
So this season is certainly an important one.
Because time is running out.
Lead image credit: AP Photo/Keith Srakocic
