It wasn’t too long ago that the Tampa Bay Lightning opened at +700, making them the favorites to win the 2020 Stanley Cup, while the Vegas Golden Knights sat on top of the Western Conference at +1000. It’s only been a few months, and a lot has changed.
Heading into the Christmas break, the defending Eastern Conference Champion Boston Bruins are part of a three-way tie at the top of the Cup odds list, with Washington Capitals and Colorado Avalanche each having a +800 shot of going all the way. The Lightning (+1200) currently sit outside the playoffs, are followed by the 2019 Champion St. Louis Blues (+1300), the surprising Arizona Coyotes (+1400), the Toronto Maple Leafs (+1500), New York Islanders (+1600), Edmonton Oilers (+1600) and Dallas Stars (+1600) round out the top 10 teams.
The Favorites
Both the Bruins and Capitals opened the season at short odds, so no surprise there, while the Avalanche has seen their odds fall from +1200 on opening night to the three-way tie at the top of the list. Currently, Washington paces the NHL standings with 53 points and a sparkling 24-6-5 record, while Boston (49 points, 21-7-7) and Colorado (45, 21-9-3) aren’t far behind.
Maple Leafs Continue To Be Overpriced
Toronto has played better under new head coach Sheldon Keefe, yet the Leafs are still underperforming despite the talent they possess throughout the roster. Toronto hasn’t had a dominant stretch yet, and while there’s plenty of time for them to go on a run, we find them to overvalued at +1300.
Despite their struggles, the sportsbooks are not writing off the Maple Leafs. Toronto has 38 points, 17-14-4), and Tampa (37, 17-12-3) has been underwhelming in 2019-20 and sits outside the playoff picture right now in the Eastern Conference.
What’s Wrong With the Tampa Bay Lightning?
The Lightning finished last season with 128 points. They were an incredible 1.3 goals better than their opponent last year, sporting a lethal mix of playmaking prowess and sustained offensive zone pressure.
Currently, the team is mediocre at 5-on-5, which is a significant problem. The Lightning is barely outshooting their opponents. Their expected goal advantages (shots adjusted for quality) are marginal, and their 5-on-5 goal differential is just the fifteenth best across the league.
While we can expect the Lightning to round into form in the second half of the season and make a playoff appearance, we wouldn’t touch them at +1200 to win the Cup at this point.
Sports Betting Apps Add To The Game
This year’s rising interest in sports betting apps has been powering interest in NHL games. These new apps allow punters to wager on NHL games directly from their smartphones. Our Guide to the Best Mobile Betting Apps makes it easy for you to pick out an app to place bets on NHL hockey.
Taylor Hall Makes The Arizona Coyotes More Dangerous
The addition of Taylor Hall Hall instantly makes the Arizona Coyotes a more dangerous team. He plays fast, stays low when he skates, and drives the motor of an offense up the ice to generate scoring chances.
Hall arrives in Arizona motivated and ready to win because these next several months mean a lot to his career. He has played in only five Stanley Cup Playoff games in his 10-season NHL career. It’s important to him to see some playoff success in front of unrestricted free agency if he wishes to sign a big-money contract.
The Coyotes have been the red-headed stepchild of the NHL over the past decade. They are now looking to put those days behind them.
The Coyotes were leading the Pacific Division with 44 points as of December 18, a day after acquiring the Hart Trophy winner. In his first game Hall set up the late game-winner in Arizona’s 3-2 victory over San Jose on December 17.
Bettors seem to expect more of the same during the second half of the season. Arizona was +4500 to win the Stanley Cup at the start of the season With Hall in the fold, expect their current +1500 price to continue to shorten as the season goes on.
