[Chance Harper]

NHL Futures Odds: Canucks and Penguins top list

The start of the NHL regular season is just around the corner, meaning now is the time to get those NHL futures bets down. Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins are presently 5/1 to win the Stanley Cup after bowing out to the Habs in the second round of last season's playoffs. But the real value might sit with the Vancouver Canucks who sit at 7/1 with the Sedin Twins and Roberto Luongo.

The regular season hasn’t even started and the brass at SBRForum.com is already asking me to dole out my thoughts on NHL futures odds.

Thing is, it’s the perfect time to weigh in on hockey betting odds. Sure, much will be revealed when the puck drops on the 2010-11 season next week, but we’ll also lose precious value to those cumbersome public bettors.

Why not get in on some decent plays before squares drive up the hockey betting price? Why not stay ahead of the curve?

On the Stanley Cup front, there are a number of teams capable of going all the way this season. Picking the Cup champion? That’s a different story.

Washington is the favorite at +450, with rival Pittsburgh close behind at +500. Defending champion Chicago is listed at +650 to repeat after gutting much of its depth to get under the salary cap, while popular play Detroit is a +900 underdog.

If you asked me to choose among those clubs without the benefit of the odds list, I’d side with the Penguins. Sidney Crosby and the gang have done it before and they’ll be hungry after falling to Montreal in the second round of the playoffs.

The Red Wings, of course, are no strangers to winning, but they’re just a little over the hill. The Blackhawks could pull it off, but they’re too thin after their summer purge, and I don’t trust Alexander Ovechkin and the high-powered Capitals after last season’s first-round debacle against the Canadiens.

Pittsburgh provides a decent return among the true contenders, but I think the value is with Vancouver at +700. The Sedin twins came into their own last season, and Roberto Luongo won’t have the added pressure of being team captain this year. The Western Conference has taken a slight step back, so this could be the year the Canucks bring home the Cup.

A bigger gamble lies in capable clubs like Philadelphia (+1200), Boston (+1400), and New Jersey (+1500). The Pens and Caps are the class of the conference, but keep in mind the Flyers, Bruins, and Habs were three of the four teams in last season’s Eastern Conference semifinals.

I’m more inclined to handicap those light longshots to win the East instead. Less return on investment, but there’s a much higher likelihood of it panning out.

The Flyers made a Cinderella run in last year’s playoffs, but they have elite talent as evidenced by their performance in the Cup final. Philly could easily get back to the East final.

I’m less bullish on the Bruins, who are without Marc Savard (post-concussion syndrome) indefinitely. Savard is Boston’s best player, and Zdeno Chara isn’t getting any younger.

Still, NHL oddsmakers have the Bruins as -120 faves to win the Northeast Division. Look, Boston should be the chalk after making the playoffs last season with a roster battered with injuries, but it’s not that far ahead of Montreal (+450), Ottawa (+450), or Buffalo (+500) heading into '10-'11.

The Canadiens, now all-in with former first-round pick Carey Price in goal, were almost as injury-riddled as the Bruins last season. For their part, the Senators are bolstered by the addition of Sergei Gonchar, and don’t forget it was the Sabres that actually won the division last year.

Over in the West, Vancouver is a sharp bet to win the conference at +450. The Canucks trail the Hawks (+300) and Wings (+400) on the NHL futures list.

If you’re not sold on Vancouver, why not Los Angeles (+650) as a sleeper pick? The Kings racked up 101 points last season to finish just 12 points behind the first-place Sharks. L.A. has an excellent young nucleus with Anze Kopitar and Drew Doughty leading the way.

I also like the Kings to finish ‘over’ their 100-point season win total. Los Angeles has nowhere to go but up. Carolina (86.5) is also a smart ‘over’ wager in that regard.

As far as 'unders' on season win totals go, I’d fade both Tampa Bay (92) and Toronto (85). The Lightning are getting too much public love now that Steve Yzerman is the general manager, while the Maple Leafs are the poster children of that phenomenon.