1. #1
    Hman
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    NHL preseason betting guide 🏒

    NHL preseason betting guide: Value on Blues repeating?

    ESPN PLUS ($ MATERIAL)


    The 2019-20 NHL season is set to begin on Wednesday, with the St. Louis Blues trying to repeat as Stanley Cup champions, however unlikely.


    Senior NHL writer Greg Wyshynski, NHL draft analyst Chris Peters and Sports Betting analyst Doug Kezirian are here with their best futures bets before the pucks drop.


    Odds courtesy of Caesars Sportsbook, unless otherwise indicated.

    Stanley Cup futures

    St. Louis Blues (15-1)
    We all know how hard it is to repeat as champs in the NHL, but the Blues have largely the same roster, with a new power-play weapon in Justin Faulk and a full season of goalie Jordan Binnington -- likely brimming with confidence. I don't anticipate them being a regular-season juggernaut, but this team still is packed to the brim with the mix of skill and heaviness that will make it an absolute handful in the playoffs. It might be worth taking advantage of the general skepticism that a team could go back-to-back again. -- Peters



    Carolina Hurricanes (18-1)
    Last season's "Bunch of Jerks" has matured into legitimate Stanley Cup contenders. Already one of the best even-strength teams in the NHL, the Hurricanes added a few pieces at forward, and they expect second-year winger Andrei Svechnikov to put up star-making numbers. Their defense is deep enough to compensate for admittedly shaky goaltending. They were a conference finalist last season, and the sky's the limit this season. -- Wyshynski



    Nashville Predators (20-1)
    There are nine teams with better odds to win the Cup than the Predators, which is understandable since they went out meekly in the first round last season. Still, they were on the cusp of the top 10, analytically, in expected goals for and expected goals against at 5-on-5.


    There's a lot to like here. Center Matt Duchene was added in free agency to bolster the Predators' pathetic power play (last in the NHL in 2018-19) and support arguably the best line in the league in Ryan Johansen, Filip Forsberg and Viktor Arvidsson. They traded P.K. Subban, but they still boast a stout defense in front of two solid goalies in Pekka Rinne and understudy Juuse Saros. This is one of those teams that you could see getting on an unexpected postseason roll. -- Wyshynski



    Washington Capitals (22-1)


    The Caps' roster is not as complete as it was during the 2018 Cup run, but considering the value available here for a team with a solid top-nine forwards and a higher-level goaltender in Braden Holtby, I wouldn't be surprised to see the Caps make a little more noise than expected. Based on the value available here -- with the Caps not even among the top 10 when it comes to best odds -- I wouldn't be afraid to put down a few dollars on a team that still can be nasty once it gets to the postseason. -- Peters

    Season win total points


    Colorado Avalanche UNDER 97.5 points (-110)
    The Avalanche are no doubt a burgeoning Stanley Cup contender, but they also are in the NHL's toughest division. Because of that, asking for an eight-point improvement year over year is a bit much. Their offseason acquisitions -- Nazem Kadri, Joonas Donskoi, Andre Burakovsky and Pierre-Edouard Bellemare -- should improve them at 5-on-5, where they were 17th in expected goals for, but not enough to clear this point total in what might end up being another wild-card season. -- Wyshynski


    Backing the Avalanche has become a chic play, but there certainly is justification, as Colorado came close to reaching the conference finals, and it is continuing to trend in that direction. The Avs finished the regular season with 90 points, but that included a 7-14-3 stretch in December and January. Colorado has a solid young core that added Kadri, who I believe is one of the most underrated players in hockey. Philipp Grubauer is good enough between the pipes, and the Avs have a strong home-ice advantage. -- Kezirian



    Detroit Red Wings UNDER 77.5 (-110)


    Sometimes you just need to take a step back and consider the circumstances. The Red Wings were an aggressively mediocre team last season, with the worst expected goals percentage (44.54) at even strength. This is general manager Steve Yzerman's first season at the helm. The worse they are, the better it will be for the future. As Yzerman said: "It sure speeds things up the more players you can get out of each draft." A four-point improvement from last season wouldn't help that velocity. Bad team plus rebuild equals under. -- Wyshynski



    Taylor Hall OVER 30.5 goals (-110)
    It's a contract year for Hall, and the New Jersey Devils have become a lot better offensively with the additions of rookie Jack Hughes and Subban to the roster -- both of whom should bolster Hall on the power play, where he netted 13 goals in his 39-goal MVP season in 2017-18. It'll be close -- at a career 10.8 shooting percentage on 278 shots, that puts him right at the number. But I'll take the over. -- Wyshynski


    New Jersey Devils OVER 91 and to MAKE playoffs (-110)


    This is a high total for a team that failed to reach the postseason and finished with one of the league's worst records, even though the lineup has vastly improved. Hall returns after missing 49 games with an injury, and New Jersey also added Subban, Wayne Simmonds, Nikita Gusev and top overall pick Jack Hughes. Goaltending is still shaky, but I am also banking on the Metro Division to regress. The Devils also are a worthwhile Stanley Cup play if you can find some decent odds. I've seen some as high as 35-1 out there. -- Kezirian



    Arizona Coyotes to MAKE the playoffs (+125), OVER 90.5 points (-110)
    The Coyotes made the splashy addition of Phil Kessel to their lineup, and they play in a fairly weak division. While it's safe to assume the Central Division is going to get both Western Conference wild-card spots, I like the Coyotes to sneak into the top three of the Pacific, assuming they can stay healthy. Arizona very quietly had the 11th-best record in the NHL from Jan. 1 on last season, playing at the equivalent of a 95-point pace. The Coyotes have skill throughout their forward lineup, depth on the blue line and a solid netminder in Antti Raanta, when healthy. The Coyotes are going to be more dangerous this season. -- Peters



    Vegas Golden Knights OVER 101.5 (-110)


    Can the Golden Knights really improve by nine points from last season? It won't be easy, but I love the makeup of this team's roster and the potential for a more explosive offense in 2019-20. A full season of Mark Stone feels like a game-changer on its own. The tricky part right now is that Vegas is right up against the cap and won't have a ton of flexibility. For much the same reason I feel Arizona will reach the playoffs, I believe the Golden Knights don't have a lot of challengers inside the Pacific aside from the Sharks. Vegas could beat up on some of the divisional bottom-feeders. This is an aggressive play, but I think this Golden Knights team has the goods to be among the tops in the league. -- Peters



    Winnipeg Jets to MISS playoffs (-115)
    This team ended last season as poorly as a playoff team can, with a weak second half and being upset in the first round. Winnipeg also lost key figures (Jacob Trouba, Kevin Hayes, Tyler Myers) this offseason, and it now returns to what is considered the best division in hockey. The Jets' season win total opened at 96.5 points and currently sits at 92. I agree with that move. -- Kezirian

  2. #2
    ThaWoj
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    Thanks Hman.

    Besides my blues I like futures on Florida and Detroit at good odds. Especially Florida. Lots of young talent.

  3. #3
    jjgold
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    Hockey might save us all

  4. #4
    veriableodds
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    interesting Hman what was record last year for these espn picks?

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