NHL Stanley Cup Betting Trends
The 2021-22 NHL season is heading into the home stretch with the Stanley Cup Playoffs in sight.BetMGM released their Stanley Cup Champion betting trends Wednesday, so here’s a peek at where the action is coming in.
BetMGM NHL Insights: Team Futures
Avalanche: opened +600, now +400Panthers: opened +2500, now +800Maple Leafs: opened +1400, now +900Flames: opened +4000, now +1600Rangers: opened +2500, now +2000Predators: opened +3500, now +2800Wild: opened +2200, now +1800
Highest Ticket Percentage
Avalanche 25.8%Lightning 7.3%Panthers 6.9%Golden Knights 6.0%Hurricanes 5.8%Penguins 5.8%Rangers 5.4%Maple Leafs 3.6%Capitals 3.6%Wild 3.5%Flames 3.4%Predators 3.3%
Highest Handle Percentage
Avalanche 32.6%Lightning 8.2%Rangers 6.8%Panthers 6.4%Penguins 5.6%Golden Knights 5.0%Hurricanes 4.9%Islanders 4.1%Flames 3.4%Wild 3.3%Capitals 3.0%Maple Leafs 2.7%
Biggest Liabilities
AvalancheRangersPenguins
Unsurprisingly, Colorado is attracting a lot of attention. The Avalanche have the most points in the league while also dominating on home ice with a 23-3-2 record. Colorado ranks fifth in Corsi For percentage and third in goals per 60 minutes at five-on-five, too.
The only real question mark is in net, as current starter Darcy Kuemper has only made 14 postseason starts during his career, and he has a lengthy backlog of injuries.
Sticking in the Western Conference, the Golden Knights have been a perennial contender since entering the league and project to be a tough out in the second season – health permitting. Vegas currently has veterans Mark Stone (back) and Alec Martinez (face) on injured reserve and Max Pacioretty (lower body) out of the lineup for the immediate future.
Calgary has also gained a lot of momentum in betting markets following the acquisition of winger Tyler Toffoli. The Flames pace the Pacific Division and have allowed the fewest goals per 60 minutes at five-on-five in the league while boasting a fifth-ranked 84.9 penalty-kill percentage.
SEE ALSO: Oilers Take Huge Action to Win Stanley Cup
In the Eastern Conference, the field is a little deeper, with Tampa Bay, Florida, Carolina, Toronto, and Pittsburgh all sporting impressive records and underlying statistics, at least in most categories.
Let’s turn to two teams down the lists, though.
First, the Rangers are one of BetMGM’s most significant liabilities and have seen notable line movement since the season opened. The Blueshirts have relied heavily on goaltender Igor Shesterkin, though.
The 26-year-old netminder sports an elite .941 save percentage and 1.95 GAA with a league-high 34.6 goals saved above average. What makes Shesterkin’s numbers all the more impressive is New York ranks last in the league in Corsi For percentage and ninth-worst in expected goals against per 60 minutes at five-on-five.
It could prove to be a long road ahead for the Rangers, especially if there’s even slight negative regression to Shesterkin’s likely unsustainable metrics.
SEE ALSO: Free NHL Picks and Predictions
Boston, meanwhile, stands out as a potential value from the Eastern Conference. The Bruins rank sixth in Corsi For percentage and third in expected goals for percentage at five-on-five, and they also have one of the best shut-down tandems in the league in veterans Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand.
Add a 10th-ranked penalty kill and seventh-ranked power play, and a lack of experienced goaltending might be the only significant shortcoming.
With that in mind, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Boston make a meaningful move ahead of the NHL Trade Deadline on Monday, March 21, especially with where Bergeron and Marchand are in their respective careers.
This might be the best opportunity to land value on The Spoked B.
Make sure to keep an eye on our Live Odds page throughout the week to get the best lines possible and connect with others in the SBR community on our popular sports betting forum.
