NHL Betting: A Bodog Update

The NHL All-Star break is over, which means we can get right back to business. With almost 50 games played by each team, there are still more than 30 left for them to try to secure a spot in the playoffs. By now we’re getting a clearer picture about which teams have good NHL odds for the Stanley Cup.

In the Western Conference, the Calgary Flames have climbed their way to the top of the Pacific Division with a 27-13-6 record after a shaky start to the season, while the Avalanche look comfortable atop the Central Division.

Over in the East, the Lightning, Panthers, and Maple Leafs are in a tight battle to top the Atlantic, though all three look sure to make it into the playoffs. While a similar picture has appeared in the Metropolitan, with the Penguins, Hurricanes, and Rangers all looking strong.

Success in the regular season doesn’t guarantee a good run in the playoffs though, so here at Bodgod Casino, we’ve been keeping an eye on the performance of all the main contenders for the Stanley Cup so you know who to look out for when you bet on the NHL.

Colorado Avalanche (+475)

The Colorado Avalanche have been the Stanley Cup favourites for some time now and with NHL betting odds of +475, this doesn’t seem like it’ll change anytime soon.

The Avs haven’t won the biggest prize in hockey for two decades, and they’ve spent much of the time since then failing to qualify for the playoffs. But that’s changed in the last few years, and they’ve made consistent appearances in the postseason since 2018 with Jared Bednar as coach.

With Mikko Rantanen and Nathan MacKinnon, two of the NHL’s best players upfront, and Cale Makar in defence, the Avalanche are a formidable force that could end the team’s Stanley Cup drought.

After a slow start, the team has shown it means business, taking a 34-9-4 record to top the Central Division with 72 points, more than any team in the NHL so far this season.

Florida Panthers (+600)

The Florida Panthers have historically seen even less success than the Avalanche. In their 27 seasons, they’ve only made the playoffs six times – just three of which were in the last decade. Last season, after being absent for four straight years, they were ejected from the playoffs in the first round after losing 4-2 against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

This season, things have looked different. They got off to a flying start, winning all of their first seven games before the departure of Joel Quenneville threatened to derail their season. The plus side is that, with Andrew Brunette stepping up, they’ve shown enough consistency to maintain the Panthers’ success beyond those first few games.

In the first half of the season, the Cats have scored more goals than any other team in the entire NHL, and their defence looks decent to boot. With performance like that, even in the face of adversity, they are deserving of their +600 NHL odds.

Tampa Bay Lightning (+700)

Hot on the heels of their Floridian neighbours, the Tampa Bay Lightning are third favourites with NHL odds from Bodog of +700. As reigning Stanley Cup champions for two years running, the Bolts were always going to be a strong contender in 2021-22. Their current conference-topping record of 32-11-6 shows they’ve picked up this season where they left off last.

They even managed that without key players like Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point. Kucherov sat out for 32 games due to a lower-body injury while Point was missing for several weeks. Success without these big names shows just how much depth the Bolts have. Now that they’re back, they’re going to be even more formidable in the playoffs. This may have actually played into their hands as two of the team’s best players are now well rested and hungry for more victories.

Carolina Hurricanes (+800)

The Carolina Hurricanes left fans a little confused about their direction after Dougie Hamilton walked and Alex Nedeljkovic was traded to the Red Wings. Losing these names raised questions about how they’d remain as strong as we’d seen in recent seasons. But nearly 50 games in, we can see all that worrying was for nought.

In fact, with 46 games played, the Hurricanes have managed one of the best records so far this season going 32-11-3. And with only 109 goals conceded, they’ve got the best defensive record of the league, a quality that will serve them well in the playoffs.

As the doubt has subsided and the points have come rolling in, the Hurricanes have seen their NHL odds shorten quite a bit in recent weeks. Bodog’s sportsbook is now giving them +800, making them a strong contender for the Stanley Cup.

Toronto Maple Leafs (+800)

On par with the Canes, the Toronto Maple Leafs currently have NHL betting odds of +800. But if you look at past performance alone, you may be questioning whether something’s amiss here. Since 2006, the Maple Leafs haven’t managed to get further than the first round of the playoffs and, in recent years, this has been down to star players bottling it when the pressure mounted.

2021-22 genuinely could be different though. With a 31-12-3 record, a top-five defensive record, and a decent number of goals scored so far, the Maple Leafs seem to be in good shape.

Fans may still be cautious about whether they can carry this momentum into the postseason, but if they do, they have all the talent they need with big names like Mitch Marner, John Tavares, and Auston Matthews. The roster is also currently free of injuries, which gives them plenty of depth to help them shrug off that playoff slump.

 

Now that we’re well and truly into the second half of the season, we’re all getting a sharpened sense of which teams will head into the playoffs. With the sportsbook still covering a slew of possibilities, this is likely the best time to secure favourable odds when you bet on the NHL, so make sure to get your slips in early and then let your team do the hard work for you.