As the month of November winds down the Stanley Cup futures picture begins to take shape. However, the most recent National Hockey League championship odds at the sportsbooks are not without their surprises.
The Pittsburgh Penguins have had a less than stellar November, especially on the road, yet they remain the favourites to win it all at 15/2 at Bodog. The Boston Bruins, listed at 8/1, have ridden a recent 8-2-1 streak to the top of the Eastern Conference standings. Also at 8/1 are the St. Louis Blues and San Jose Sharks, with both clubs having suffered only three regulation defeats so far this season.
The Chicago Blackhawks celebrated American Thanksgiving with the best record in the NHL. Surprisingly, this has not fuelled confidence in the oddsmakers at Bodog, who list them at 17/2, the longest odds on the Hawks so far this year.
The Anaheim Ducks sport odds of 14/1; attractive for a team that has yet to lose at home in regulation.
Despite their late-November swoon, the Toronto Maple Leafs remain in the thick of the Bodog futures mix at 16/1, along with the Los Angeles Kings and the revitalized Colorado Avalanche.
The perennial contending Detroit Red Wings have dipped to 20/1 after struggling through a string of seven straight losses, followed by the Minnesota Wild, who have dropped to 22/1 despite a strong November which saw them pick up points in 10 of their first 11 games.
Four teams that are expected to challenge for playoff spots reached the 25-game mark at 25/1, including the Montreal Canadiens, New York Rangers, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Washington Capitals.
The numbers then take a steep drop with the preseason darling Ottawa Senators at 33/1, along with the Vancouver Canucks and the Phoenix Coyotes.
There are few surprises at the bottom of the pack with the Carolina Hurricanes, Dallas Stars, New Jersey Devils, and Philadelphia Flyers at 40/1, the New York Islanders at 50/1, the Columbus Blue Jackets at 66/1, and the Nashville Predators at 75/1 at Bodog.
Despite their recent strong play, the Winnipeg Jets drop to 100/1, followed by the Edmonton Oilers at 200/1, the Calgary Flames and Florida Panthers at 300/1, and the Buffalo Sabres at 500/1.