The NHL regular season is into its last days, and as the Stanley Cup playoffs approach Zdeno Chara and the Boston Bruins remain the 9/2 favourites on the odds to win the Stanley Cup in futures betting at the sportsbooks.
The Bruins’ Stanley Cup odds remain unchanged from a week ago as they’re listed at 9/2 at Bodog despite two losses SU to a pair of Atlantic Division rivals, the Detroit Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs. However, Boston’s 5-2 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday clinched top spot in the Eastern Conference, allowing them to focus on playoff preparation.
The St. Louis Blues’ Stanley Cup odds are also unchanged, remaining at 5/1 at Bodog. The Blues lead the Western Conference despite a pair of losses on the weekend to the Colorado Avalanche and the Chicago Blackhawks. The Hawks remain among the favourites at 7/1 while the Avalanche, who have enjoyed an incredible turnaround season under rookie NHL coach Patrick Roy, have yet to convince the oddsmakers at Bodog they are for real; the Avalanche sit at 16/1 to win their first Stanley Cup since 2001.
The Pittsburgh Penguins have all but locked up the title in the Metropolitan Division. However, they have fallen back from their spot atop the favourites at Bodog, listed at 15/2 on the odds to win the Stanley Cup. The Penguins are followed by the Pacific Division’s California Hockey Trio. The San Jose Sharks and Anaheim Ducks continue to battle neck and neck for the title in the Pacific. The Ducks hold the edge in both points and games remaining, but are listed at 10/1, just behind the 9/1 Sharks, who are looking to win their first division title since 2011. The Los Angeles Kings, meanwhile, sit at 12/1
The surprising Flyers round out the favourites, joining the Avalanche at 16/1 on the Stanley Cup betting lines. The Flyers, who Bodog listed at 40/1 back in October, remain in a battle for third place in the Metropolitan Division, but are at risk of falling back into a Wild Card spot after losing their last four SU.
The Red Wings and Montreal Canadiens start the week deadlocked at 20/1 on the Stanley Cup betting lines, despite very strong play of late. They are followed by the New York Rangers at 22/1 and the Minnesota Wild and Tampa Bay Lightning at 33/1.
The Columbus Blue Jackets are just 4-6 SU in their last 10, failing to convince the Bodog oddsmakers that they are a serious playoff threat. They join the imploding Maple Leafs at 50/1.