As the NHL takes a short break for the All-Star Game Alexander Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals remain the betting favorite on the odds to win the Stanley Cup at the sportsbooks.
At the season’s unofficial midway point the Capitals own the best record in the league at 35-8-4 to lead the league with 74 points. Even more impressive is that due to a few canceled games Washington has played six fewer games than the closest team to them, Chicago. Washington is the +400 Stanley Cup favorite at Bodog.
Behind a balanced offense led by Ovechkin, Evgeny Kuznetsov and Nicklas Backstrom the Capitals lead the league in goals per game and have allowed the fewest goals thanks to the stalwart play of netminder Braden Holtby.
Trailing Washington on the latest Cup futures are the reigning champs Chicago at +550. The top team in the Western Conference, the Blackhawks have 70 points through 53 games and boast the league’s leading scorer in Patrick Kane and the top scoring rookie in Artemi Panarin.
One of the must-watch games in the second half to circle on your calendar is on February 28 when Chicago takes on Washington.
The only other team currently listed with triple-digit odds are the Los Angeles Kings at +750.
It’s been a major bounceback season for the Kings who failed to make the playoffs last year. If they can continue this momentum Los Angeles could easily run away with the Pacific Division and contend for their third Cup in the last five years.
For all seven of the Canadian NHL clubs the first half was one to forget.
Montreal was the Stanley Cup favorite after they came charging out of the gate to start the season. After Carey Price got injured and the offense dried up Montreal fell hard and fast and currently sits outside the playoff picture.
The tumble down the standings has also dropped the Canadiens to +2800 on the Bodog Stanley Cup futures.
Montreal’s odds are still much better than the rest of their Canadian brethren. The Canucks, who are actually well within striking distance in the lackluster Pacific, come in at +6600.
Ottawa has fallen again to +7500 along with Calgary. The Winnipeg Jets may enter sell mode soon and have bottomed out at +15000. The Oilers at +20000 and the Maple Leafs at +30000 are an afterthought and sit in the NHL basement waiting for next year.
Odds to win Stanley Cup at Bodog:
Washington Capitals +400
Chicago Blackhawks +550
Los Angeles Kings +750
Dallas Stars +1100
Tampa Bay Lightning +1400
St. Louis Blues +1600
Florida Panthers +1600
New York Rangers +1600
Anaheim Ducks +1600
Detroit Red Wings +2000
Minnesota Wild +2200
New York Islanders +2200
Boston Bruins +2500
San Jose Sharks +2500
Pittsburgh Penguins +2500
Montreal Canadiens +2800
Nashville Predators +3300
Arizona Coyotes +4000
Colorado Avalanche +5000
Vancouver Canucks +6600
New Jersey Devils +6600
Calgary Flames +7500
Ottawa Senators +7500
Philadelphia Flyers +10,000
Carolina Hurricanes +10,000
Winnipeg Jets +15,000
Edmonton Oilers +20,000
Toronto Maple Leafs +30,000
Columbus Blue Jackets +30,000
Buffalo Sabres +50,000