Is Florida the new hotbed of hockey? With the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning burning up the ice and the Atlantic Division, could the Stanley Cup be headed to the Sunshine State?
The oddsmakers at online sportsbook Bodog are not convinced the Stanley Cup is in for a sunny summer just yet.
The Washington Capitals and their NHL-best 74 points are still the Cup favorite at +425. Close behind them are the defending Cup champions, the Chicago Blackhawks, at +500. The Los Angeles Kings are third on the list at +750, and the Dallas Stars are fourth at +1200.
Then the duo from Florida shows up. The Lightning and the Panthers are both listed at +1400 right now at Bodog. The Panthers are still on top of the Atlantic Division with 65 points after winning their last four games. The Lightning are creeping up on them with 60 points after winning two in a row and nine of their last 10.
The Florida rivals don’t meet up again until March 26 in Tampa Bay. The Panthers have taken three of four from the Lightning so far this season.
Also on four-game winning streaks right now are the Anaheim Ducks and the Pittsburgh Penguins. Anaheim’s streak has bumped them into a playoff spot in the Western Conference, where everyone expected them to be before the season began. They’re also gaining on the Stanley Cup futures at +1600.
Pittsburgh has also climbed in the playoff race in the Eastern Conference, occupying the second wild card spot. The Pens’ rise up the standings, and rise up the Bodog Stanley Cup odds to +2000, has been helped by the resurgence of Sidney Crosby. He’s on an eight-game point streak during which he has eight goals and 14 points.
The chances of a Canadian team getting into the postseason are getting more grim by the day. The Montreal Canadiens’ slide continues as they have dropped four in a row. They also dropped to +3300 on the futures. The Vancouver Canucks are just outside a playoff spot in the pathetic Pacific Division but still sit at +6600.
The return of Connor McDavid has given the Edmonton Oilers a major boost in the odds. Last week the Oilers were at +20000, but following McDavid’s return and three-point game they’re up to +6600.
The odds on the rest of the Canadian clubs include Ottawa at +7500, Calgary at +10000, Winnipeg at +15000, and Toronto at +30000.
Odds to win Stanley Cup at Bodog:
Washington Capitals +425
Chicago Blackhawks +500
Los Angeles Kings +750
Dallas Stars +1200
Florida Panthers +1400
Tampa Bay Lightning +1400
St. Louis Blues +1600
New York Rangers +1600
Anaheim Ducks +1600
Detroit Red Wings +2000
Pittsburgh Penguins +2000
Minnesota Wild +2500
New Islanders +2500
Boston Bruins +2500
San Jose +2800
Montreal Canadiens +3300
Nashville Predators +3300
Arizona Coyotes +4000
Colorado Avalanche +5000
Vancouver Canucks +6600
New Jersey Devils +6600
Edmonton Oilers +6600
Ottawa Senators +7500
Philadelphia Flyers +7500
Calgary Flames +10,000
Carolina Hurricanes +10,000
Winnipeg Jets +15,000
Toronto Maple Leafs +30,000
Columbus Blue Jackets +30,000
Buffalo Sabres +50,000