The Three Teams Being Underestimated by Bookmakers for the Stanley Cup
Tampa Bay is worthy favorites at 5/1 (+500) for the Stanley Cup this year and, on the evidence of their season so far, not many fans can argue about that. They had a superb trade deadline day, adding Ryan McDonagh and J.T. Miller to an already outstanding roster. Similarly, Boston and Nashville did some good business, with the former acquiring Rick Nash and the latter getting Ryan Hartman. Nashville is given odds of 7/1 (+700), whereas Boston is priced at 9/1 (+900) for the Stanley Cup.
However, being favorites does not always translate as being winners and the bookmakers do often get the odds all wrong. Below are three teams that have been mispriced by bookmakers and, as a consequence, offer some value for Stanley Cup betting. It does not necessarily mean they will succeed, just that their chances have been severely underestimated. Things are changing fast this season though, so check out daily 2018 NHL picks from the experts to getting the latest betting updates.
Vegas Golden Knights – 11/1 (+1100) 888sport
It seems that critics and pundits have been waiting all season for Vegas to run out of steam. It has yet to happen though, and it looks more and more likely that they will finish strongly. Their story of being the most successful expansion team in history has been well-publicized, but at what point are bookmakers going to put their hands up and say Vegas are true contenders? Their current odds put them on a par with teams like Winnipeg and Toronto – Vegas should be closer to Tampa Bay.
Philadelphia Flyers – 30/1 (+3000) 888sport
A team that did not make huge waves before the trade deadline, Philadelphia did what was
necessary to cover injuries by acquiring the likes of Petr Mrazek. Their form seems to have tailed off a bit recently with defeats to Carolina, Tampa Bay and Florida coming recently. However, they are a team that really looks capable of putting another winning streak together again. Nolan Patrick looks like he is really starting to come into some good form at the right time of the season. The 19-year- old could be a huge asset for the post-season. Some bookmakers (Betfair) have priced Philadelphia at half the odds shown above – that might be a better indication of their chances.
Florida Panthers – 100/1 (+10000) Sporting Bet
Currently, on a six-game winning streak (as this being written) and one point of the Wild Card places with three fewer games played than their rivals New Jersey and Columbus, Florida could be the late-comers to the post-season party. Look, nobody is saying they are the greatest team in NHL history, but those odds should be a lot shorter. Should they be priced three times bigger than teams like New York Islanders and Colorado Avalanche? The answer is an emphatic ‘no’. They could reach the play-offs and surprise a few teams while they are there.
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