The NHL is starting to separate the real contenders from the rest of the pack, although the rest of the pack shouldn’t be counted out in the race for the Stanley Cup. The 2020 Stanley Cup odds are ever changing, and once again this week there are a few good favorites to bet on as well as a value pick or two if you want a big return on your money.
There are a few tiers in the NHL at this point, with the top eight teams in the league separated by just eight points (71 to 67). Then there are four teams right behind them between 60 and 62 points.
Let’s take a quick look at a select few of those eight teams.
Washington Capitals (71 points, Stanley Cup odds +1000)
The Washington Capitals are back atop the standings in the NHL. The 2018 Stanley Cup champions have won three games in a row to catapult them to the top.
Alex Ovechkin recently passed Teemu Selanne on the all-time goals list, John Carlson is a beast on the blue line, and they have two very capable goaltenders in Braden Holtby and Ilya Samsonov. They’re the real deal and worth a look at +1000.
Pittsburgh Penguins (67 points, Stanley Cup odds +1300)
The time to bet on the Pittsburgh Penguins is now. They have been dealt a tough hand this year with injuries to their three star players: Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Jake Guentzel. Guentzel is out for at least four months due to shoulder surgery, but Crosby and Malkin are both healthy and they’re making some noise.
2020 STANLEY CUP
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The Penguins have won two straight games and are 7-2-1 in their last 10. Crosby has eight points (three goals, five assists) in four games since returning from injury and the Penguins are 3-1-0 in
those games. Get it on the Penguins at +1300 before their odds shrink.
Tampa Bay Lightning (62 points, Stanley Cup odds +800)
The Lightning are still the favorite to win the Stanley Cup at +800, but it’s getting close. The Boston Bruins are right behind them at +950 and the Colorado Avalanche, St. Louis Blues and Capitals are all at +100.
However, the Lightning are still worth your money. Andrei Vasilevskiy is a great goalie and the Lightning are 12-2-0 in their past 14 games. That’s an amazing run that shows they have what it takes for the long haul.
After that it gets really interesting.
There are 10 teams that have recorded between 57 and 59 points: five teams have 57 points, three have 58, and two have 59. That bubble of 10 teams is very tight, and some teams are bound to get their bubble burst. However, in that bubble are a few teams long for the season that are worth betting on.
The longshot of the week is the Columbus Blue Jackets
Columbus has 60 points, placing them eighth in the league, and are on a five-game winning streak with nine wins in their last 11 games. They let Sergei Bobrovsky walk in free agency, but Elvis Merzlikins and Joonas Korpisalo have combined for five shutouts and a sparkling .920 save percentage. A hot goalie can carry a team, and the Blue Jackets have that.
With the Blue Jackets high in the standings and on a run, the odds would reflect that, right? Well, not this time. The Blue Jackets have the 10th worst odds (21st best) as the eighth best team in the league. At +6000 you don’t want to get caught out in the cold; bet on the Blue Jackets.
