With football leagues opening across the pond and American football two weeks into its own season, it’s easy to forget that another major professional sports league is also set to, shall we say, drop its puck when the calendar hits October.
That’s right, you hockey-lovers out there! The 2013-2014 NHL season is upon us!
Now that we’re a year removed from a completely loopy lockout season, the NHL is set to return to regularly-scheduled programming this coming season with the defending Stanley Cup champions, the Chicago Blackhawks, poised to defend its crown. Currently, the ‘Hawks are the short favorite to repeat as champions at 6/1 odds. With the championship core virtually intact, Chicago’s status as the favorites didn’t involve too much scrambled brain cells to figure out.
Just after the Blackhawks, the Pittsburgh Penguins are the clear favorites from the East at 15/2 odds, short favorites over the revamped Boston Bruins at 10/1 odds. Meanwhile, Chicago’s closest competitors out West are the Los Angeles Kings and the St. Louis Blues, both of which have been given 12/1 odds to win the Stanley Cup.
Of particular note for those who didn’t follow the off-season, the Detroit Red Wings, with odds to win the Cup at 16/1, have moved to the Eastern Conference together with the Columbus Blue Jackets (40/1). Taking their place out West is the Winnipeg Jets, which if you wanted to know are right in the vicinity of Columbus in the Stanley Cup odds at 50/1.
Everyone’s favorite team to hate, the Vancouver Canucks have the same odds as the Red Wings at 16/1 with the San Joe Sharks a little further down at 18/1 odds. From there, it’s two teams at 20/1 (the Minnesota Wild and the New York Rangers), followed by four teams at 22/1 (the Edmonton Oilers, the Ottawa Senators, the Philadelphia Flyers, and the Anaheim Ducks, and two more teams at 25/1 (the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Washington Capitals).
Source: “Bodog.eu”
Odds to win 2014 Stanley Cup for all NHL teams
Chicago Blackhawks: 6/1
Pittsburgh Penguins: 15/2
Boston Bruins: 10/1
Los Angeles Kings: 12/1
St. Louis Blues: 12/1
Detroit Red Wings: 16/1
Vancouver Canucks: 16/1
San Jose Sharks: 18/1
Minnesota Wild: 20/1
New York Rangers: 20/1
Anaheim Ducks: 22/1
Edmonton Oilers: 22/1
Ottawa Senators: 22/1
Philadelphia Flyers: 22/1
Toronto Maple Leafs: 25/1
Washington Capitals: 25/1
Montreal Canadiens: 28/1
New York Islanders: 33/1
Carolina Hurricanes: 40/1
Colorado Avalanche: 40/1
Columbus Blue Jackets: 40/1
Dallas Stars: 40/1
Nashville Predators: 50/1
New Jersey Devils: 50/1
Tampa Bay Lightning: 50/1
Winnipeg Jets: 50/1
Phoenix Coyotes: 66/1
Buffalo Sabres: 100/1
Calgary Flames: 100/1
Florida Panthers: 150/1
