PK Subban and the Habs look like the NHL's top team so far. (Photo credit: tsyp9 / Foter.com / CC BY-SA)
It’s hard to believe, but we’re already one month into the 2015-16 NHL betting season.
Now that every team has played at least 10 games, some serious trends are emerging. We have a firmer grasp of what teams are capable of, and we can also take advantage of some good odds on underachieving teams we believe will turn things around.
(All stats current as of Monday, Nov. 2)
Best Bets
Best Against the Spread: Canadiens (11-2, +$1662), Panthers (8-3, +$730), Capitals (6-4, +$711)
Over: Bruins (8-2 Over-Under), Stars (8-3 Over-Under), Canadiens/Oilers (7-4 Over-Under)
Money Burners
Worst Against The Spread: Flames (4-8, -$876), Blackhawks (3-8, -$763), Maple Leafs (4-6, -$604)
Under: Blackhawks/Penguins (1-8 Over-Under), Rangers (2-6 Over-Under), Capitals/Ducks (3-7 Over-Under)
Who’s Hot
Kings: After an 0-3 start in which they looked awful, the Kings rebounded with 7 straight wins.
Bruins: The 6-3-1 Bruins are the highest-scoring team in the NHL, averaging 3.90 goals per contest. Bet you didn’t see that coming.
Who’s Not
Maple Leafs: Yeah, we knew the Leafs would be bad. But 1-7-2 bad? They’re averaging 2 goals per game.
Ducks: Anaheim has to be the biggest disappointment in the NHL. The Ducks won just one of their first 10 games and entered the week as the only NHL team without a road victory.
Over/Under Trends in NHL Betting
Over: The Flames are giving up goals at an alarming rate (50 in 12 games). If their offence comes around at all, Calgary could be a great over bet.
Under: Anaheim games are averaging less than four goals per game by both teams combined. Instead of playing the Ducks Under 5, you might be able to cash in betting Under 4.5 or even Under 4 at big prices on alternate NHL betting lines.
Canadian Content
Canadiens: Long knocked for being reliant on Carey Price for success, the Habs now have the opportunity to prove people wrong. Price is expected to miss at least a week with a lower-body injury, and Montreal whipped the Jets 5-1 Sunday in its first game without their star goalie.
Senators: If you bet on the Senators, hopefully you don’t mind your wager being decided by a shootout. Four of Ottawa’s first 11 games went to a shootout, and defenceman Erik Karlsson says 3-on-3 overtime is “boring”.
Maple Leafs: Mike Babcock is already frustrated that he’s not getting through to his players. There’s a strong chance the Toronto roster could get blown up very soon.
Jets: Even when the Jets were scoring lots of goals to win four of their first five, coach Paul Maurice was worried about their defensive play. That caught up with them Sunday in Montreal, when they were whipped 5-1 by the Habs.
Oilers: Goaltending issues are rearing their ugly head once again in Edmonton. Oilers goaltenders had a save percentage under .900 in 5 of their last 6 games, and it’s leading to panic in the City of Champions.
Flames: It takes a spark to light a Flame, and Calgary hopes that happened with a last-minute win over the Oilers Saturday. “Hopefully this is going to get us going and hopefully we can keep going,” Michael Frolik said after scoring the winning goal with 12 seconds left.
Canucks: Youth movement in Vancouver? 19-year-old rookies Jared McCann and Jake Virtanen have been big contributors to the Canucks early in the year, and Vancouver has chosen to keep them on the roster instead of sending them down to the minors.
Updated Stanley Cup Betting Odds
There were already high hopes this year in La Belle Province, and Montreal’s strong start has thrown fuel on the fire. The Canadiens are the Stanley Cup betting favourite, paying +850 odds. Close behind them are the Rangers and Capitals (both +1000). The top West Conference Stanley Cup betting favourites are the Blues, Blackhawks and Stars, all of whom pay +1100.