All the sports gossip talk stops in October, as the NHL regular season finally gets underway. For the next eight months, teams will be competing for the ultimate honor in hockey and the right to be crowned Stanley Cup champions.
It will be a long fight for playoff places throughout the regular season, before the real battle gets underway when the Stanley Cup playoffs get underway. But, which teams have the best chance of getting their hands on the famous trophy this season?
Colorado Avalanche
The Colorado Avalanche have been the favorites in the betting throughout the summer, and their price has been cut further with some of the leading sportsbooks found at CasinoBonusesNow. It isn’t hard to see why they are the outstanding choice according to the bookmaker. They ended the 2020-21 season with the Presidents’ Trophy after having the best regular-season record.
However, their season eventually fell apart in the second round of the playoffs where they were beaten by the Vegas Golden Knights. Under the stewardship of head coach Jared Bednar, they look primed for another strong campaign. Despite letting goalie Phillip Grubauer depart, they have strengthened their backend with the additions of Darcy Kuemper at goal and veteran presence of Darren Helm. Meanwhile, the signing of stars Gabriel Landeskog and Cale Maker means that all the focus can be on the ice instead of contracts.
Tampa Bay Lightning
It is hard to ignore the very obvious contenders for the Stanley Cup in 2022, as the Tampa Bay Lightning are looking to join elite company and win a third straight cup. Only a handful of teams have achieved that feat previously. The Lightning did not sit on their laurels and the offseason saw significant business conducted. Brayden Point was brought back to the Lightning and Blake Coleman, Yanni Gourde, and David Savard have all departed. However, the experience that the franchise has had in the postseason could prove pivotal as the campaign progresses.
The new additions may not be the most exciting, and are unlikely to have rivals quaking in their boots, but it’s hard to ignore the quality that is already at the disposal of coach Jon Cooper. He has the ability to call upon some of the best players in the world throughout the season, with Victor Hedman, Andrei Vasilevskiy, and Nikita Kucherov all being among the best players to play the game. It’s hard to ignore the Lightning, and their chances will likely hinge on keeping their best players healthy.
Vegas Golden Knights
According to the odds, the Vegas Golden Knights are also among the front runners, as they enjoyed an excellent campaign in 2020-21. They matched the record set by the Avalanche over the 82 games in the regular season, but all their good work was undone in the playoffs. They were knocked out in the semi-finals by the Montreal Canadiens. After overcoming the Avalanche in the playoffs, many expected the Golden Knights to reach the final. They were beaten by the dark horse contenders in the postseason last year. However, they will be back stronger once again this coming season for another run at the playoffs. The Golden Knights have been contenders for the Stanley Cup ever since their formation, as they reached the final in their first season.
However, their achilles heel of the team has always been their attacking threat. That is something that they have looked to sort out over the summer. The Knights allowed Marc-Andre Fleury to depart, and have brought in Evgeni Dadonov, Matthias Janmark, and Brett Howden to create a new-look team. It remains to be seen whether the moves will prove the decisive factor. What is certain is that very few will be surprised to see the Golden Knights still in contention come the final months of the season.
Betting On The Stanley Cup
There’s a lot of sports talk when it comes to betting on the new NHL season. The best way to make a wager is to place money on the team that you believe will win the trophy at the end of the season. Understanding the outright market is straightforward for all fans, as the team selected will need to win the Stanley Cup in order to get returns. Each-way betting is also available, which means that you will get returns even if your selection is a losing finalist.
Outright betting ensures that gamblers are engaged in the action throughout the season, and is one of the most lucrative markets available. However, the odds will change throughout the season depending on how the teams are performing, which means that finding the best time with value odds is the key.
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