2019 NHL Playoff Odds: Will the Stars Get In?
- The Stars are averaging just 2.00 goals per game in January
- The Avalanche started 17-7-5 but have just five wins in 21 games since
- The Coyotes have won six of their last nine games entering the All-Star break
As the NHL hits the All-Star break, it’s a good time to reflect on the 2019 Stanley Cup odds that are on the board. Sportsbooks have posted a number of bets on which fringe playoff teams might make the postseason and you’re able to bet “Yes” or “No” for each side. Let’s take a closer look.
2019 NHL Playoff Odds
| Team | Odds to Make the Playoffs | Odds to Miss the Playoffs |
|---|---|---|
| Arizona Coyotes | +250 | -325 |
| Colorado Avalanche | -200 | +160 |
| Dallas Stars | -165 | +135 |
| St. Louis Blues | +250 | -325 |
| Edmonton Oilers | +500 | -800 |
| Vancouver Canucks | +200 | -260 |
The West is a Mess
There’s a logjam at the bottom of the Western Conference as seven teams are separated by just three points. Two of them will make the playoffs but none of them are very good right now. Only one of those teams has a positive goal differential (Colorado at +7). Worse yet, most of those teams are trending in the wrong direction as only two have a winning record over their last 10, but neither have more than six wins in that time frame.
It’s definitely a turtle race, but two teams will cross the finish line and make the postseason.
Will the Dallas Stars Make the Playoffs?
The Stars are currently in seventh place in the standings but they’ve had a bizarre season. They have just eight wins in their last 19 games and appear to be just clinging onto a final playoff berth.
You may have seen these guys roaming around AAC spreading the good word about Stars hockey. They call themselves, @BensBishops. pic.twitter.com/qAIvdpyP0W
— Dallas Stars (@DallasStars) January 22, 2019
While they have the likes of Jamie Benn, Tyler Seguin, Jason Spezza, and Alexander Radulov in their lineup, they’re having trouble scoring. Their 2.57 goals per game ranks 29th in the NHL. January has been particularly rough as they are down to just 2.00 goals per game. Seguin, Radulov, and Benn each have between 14 and 18; no one else on the team has more than nine.
CEO Jim Lites had a profanity-laced tirade about his stars (Benn and Seguin) and head coach Jim Montgomery has called out the franchise as being mediocre. Just last week, Radulov was bench at the end of the first period.
Jim Lites, the CEO of the Dallas Star, called star players Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin “embarrassing,” “horses—” in attempt to improve their play.
“I don’t play for him,” Benn responded. https://t.co/hgdzUYz2el
— Post Sports (@PostSports) December 29, 2018
On the bright side, they are a sound defensive team as they are third-best in goals allowed per game but something is wrong with this locker room. I would bet on “No” sooner than I would “Yes.”
Will the Edmonton Oilers Make the Playoffs?
Odd as it sounds, the Oilers – who have already fired a head coach and general manager this season – could be in line for a “successful” season if they make the playoffs. After all, it would be just their second appearance in the last 13 years. At the same time, this team has lost three straight and 12 of 17 entering the break.
MATCH GAME TIME! ?️
“The answer to the Oilers problems is _________”
Give us your best response below! ✍️
Match Game is brought to you by Dove Men Plus Care Anti-Dandruff Shampoo (@MadeForMen). #AntiDandruff #DoveMen pic.twitter.com/dTuTBsCdGY
— Tim and Sid (@timandsid) January 24, 2019
More concerning might be that they’ve also lost nine of their last 11 at home. It hasn’t been pretty most nights as they’ve been outshot in 17 of their last 20 contests. At the same time, betting on -800 for “No” when this team is three points out of a playoff spot seems like a stretch. Remember, they’ve been without defenseman Oscar Klefbom and they are 17-12-2 with him in the lineup and 6-12-1 without.
The Oilers have lost nine of their last 11 at home and have been outshot in 17 of their last 20 contests.
Crazy as it sounds, “Yes” might be worth a flier here just because everyone is so down on this team.
Who Will Make the Playoffs?
Someone’s gotta make it, right?
You can cross the Avs off the list. “No” looks like a good bet at +160 when you consider how badly this team is nosediving. They started 17-7-5 but have just five wins in their last 21 games. Add in that Nathan MacKinnon now has a foot injury and he doesn’t seem to get along with his coach, and this doesn’t seem like a wise bet.
“You don’t want to call out your head coach, I assure you that.”
The #HockeyCentral at Noon panel discusses Nathan MacKinnon’s animated exchange with head coach Jared Bednar. pic.twitter.com/uDMKyjrNvV
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) January 10, 2019
One team that is trending in the right direction is the Arizona Coyotes. Yes, they are still two points out of a playoff spot but they have played well of late. The Coyotes have won six of nine entering the break with two of the losses coming by just one goal. However, they have way too many injuries as they’ve lost their starting goalie, second-best defenseman, and three quality centers.
So who does that leave for us: the St. Louis Blues and Vancouver Canucks. Both are shaky bets but I’d take a shot with the Canucks, who look like a young team that’s getting better. The Blues are just a very average team across the board and are hard to get excited about.
To recap, I’d take a flier with the Oilers and the Canucks as sizable dogs to make the playoffs, but overall, these are all just dart throws. None of these teams are very good.
For over 15 years, Dave has been working in mainstream media and sports betting. He hosted a station on Sirius Satellite Radio for four years, and is currently a senior writer for AskMen. He's interviewed hundreds of hundreds of high-profile sports stars like Shaquille O'Neal and Floyd Mayweather.
