Blues 2019 Stanley Cup Odds Almost Even with Jets, Predators
- The St. Louis Blues’ have the second-most wins in the NHL since Jan. 3
- The Winnipeg Jets are struggling, going 5-5 in their last 10 games
- Does Nashville still have the bite to do damage in the postseason
The Stanley Cup playoffs are a week away and, if you have been following the season, you likely already know that Tampa Bay, Calgary, and Boston have the best Stanley Cup odds.
In the hotly contested Central Division, where Winnipeg, St. Louis, and Nashville are separated by just two points with three games to play, oddsmakers see little difference between the contenders.
Top 12 Stanley Cup Contenders
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Tampa Bay Lightning | +275 |
| Calgary Flames | +800 |
| Boston Bruins | +1000 |
| San Jose Sharks | +1000 |
| Washington Capitals | +1000 |
| Winnipeg Jets | +1000 |
| St. Louis Blues | +1200 |
| Nashville Predators | +1400 |
| Pittsburgh Penguins | +1800 |
| New York Islanders | +2000 |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | +2000 |
| Vegas Golden Knights | +2000 |
*Odds taken on 04/02/19. Follow link for complete list.
Blues on fire since January 3rd
St. Louis cooled off the Colorado Avalanche on Monday with a 3-2 shootout win. That continued a scorching hot 2019 for the Blues, who are 26-9-4 since Jan. 3.
They currently have 94 points, same as the Predators, but are now in the #2 spot in the Central thanks to owning the tiebreaker with Nashville.
The Predators and Jets, however, own better playoff resumes than St. Louis.
Last year, the Jets knocked out the Predators in round two before falling to Vegas in the Western Conference finals.
The year before, Nashville lost the cup final to Pittsburgh.
The Blues, on the other hand, finished 11 points behind the Anaheim Ducks for the last Wild-Card spot in 2018. Their +1400 odds are about in line with their Stanley Cup chances.
Jets looking to up their game when the playoffs start
The Jets beat the Chicago Blackhawks 4-3 on Monday night in overtime. Generally, though, Winnipeg has struggled down the stretch and have gone 5-5 in their past 10. They face only one playoff team before the end of the season, the Colorado Avalanche.
BIG WIN!
4-3 WPG | #GoJetsGo | #WPGvsCHI pic.twitter.com/lWKKphz1FY
— Winnipeg Jets (@NHLJets) April 2, 2019
Their weak finish is surprising considering how strongly they finished last season, with 114 points overall, and the fact that they are still battling for the division title.
The Jets odds are overvalued heading into the playoffs. It will be hard for them to turn on the switch once the postseason arrives.
Do Predators still have the bite for the postseason?
Like the Jets, the Predators don’t look as impressive as they did last season. They finished with 117 points overall last year, three ahead of the Jets.
.
They were beat 5-2 by Columbus on Saturday and face three non-playoff teams before finishing the regular season with Buffalo, Chicago, and Vancouver.
Hello, Buffalo. #Preds | #NSHvsBUF pic.twitter.com/ySE9Uxsi4D
— Nashville Predators (@PredsNHL) April 1, 2019
The Preds currently have the 30th-ranked power play, a shocking stat considering special teams are a key to winning in the playoffs. Their penalty killing is currently 4th overall, at least.
The Predators who don’t look as strong as they did last season, but their +1400 odds are reasonable value, considering they have all the pieces to form a better PP unit plus the goaltending and defensive depth to make a deep run.
Ben has been an avid sports fan since the 1980s. Specializing in hockey, baseball, and tech, Ben has contributed to CKNW via his tech blog Vancouver Gadgets and currently writes for SBD, as well as other online publications.
