Lightning’s Stanley Cup Odds Just Keep Getting Shorter
- Should you bet on Tampa Bay’s short odds to win the Stanley Cup?
- Can the Lightning maintain their red-hot play?
- Who’s the best bet out there?
Despite a few key injuries the Tampa Bay Lightning have weathered every storm and are running up the odds board at a rapid pace.
They began the year with +900 odds to win the 2019 Stanley Cup across a number of top sportsbooks, improved to +460 just before Christmas, and are now at just +360.
With a streak of 15-0-1 stretching from late November to late December, the Bolts solidified themselves as early season contenders. Now, while they have moved ahead of the pack, the Leafs and Sharks are not too far off at most sportsbooks.
2019 Stanley Cup Odds
| Team | Odds to win the 2019 Stanley Cup |
|---|---|
| Tampa Bay Lightning | +300 |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | +500 |
| San Jose Sharks | +900 |
| Calgary Flames | +1000 |
| Winnipeg Jets | +1100 |
The reason the Lightning are where they are has been the play of a few notable names. Nikita Kucherov, Steven Stamkos, and Brayden Point have led the way up front. Meanwhile, Victor Hedman and Ryan McDonagh have carried the major weight on the backend.
KUUUUUUCH!!! WHAT pic.twitter.com/8uKNdlHNB6
— Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) January 9, 2019
Above all, Kucherov has been the star and the story. He entered 2019 leading the league in points and assists with 65 and 46 respectively. He also leads the league in power play points which has played a huge role in Tampa’s NHL-best power play percentage of 30.1%.
The Floridians aren’t showing any signs of slowing down, but it’s still very early. With that said, if you’re thinking of holding off on betting on the blue, it could come with pros and cons. This team could decline, but there’s also a good chance they could keep moving up the board.
Why don’t we have the Tampa Bay Lightning play the rest of the NHL all-stars in San Jose instead? Might actually be compelling.
— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) January 4, 2019
Conceivably with half a season remaining and far less travel in front of them, the future may be friendly in the Sunshine State. They have no more West Coast trips to deal with, their longest remaining road swing is only six days in length, and they have eight games remaining against the league bottom feeding Senators, Red Wings, Flyers, Blues and Coyotes.
Tampa Bay has no more West Coast trips to deal with, and their longest remaining road swing is only six days in length.
Don’t Forget About the Maple Leafs and Jets
Now, if you’re looking for a bit more of a possible payout by rolling the dice, there are still some quality options out there worth considering.
If you’re a believer in the video game simulation (some people are), the Maple Leafs at +500 could give you a decent return. Meanwhile, with the tides turning in Calgary at +1000, a few pennies could potentially hit your pocket. One of the best bets on the board though, outside of Tampa, is the oft forgotten Winnipeg Jets.
They recently saw their best defender go down with injury in Dustin Byfuglien. With Buff out at least a month, now may be the time to throw down a few bucks while the team’s stock is low.
Again, though, if you’re thinking favorites and want to bank on the best, you know where to look.
Ryan is what you call a seasoned vet. It's been nearly 13 years and he has hosted three sports radio talk shows, two football television shows, two sports podcasts, released his first book in 2012, had his own ESPN E:60 documentary shot, and was the first inductee to ESPN's Hall of Fans.
