Stars’ Stanley Cup Odds Continue Climb to +2000 After Adding Pavelski & Perry

• The Dallas Stars made a splash on the first day of the NHL’s free agent market by signing veterans Joe Pavelski and Corey Perry, improving their Stanley Cup odds to +2000
• Pavelski is expected to boost a feeble Ducks’ offense that ranked 29th in the NHL in goals scored last season
• The defending champion St. Louis Blues continue to provide the best value in Stanley Cup futures, where they continue to trail the favorites as a +1400 bet

The Dallas Stars continued their steady rise on the NHL futures following their signing of free agents Joe Pavelski and Corey Perry. Pegged as a lengthy +2900 wager in Stanley Cup odds in mid-June, the Stars now sit just outside the top ten, sporting +2000 odds in NHL betting.

Odds to Win 2020 Stanley Cup

*Odds taken on 07/02/19

Stars End Playoff Drought With Strong Defense

The Stars are coming off a solid 2018/2019 campaign, ending a two-year playoff drought by racking up 93 points and the top wild card spot in the Western Conference.

The club continued it strong play in the postseason, stunning the heavily favored Nashville Predators with a first-round series victory in six games, and taking the eventual Stanley Cup champion St. Louis Blues to seven games before falling in the second round.

Last season the Dallas Stars were:
29th in Goals Scored
18th in PP goals scored
LAST in 1st period goals scored

Only 13 players in the entire league scored more goals than Joe Pavelski.

This is a good day for this team.

— Bruce LeVine (@BruceLeVinePuck) July 1, 2019

With Vezina Trophy finalist Ben Bishop between the pipes, the Stars also emerged as one of the NHL’s stingiest teams over the past season, ranking second in the league with a 2.44 team goals against average. However, Dallas struggled to find the back of the net with regularity this past season, ranking 29th in the NHL in goals with just 210 total markers.

Dallas struggled to find the back of the net with regularity this past season, ranking 29th in the NHL in goals with just 210 total markers.

Both Jamie Benn and John Klingberg took massive steps back in 2018/2019. The Stars’ captain turned in his worst season since his rookie campaign, tallying just 53 points in 78 games, well off his 79-point pace of a year ago. Klingberg amassed just 45 points while being limited to just 64 games.

Pavelski Expected to Bolster Feeble Stars Attack

The addition of Pavelski is expected to have an immediate impact on the Stars’ feeble attack. The 34-year-old is expected to bring both leadership and the same consistent offensive production to Dallas.

Pavelski averaged a respectable 29.7 goals and 66 points per season over the past three years while serving as captain in San Jose. He played a key role in the Sharks’ march to the Stanley Cup Final in 2016, potting 14 goals and nine assists in 23 games.

Monty talks about today's moves and how Pavelski and Perry will fit into the lineup in the upcoming season. pic.twitter.com/sD2jeDVO5M

— Dallas Stars (@DallasStars) July 1, 2019

Perry’s Best Days Behind Him

Perry also brings a wealth of experience to Big D, following a 14-season run in Anaheim that featured a Stanley Cup victory in 2007. The 34-year-old also has a Hart Trophy and Maurice Richard Trophy to his credit, from a career season in 2010-2011, when he potted 50 goals and 98 assists.

In fact, Perry has six 30-goal seasons under his belt, but has seen his offensive production drop off in recent years, capped by this past season, when he mustered just 10 points while being limited to just 31 games by a serious knee injury.

Corey Perry bonus structure #Stars:
$250k: 10 GP
$250k: 20 GP
$250k: 30 GP
$250k: 40 GP
$250k: 50 GP
$250k: Make playoffs + at least 50 GP
$100k: Win 3 rds + play at least half playoff gms
$150k: Win #StanleyCup + play at least half p/o gms
Total: $1.75 mil attainable bonuses

— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) July 2, 2019

Simply put, expecting Perry to enjoy an offensive renaissance is unrealistic, and is reflected in the one-year, $1.5 million deal he received from the Stars.

That will leave Dallas facing the same depth issues the club has wrestled with over the past two seasons. Only three Stars players managed to score more than 15 goals last season, marking the third straight year in which the club featured just three 20-goal scorers.

And while the addition of Pavelski will likely help address that issue, it is far from certain that Dallas has done enough to keep pace with several rapidly improving Western Conference rivals.

Blues Continue to Provide Top Value

The emergence of the Colorado Avalanche is reflected in their short +1200 Stanley Cup odds, and with the addition of Matt Duchene, the Nashville Predators have bolstered their offense and offer plenty of value at +1600.

Adding two-time Stanley Cup winner Phil Kessel likely enhances the Arizona Coyotes’ chances of returning to playoff contention, making their intriguing +3300 Stanley Cup odds worth a second look.

BREAKING NEWS: Craig Berube signs a three-year contract to remain head coach of the Blues. #stlblues

DETAILS: https://t.co/4hYKlxSPNu pic.twitter.com/3RlyhP7KiU

— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) June 25, 2019

However, it is the reigning champions who currently offer the best value on the NHL futures. The Blues remained relatively quiet on the first day of the NHL’s free agent market.

That is because the club largely took care of its business before July 1, inking Craig Berube to a three-year deal, and sit poised to return to action with their championship-winning core largely intact.

Pick: Blues (+1400)