As the second half of the NHL campaign gets into full swing the Toronto Maple Leafs remain embroiled in a tight five-way race at the top of the Stanley Cup futures, where they are set as a short +700 wager on those NHL odds at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com.
Winners in eight of their last 11 contests, the Maple Leafs are one of just two Canadian-based teams currently in the NHL playoff picture. The team’s recent surge has solidified Toronto’s hold on third place in the Atlantic Division, eight points back of first-place Florida with four games in hand.
In addition to seeing an array of games postponed and rescheduled, the Maple Leafs have been unable to play in front of their fans in recent home contests. And the team faces a difficult schedule, with nine of their upcoming 14 contests coming on the road. Despite those challenges, the Maple Leafs remain a +210 wager to win their division at online betting sites.
Fresh off a victory in Columbus, the Calgary Flames sit second among Canadian NHL teams as a +3000 wager on the Stanley Cup odds. The Flames tallied a franchise-record 62 shots on goal in Wednesday’s 6-0 rout of the Blue Jackets, which also marked the highest shot total by a single team in regulation time in three decades.
Jacob Markstrom also established a team record with his fourth road shutout of the season in Wednesday’s win. Markstrom’s steady play has been crucial to the Flames’ resurgence this season. Listed as a +2000 wager to win the Vezina Trophy, Markstrom has backstopped Calgary to second overall in the NHL with a team goals-against average of 2.47. However, with Flames shooters struggling to produce consistent offence in recent weeks, the team maintains a tenuous grip on the second wild card in the Western Conference.
Further down the Stanley Cup odds, the Edmonton Oilers‘ recent freefall has dumped them to a +4000 wager. Losers of five straight going into Thursday’s home date with Vancouver, the Winnipeg Jets have faded to +5000. The Canucks have been unable to maintain the torrid pace they established after the hiring of head coach Bruce Boudreau, and now sit at +9000. And the Ottawa Senators and Montreal Canadiens are at the bottom of the odds board, pegged at +50000 and +100000, respectively.
Now perched atop the NHL standings after posting eight straight wins, the Colorado Avalanche continue to lead the way on the Stanley Cup futures as +500 betting favourites. Currently sporting the NHL’s highest goal total, the Panthers closely trail at +575 on those futures, with the Tampa Bay Lightning joining Toronto as a +700 wager, and the Vegas Golden Knights rounding out the top of the list at +800 odds.
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