NHL Season Preview: Central Division Betting Odds

Posted on: October 7, 2022, 01:14h. 

Last updated on: October 6, 2022, 03:32h.

Michael Schwartz Read More
Expertise: Regulation, Sports Betting, Sports.

The defending Stanley Cup Champion Colorado Avalanche is the only team in the NHL with negative odds of winning their division title. But the question is if the Minnesota Wild can pull ahead.

NHL Central Division
NHL Central Division team logos, above. Can any of these outlast the power of the Colorado Avs this year?

But at -175 to win the Central Division, oddsmakers don’t think another team will be able to put up a regular season that can match that of Colorado’s.

The Wild failed to advance out of the first round last year, losing four games to two to the St. Louis Blues. St. Louis comes in as the third favorite to win the Central Division. The 2019 Stanley Cup Champions lost four games to two to Colorado during the Avalanches’ run to the Stanley Cup title last season.

Odds of winning the division Odds of winning the Stanley Cup
Colorado Avalanche -175 +425
Minnesota Wild +375 +2000
St. Louis Blues +550 +2200
Dallas Stars +1400 +3500
Nashville Predators +1400 +5000

Odds Courtesy: Bet365.com

The division begins to open up after the top three, according to the oddsmakers, with the Dallas Stars and the Nashville Predators both coming in at +1400 to win the division, and Dallas at +3500 to win the Stanley Cup, with Nashville coming in at +5000 to win the Cup.

Both teams made the playoffs last season, with Nashville being swept by Colorado in the first round and Dallas losing in seven games to Calgary.

Long Shots

Last season was a real disappointment for the Winnipeg Jets, who missed out on the playoffs. This year, they still have a long road to climb if they want to regain some of the magic from previous years. But with Blake Wheeler already being stripped of his captaincy this off-season,, it appears that Winnipeg has turmoil.

The two teams bringing up the division’s rear are the two biggest longshots to win the Stanley Cup this season. The Chicago Blackhawks are +12500 to win the division and +12500 to win the Stanley Cup. The Arizona Coyotes are +20000 to win the division and +30000 to win the Stanley Cup.

Both are staring rebuilds right in the eye. Arizona seems like they have been in rebuild mode for a decade, while the Blackhawks, no matter how long their rebuild takes, will always have the three titles (2010, 2013 and 2015) to make it worthwhile.

Reason Rewind

Last season, the Colorado Avalanche (119 pts) were the class of the NHL But they were only six points ahead of the Minnesota Wild (113 pts) and ten points ahead of the St. Louis Blues (109 pts).

Two other teams from the Central Division, the Dallas Stars (98 pts) and the Nashville Predators (97 pts), also made the playoffs. The Winnipeg Jets (89 pts) and Chicago Blackhawks (68 pts) followed by the Arizona Coyotes (57 pts), all find themselves on the outside looking in.