The NHL season is underway and there are already things we can learn from the first week that will help us win against the odds at the online bookmaker. It is early, but some teams are going to be different and worth a bet in offshore betting while some others should be avoided.
Surprise Teams
The Edmonton Oilers were a rotten team last season that you didn’t want to bet very often. That is not going to be the case in 2010-2011. They are young but they have a veteran goaltender in Nikolai Khabibulin. The Oilers are not going to be the easy win they were last year for most teams. They could be worth following at times this season. Another team that has looked good early in the season is the Toronto Maple Leafs. They were awful a year ago but maybe this is finally the season that the Leafs play well. And the odds makers have not adjusted to the Leafs yet.
Stanley Cup Favorite
The favorite at SBG to win the Stanley Cup this season is the Washington Capitals. They are a deserving favorite in offshore betting. They have the best player in the league in Alex Ovechkin and they are motivated to go all the way.
Overrated Teams
This list could probably be pretty big but there are two that really stand out early in the season. The New Jersey Devils look nothing like the team that won the Atlantic Division last year. Their defense is not very good and the days of goaltender Martin Brodeur bailing them out are over. Brodeur is a future Hall of Famer and he will still have some good nights but his best days are behind him. The other team that is overrated is Chicago. The Blackhawks are the defending Stanley Cup champs but they are not as good as they were last seasons. They made a ton of changes in the off-season, most of which were not positive. They are counting on Marty Turco to lead them in goal. That right there tells you they are in trouble.
Bad Team
The Anaheim Ducks started the season with three straight losses and they look really bad. You may want to avoid the Ducks at the online bookmaker for a while or perhaps avoid them all season.