The big favourites pre-season are the Pittsburgh Penguins, who are rated +900 by the bookmakers. Certainly last season proved the Penguins are winners, as they claimed the cup – the fourth time in their history that they have done so. 2015/16 was actually a difficult season for them as they had to replace their head coach in December, but new man Mike Sullivan proved inspired – and they still have most of the star players who brought them success. Phil Kessel put his retirement plans on hold, although it will be interesting to see how he copes with another demanding, physical season, but there is no question that the Penguins have a good shot at retaining the Stanley Cup.
Another side that could be worth looking at is the +1000 rated Tampa Bay Lightning, who gave their chances a real shot in the arm with the news that they have resigned Steven Stamkos at centre. As captain he is a hugely important figure for them – and like the Penguins their main focus during the close season has been on keeping rather than signing players. In addition to Stamkos, general manager Steve Yzerman has also managed to hold onto Alex Killorn and Victor Hedman, but keeping goalscorer Nikita Kucherov – who netted 41 times last season – is also crucial to their chances. Tampa Bay lost out at the play-off stage in 2015/16, but are a solid bet to win the cup this time. If you are uncertain of this, consider the fact that the bookies have cut their odds from the earlier +1400.
There are some NHL bettors who favour going for more of a long-odds bet, figuring that the payout will be better, and the Ottawa Senators at +5000 are a side you could look at if this is your strategy. Last season was a let down for them, as they failed to make it out of the division – mainly due to a weak defence that conceded 247 times. The Senators actually have some quality in defence, in the form of Erik Karlsson and big money signing Dion Phaneuf, but they struggled last time out. They have also brought in Derick Brassard, who scored 19 goals for the New York Rangers last year, but with no defence additions they need their existing options to do better if they are to have a chance. Of course, other types of hockey bets also exist, like themed slot game Hockey Hero. This has five reels filled with hockey-related imagery, 25 pay lines, free spins and a jackpot. Although there are differences between it and betting on the NHL, regular online betting fans,who enjoys other way of betting such as mobile roulette, will also see the similarities and embrace it as a complement to their normal bets.
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