Top NHL teams are in the Eastern Conference. Yes only one team from the East will play in the Stanley Cup Final but the teams east of St. Louis sure will have a much tougher road to the Final.
In a rare occurrence, the top-three Stanley Cup favorites at midseason are all from the same conference: the Capitals (+800), Bruins (+850), and Lightning (+900) lead the odds, with the defending-champion Blues (+950) the best among Western teams odds. If you want to know all the teams odds and a place to wager on them, then these online betting sites compiled by SBD are a good place to start. When it comes to a more long shot bet - St. Louis is tied for the league lead in points, advanced stats, like Expected Goals For and High Danger Chances, predict regression. The three favorites, on the other hand, all have strong underlying numbers.
The question is, whatever team comes out of the East, will it be a team that put so much into winning the conference have anything left for the Stanley Cup Final?
The top six teams in the East are now the Washington Capitals, Pittsburgh Penguins, New York Islanders, Boston Bruins, Tampa Bay Lightning and Toronto Maple Leafs. See any team who could be considered weak?
Nope, which means tough series ahead.
Meanwhile, I don't see the St. Louis Blues, yes I am picking them to come out of the West, facing any long and grinding series before reaching the SCF.
The top six teams in the West are the St. Louis Blues, Dallas Stars, Colorado Avalanche, Arizona Coyotes, Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames. Not many dominant teams here. It should be a much easier path the the SCF in the West than in the East.
Team health will be huge once we have only two teams left. Plus the Blues have the experience and players to rise above the rest of the teams in the West and capture the Stanley Cup again.
Of course, looking ahead is never a sure thing but if all things remain as is, the St. Louis Blues are once again the team to beat.
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