- History doesn't bode well for Pittsburgh
- Flyers might make another leap this season
- Lightning and Rangers have talent
Remember back in ’90s when the Western Conference was the home of exciting hockey? Pavel Bure, Jeremy Roenick and Sergei Fedorov led a young crop of talent that monopolized the highlight reel for the better part of a decade.
How times have changed.
The East is now all the rage with stars like Sidney Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin, making NHL Eastern Conference futures the hot bet this fall on your online sportsbook.
Sid the Kid’s Pittsburgh Penguins are the popular choice and favorite in NHL Eastern Conference betting this season, thanks to a breakout campaign in 2007-08 that saw them fall just short of a Stanley Cup.
However, the Penguins could be a risky play for a less-than-spectacular payout at +250. While the Pens undoubtedly have the best 1-2-3 center combination in the league with Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Jordin Staal, GM Ray Shero has done little other than add cast-offs (Miroslav Satan, Ruslan Fedotenko) to surround them.
One alarming statistic that makes me very wary of the incumbent finalists: The past 11 Cup final runner-ups have combined to win just one playoff round. While NHL Eastern Conference odds are in their favor, history most certainly is not.
Next up in terms of the NHL Eastern Conference lines, and my personal choice to win the East, is the Montreal Canadiens. The Habs had no trouble putting the puck in the net, overwhelming teams during the regular season last year. They were on everyone’s NHL Eastern Conference futures betting card before the playoffs.
Unfortunately, the young squad struggled with grittier teams like Boston and Philadelphia. The addition of Cup winners in Robert Lang and Alex Tanguay should put the centennial-celebrating Habitants over the hump.
If you’re looking for an underdog NHL Eastern Conference futures pick, why not try the Philadelphia Flyers at +900 on NHL Eastern Conference lines. The Baby-Faced Bullies sport a young crop of dynamic forwards and a steady defense corps that carried them all the way to the Conference finals last season. A healthy Simon Gagne may provide the explosive scoring talent to truly push the turnaround Flyers into the upper-echelon of the NHL.
Plausible darkhorses with high NHL Eastern Conference odds include the upstart Tampa Bay Lightning (+1200 odds) and the always dangerous New York Rangers (+900 odds). Both clubs have a wealth of talent but, as always, it remains to be seen how the newcomers mesh and fit into their respective systems.
DON’S PICK: Montreal Canadiens (+450)
Despite the excitement that the Eastern Conference provides, the Canadiens remain the favorite among NHL betting sharps. The 2007-08 Conference Champions will have yet another easy schedule, filled with matchups against bottom-feeders like the Toronto Maple Leafs and Buffalo Sabres.
Sophomore goaltender Carey Price looks like a star in the making, with the ability to carry a team to a title. This season should be his coming out party, capped off with another banner being raised to the roof of the Bell Centre.
Visit the BetOnline.com Sportsbook for all your hockey props, odds and lines. Be sure to check out the Bettor's Edge daily for more tips and insight into NHL Eastern Conference futures.
Who better to offer great sports betting and hockey tips than a native Canadian? Like any good Canuck, Don Melrose eats, sleeps, breathes and bets hockey, making him the perfect NHL handicapper. Thoughts or questions? Email Comments@BetOnline.com.
