Detroit Red Wings Odds - Wings still cream of the crop in the West
Detroit’s online betting odds for the upcoming season should have them near the top of the list once again, as they have at least made it to the conference finals for the last three seasons. The rest of the conference has improved, but until further notice, the Red Wings are the best team in the Western Conference.
Detroit Red Wings Odds: Red Wings should make fourth straight trip to conference final
- Losing Hossa won’t be as tough as some think
- Improved penalty killing must be a major focus
- If Osgood goes down, they could be in trouble
Detroit Red Wings Odds maker breakdown: OFFENSE The Red Wings led the West in goals scored, and even though they lost 40-goal scorer Marian Hossa to Chicago, Detroit should be in the running once again. Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datysuk are the best two-way duo in the NHL, while Johan Franzen should approach 40 goals himself this year. Todd Bertuzzi showed flashes in Calgary, and he joined Detroit in the offseason. If he can stay healthy, he’ll be a solid addition to an already potent Red Wings power play. A bigger loss for the Red Wings could be Jiri Hudler, who left for Russia. This leaves a hole on the left side of the Red Wings’ second line, but it shouldn’t impact their hockey betting odds too much, if at all.
Detroit Red Wings Odds maker breakdown: DEFENSE Nicklas Lidstrom showed no sign of slowing down at 39 years old, and he headlines a blueline group that has plenty of experience. Niklas Kronwall is coming into his own as a shutdown defender, but sometimes goes for the big hit too much. The rest of the defense is filled out by players like Brad Stuart, Jonathan Ericsson and Andreas Lilja, players who know their roles and don’t try to play above their heads. Players like this make Detroit a perennial sportsbook favorite for the Stanley Cup.
Detroit Red Wings Odds maker breakdown: GOALTENDING Chris Osgood now has the No. 1 spot sewn up as Ty Conklin left for St. Louis and, when the chips were down in the playoffs, Osgood was brilliant with a 2.01 GAA. Backing him up should Jimmy Howard, who played one game with the Red Wings last year and he’ll get more time to develop. Osgood will turn 37 this season, and the Red Wings have to be looking for life after his exit.
Detroit Red Wings Odds maker breakdown: SPECIAL TEAMS The Red Wings had the best power play in the league last year and even with the exit of Hossa they should still be formidable, as they have a lot of players who can play various positions with the man advantage, including two of the best offensive blueliners in the league in Lidstrom and Rafalski. The penalty killing was another story as Detroit was third-worst in the West. With the talent and two-way players the Red Wings have, there’s no reason why they shouldn’t be an elite penalty killing team. The reason why it doesn’t kill their sports betting chances? The Red Wings had the second-fewest penalty minutes in the league.
Detroit Red Wings Odds maker breakdown: SEASON OUTLOOK Chicago has improved and has another year of experience under its belt. San Jose can go undefeated in the regular season and still flame out in the playoffs. Vancouver and St. Louis aren’t Stanley Cup teams yet. The Red Wings lost an important piece in Hossa, but this team has too much veteran leadership to let that bother them. The biggest worry is an injury to Osgood, as they don’t have an experienced backup anymore. If Osgood stays healthy, the Red Wings will go to the conference final for the fourth year in a row, and a 12th Stanley Cup is an excellent sports betting possibility.
For more online betting previews for each NHL team, check out Don in the Betting Edge at BetOnline.com. 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.
