Betting Odds Fluctuate As NHL Season Begins

The new NHL season gets get underway on Tuesday (Oct. 10), beginning with a clash between the Tampa Bay Lightning and visiting Nashville Predators. The BetMGM moneyline is at 2.35 Predators, 1.63 Lightning.

With a full slate of games this week, the line movement at sportsbooks reflects early NHL betting action, as oddsmakers take a serious look at the regular season rosters and matchups.

Line Movements To Watch 

According to BetMGM Sportsbook, the biggest line movement for Stanley Cup betting has been the New Jersey Devils (13.00 to 11.00), the Vegas Golden Knights (15.00 to 13.00) and the Pittsburgh Penguins (36.00 to 26.00).

The Colorado Avalanche have generated the highest tickets percentage (9.00 to 10.00, 12.6%) and the highest handle (12.7%).

At BetRivers Sportsbook, the biggest line movements on Cup futures betting involve the Edmonton Oilers, from 13.00 to 10.00; the Lightning, from 21.00 to 16.00; the Boston Bruins, from 13.00 to 17.00; the Los Angeles Kings, from 23.00 to 18.00; the Florida Panthers, from 15.00 to 19.00; and the Pittsburgh Penguins, from 41.00 to 31.00.

From a betting perspective, the Eastern Conference teams are interesting, especially with the Devils’ movement. What’s becoming clear is the closing gap between the elite teams from recent years – the Toronto Maple Leafs, Bruins and Lightning – and the upstarts, like the Ottawa Senators and Buffalo Sabres (both are at 41.00).

 Teams Sign Key Players 

The Sabres this Tuesday announced they had signed defenceman Rasmus Dahlin, 23, to an eight-year, $88 million contract extension, a huge commitment to one of the NHL’s emerging stars, and a big positive jolt of energy for that team as they start their season. The Sabers open Thursday at home against the New York Rangers.

The Devils had a nice season last year – third in the Eastern Conference, at 52-22-8-112, one point behind the Carolina Hurricanes. They lost in the second round of the playoffs. Forward Tyler Toffoli was a big off-season addition for the Devils, as well as the signing of forward Timo Meier to an eight-year contract extension in June.

Noteworthy Cup futures line movements at PointsBet Canada include the Hurricanes, who opened at 13.00 and are now 8.50 (more to do with the fact that other teams didn’t improve rather than anything the Hurricanes did, a spokesperson said). The Erik Karlsson trade to the Penguins had an impact on Pittsburgh futures – 36.00 to 34.00 now.