- The NHL recently passed the halfway point, and only a handful of teams are contenders to win it all.
- For American NHL teams, everything has returned to normal. Fans have been packing the stadiums. For Canadian NHL teams, they are not allowed to have fans because of COVID-19 protocols.
- Let’s take a closer look at who are the best bets, underdogs, and long shots.
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There were some hiccups, but the NHL is back to an 82-game schedule with the playoffs starting in the beginning of May.
We’ve had major highs, supreme lows, and some improbable highlights. Add it all up and you’ve got four solid futures bets at your fingertips. Let’s take a closer look at who stands out and why.
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NHL Championship Winner 2022 Odds
Odds taken from FanDuel Sportsbook updated on June 21, 2022. Click on ‘Bet Now’ below to head to the sportsbook and place a bet.
| Teams | Odds |
| Colorado Avalanche | +215 BET HERE |
| Tampa Bay Lightning | -265 BET HERE |
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Colorado Avalanche
Record: 32-8-3
Leading Scorer: Nazem Kadri – 59 points
The Colorado Avalanche are the best team in the Western Conference. They have 67 points, and the next closest team to them in the Western Conference are the Nashville Predators, with 58 points.
The Avalanche are the highest-scoring team in the NHL, averaging 4.14 goals per game. They have three All-Stars on their roster (Nazem Kadri, Cale Makar, and the injured Nathan MacKinnon). Kadri is second in assists in the NHL with 41, Makar is one of the more offensively minded defenseman in the NHL with his 18 goals and 26 assists, and Nathan MacKinnon has 34 assists in 31 games.
The Lightning have a mediocre goaltender in Darcy Kuemper, but the rest of their team is very impressive.
I expect the Lightning to make a deep playoff run, but I would not bet on them to win the Stanley Cup.
Tampa Bay Lightning
Record: 29-10-6
Leading Scorer: Steven Stamkos – 51 points
The Lightning are having another terrific season and are sitting at second in the Atlantic Division.
The Lightning have maintained a lot of their roster from when they won the Stanley Cup last season.
The Lightning, like the Avalanche, have three All-Stars on their roster (Steven Stamkos, Victor Hedman, and Andrei Vasilevskiy). Stamkos is not an MVP-type player anymore, but he still is very good; he has 20 goals and 31 assists. Hedman is a veteran like Stamkos, but he is playing at a high level and has a lot of stamina; Hedman has 36 assists and leads the Lightning with a TOI of 25:12. Vasilevskiy might be the best goaltender in the NHL; he only allows 2.24 goals per game and has 24 wins in 35 starts.
The Lightning have the necessary playoff experience and much of last year’s roster. I expect them to win it all again this year.
Florida Panthers
Record: 32-9-5 – 63 points
Leading Scorer: Jonathan Huberdeau
The Florida Panthers are the best team in the NHL. They have a very well-rounded roster and score a lot.
The Panthers are the second-highest scoring team in the league, averaging 4.13 goals per game.
Offensively, the Panthers are led by left winger Jonathan Huberdeau. Huberdeau was just named to the All-Star team and leads the league in assists with 46. Defensively, the Panthers are led by Aaron Ekblad. Ekblas has 30 assists and is third in the NHL with a +/- of 30. The Panthers also have Sergei Bobrovsky as their goaltender. Bobrovsky is an underrated netminder and a big part of the Panthers’ success this season.
Even though the Panthers are the best team in the NHL, I cannot see them beating the Lightning in a Playoff series.
Vegas Golden Knights
Record: 26-16-3
Leading Scorer: Chandler Stephenson – 38 points
The Vegas Golden Knights currently sit in first place in the Pacific Divison. However, the Anaheim Ducks are right behind them and fighting for that spot.
The Golden Knights shoot a lot and average 3.31 goals per game, but they also give up almost three goals per game.
The Golden Knights have two All-Stars on their roster (Mark Stone and Alex Pietrangelo). Stone is a veteran winger with 26 points in 26 games. He was injured earlier in the season, but when he is healthy, he is very productive. Pietrangelo is a veteran defenseman who leads the Golden Knights in TOI with 25:41. In goal, the Golden Knights have Robin Lehner. Lehner is not the best goalie in the league, but he is a good veteran netminder.
I do not see the Golden Knights getting past the second round of the Playoffs.
Who Won the Stanley Cup in 2021?
The Tampa Bay Lightning won the 2021 Stanley Cup. It was their second Stanley Cup in two seasons and their third overall.
The Lightning won their first Stanley Cup in 2004.
Who Has the Most NHL Championships?
The Montreal Canadiens have the most NHL Championships. They have won the Stanley Cup 24 times, with their most recent victory being in 1993.
The Toronto Maple Leafs have the second most National Championships with 13. Their most recent Stanley Cup came in 1967.
Who Won the First Stanley Cup?
The Montreal Canadiens won the first Stanley Cup in 1924.
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Max Heering
Expert on Sports Betting Industry
Max Heering graduated from the University of Kansas Sport Management program in May 2020. Max follows and writes about the NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL, MLS, college football, and college basketball. In his free time, you can catch Max draining threes on the basketball court. Email: [email protected]
