By Ryan Bologna
The 2022-2023 NHL season is about to start, and that means it’s time to survey for futures bets. Here are some of the top choices to help you choose who you are going to bet on this season.
Stanley Cup Champions
Colorado Avalanche +380
The defending Stanley Cup champions come in as the favorites this season. The Avalanche have questions at center with the departure of Nazim Kadri. Gabriel Landeskog is also not going to play to start the season because of a lower-body injury. However, with reigning Norris Trophy winner Cale Makar, Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen there is still enough talent to make Colorado the favorites again.
There will be a change in goal as Alexandar Georgiev comes over from the Rangers. He posted a .908 save percentage last year, which doesn’t jump off the page. Georgiev has always been a goalie who is better when he gets consistent playing time. He didn’t have that in New York sitting behind Igor Shesterkin. He should be set up for success in Colorado.
Toronto Maple Leafs +700
It’s not a surprise to see the Maple Leafs this high. Despite not being able to get past the first round once again in 2022, they have the second-best odds to win the Stanley Cup. It must be said though, it was a tough draw facing the Lightning in the first round, and it did go all the way to a seventh game.
Like the last couple of years, the Maple Leafs have a ton of talent, headlined by the reigning Hart Trophy winner Auston Matthews. Familiar faces like Mitch Marner and William Nylander are returning as well. Mark Giordano might have been one of the biggest heists of the offseason, re-signing with the team on a two-year $1.6 million deal. That’s the benefit of being the Toronto Maple Leafs. It might be scary to bet on a team that is notorious for playoff failure, but the reality is the Leafs are one of the most talented teams in the NHL.
Florida Panthers +900
The Florida Panthers went out in the blink of an eye in the Eastern Conference semi-finals last season, getting swept by the Tampa Bay Lightning. Florida is still one of the more talented teams in the league, and it shook up its lineup with a big trade. The Panthers sent Jonathan Huberdeau, Mackenzie Weegar, Cole Schwindt and a first-round pick to Calgary for Matthew Tkachuk and a fourth-round pick.
Huberdeau is a loss, but Tkachuk is a younger and productive player as well. He should fit in nicely on a line with Aleksander Barkov. Florida is hoping this also offsets the loss of Claude Giroux, who went to Ottawa in free agency. There is pretty much no question the Panthers will be one of the top teams in the regular season. It will be about translating their success to the playoffs. Will this lineup shakeup work out? Only time will tell.
Other Contenders: Carolina Hurricanes (+1100), Tampa Bay Lightning (+1200)
Hart Trophy
Connor McDavid +250
McDavid didn’t win the award last year, but he is widely regarded as the best player in hockey. It’s like Shohei Ohtani in baseball, McDavid will be the favorite entering the season for years to come. But that doesn’t mean someone can’t dethrone him with an unreal season, as the next guy on the list did in 2022.
Auston Matthews +400
The 60-goal scorer and reigning Hart Trophy winner is coming into the season with the second-best odds. He beat out McDavid and Shesterkin last season. He is still just 25 years old, so it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him win another Hart Trophy in his career.
Other Contenders: Nathan MacKinnon (+1000), Leon Draisaitl (+1000), Kirill Kaprizov (+1200)
Vezina Trophy
Igor Shesterkin +275
Shesterkin won the award comfortably last year and finished in the top three for the Hart Trophy. He has dominated at every level he has played at and should be a perennial contender for this award every year. Early in the 2021-2022 season, Shesterkin kept the Rangers afloat, which boosted his case for the award even more. The Rangers defensive corpse looks strong on paper, but if an injury or two hits the depth will be tested, especially with the departure of prospect Nils Lunkkvist. Shesterkin has been quoted saying that he likes facing a lot of shots. There probably will be some portions of this season where he has to stand on his head, and that could boost his Vezina case once again.
Andrei Vasilevskiy +500
Vasilevskiy is the only other goalie who wouldn’t be a surprising winner. He and Shesterkin went at it in the Eastern Conference Final last season and took the series in six games. Despite the departure of Ryan McDonagh, the Lightning should be stronger than the Rangers when it comes to five-on-five. He will probably not have to stand on his head as much as Shesterkin will for his team to succeed. Regardless, Vasilevskiy should once again contend for the Vezina.
Other Contenders: Juuse Saros (+900), Ilya Sorokin (+1000), Jacob Markstrom (+1200)
Photo Credit: All-Pro Reels
