Grading the Washington Capitals’ midseason report is as tough as it gets. For a while, the Caps looked like the NHL’s best team; then they looked like its worst. Despite the season not going as planned, though, Washington has 9/1 odds to win the Stanley Cup.
Washington (27-14-9) was recently passed by Tampa Bay for the Southeast Division lead. That was unthinkable heading into December, when the Capitals were 18-6-2 and riding a four-game winning streak.
Then, everything hit the fan. The Caps lost eight consecutive games, a tailspin that was largely documented on the HBO series 24/7: Penguins Capitals. For a while it looked like Washington might never get back on track. And while Washington did finally end the losing streak, it may not have completely snapped out of its funk. The club is playing decent hockey but is far from the dominant squad we’ve watched over the past two years.
Shockingly, the problem has been scoring. Washington has become renowned for its high-octane offense, but it ranks just 14th in goals per game this season. Alexander Ovechkin is having a good season, but far below his lofty standards. The Russian has just 51 points in 50 games and, even stranger, is on pace for just 31 goals. Currently, the worse mark in Ovie’s impressive career is 46 goals.
There’s all kinds of speculation as to what’s wrong with Ovechkin — he’s playing with less ferocity since being suspended, he’s saving himself for the playoffs — but the one certainty is that Washington needs more from him.
And, as usual, the Capitals are trying to find an answer in net. Rookie Braden Holtby is the third goalie to start for Washington this season, and the team appears to be giving him a real hard look. Holtby has started three straight games since being recalled from the minors, allowing just one goal in each.
It’s been an odd year for the Capitals. Many expected them to be a serious Stanley Cup contender and, according to the odds, they still are. But there are tons of holes to fill and answers to be found. So far, the season has been a disappointment — but most teams would love to be 27-14-9 and be disappointed, wouldn’t they?
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The NHL All-Star Game's inaugural fantasy draft has come to a clos,e revealing the two teams that will square off against each other in the big event on Sunday night. It was an interesting, and original rendition of the typical roster selection procedure, injecting a certain sense of energy into the sometimes-droll event.
Selected first in the draft was Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Cam Ward, a local hero playing in front of a home crowd. Of course team captain Eric Staal selecting his netminder after winning the puck-flip that determined which team would get picked first comes as no surprise.
With opposing captain Nicklas Lidstrom's first pick, the Red Wings veteran selected Tampa Bay Lightning phenom Steven Stamkos. Stamkos joined Lidstrom and assistant captain Martin St. Louis, a fellow Bolt.
To bet on the All-Star Game, check out Bodog's online sportsbook. A quick look through the Twitter and blog communities suggest that Lidstrom, St. Louis and Patrick Kane drafted a more formidable team than Staal, Ryan Kesler and Mike Green. The captains and assistant were all named prior to the event.
Headlining Team Lidstrom are stars Stamkos, Henrik Sedin, Jonathan Toews and Duncan Keith, while Alexander Ovechkin, Daniel Sedin, Rick Nash and Zdeno Chara represent Team Staal.
The player who earned the dubious honor of being selected last; Phil Kessel of the Toronto Maple Leafs, earned himself a car for his troubles, and a sizeable donation to the charity of his choice.
For all the NHL All-Star Game props you could possibly ask for, check out Bodog's online sportsbook.
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Fear not Pittsburgh Penguins fans, Sidney Crosby has been cleared to resume light workouts with the team after over three weeks on the sidelines nursing the lingering effects of a concussion, the first such head injury of the superstar's career.
Given the complex nature of the concussion, and the 23-year-old's unfamiliarity with the symptoms, the parties opted to take their time before reintegrating Crosby back into action with the team. Even still they will approach with caution, as no potential return date has been thrown around,
Although head coach Dan Bylsma originally speculated that the Jan. 5 injury would keep his center out of action for a week, they will all be glad that they waited.
Through his first 41 games of the season, Crosby managed 66 points, good enough for what was the league-lead at the time of the injury. In the nine games that Crosby has missed, Tampa Bay Lightning center Steven Stamkos has since reclaimed the lead.
Though it took a while for the Pens to adjust without Crosby in their lineup, they eventually did and are no worse for wear after playing the last several weeks undermanned. Currently the Penguins have a 31-15-4 record and sit fourth in the Eastern Conference. According to Bodog's online sportsbook, the Penguins have 5/1 odds of winning the Stanley Cup this year.
To bet on the Penguins, considering that they'll now undoubtedly improve with the NHL's top athlete back on their side soon enough, check out Bodog. No exact timetable has been set for the forward's return, but this most recent announcement is a big step forward in Crosby's rehabilitation.
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The NHL's All-Star Weekend has not been without its fair share of excitement since the Friday night fantasy draft throughout which the pool of 42 All-Stars were divvied up into teams for the weekend. Though last night the sheer skill of the players was on display in the NHL's skills competition, including a record-breaking slap shot from Zdeno Chara, the real action comes tonight in the form of the All-Star Game.
There is still time left to bet on the NHL's unconventional midseason classic, and in Bodog's online sportsbook, the odds are even. Both Team Staal (the considerable victors on Saturday night) and Team Lidsrom have -110 odds to walk away with a win in the inaugural event. Though All-Star Games are nothing new, tonight will mark the first time the All-Star crop has been divided in a nonconventional (East/West or North America/World) way.
In order to place a bet on the All-Star Game, you'll have to get familiar with the roster. Though captain Eric Staal quickly drafted hometown goaltender Cam Ward with the first pick of the fantasy draft, his roster also includes stars like Alex Ovechkin, Daniel Sedin, Rick Nash and the aforementioned Chara. Staal was also certain to draft Carolina Hurricanes rookie Jeff Skinner, and his very own brother, New York Ranger Marc Staal.
Opposing Team Staal will be an incredibly deep, incredibly dangerous Team Lidstrom which spent their first pick acquiring Steven Stamkos. Stamkos will join assistant captains Patrick Kane and Martin St. Louis, as well as draftees Henrik Sedin, Jonathan Toews and Duncan Keith.
If one thing is clear, it's that fans watching live in Raleigh, NC will have a specific club to root for, but don't that let affect how you play the game. Scour the complete NHL All-Star Game rosters and then get to work in the sportsbook.
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Without looking too much into a meaningless exhibition game with no contact or actual defense whatsoever, Patrick Sharp has to be feeling pretty good about himself after taking the MVP of the annual NHL All-Star Game. Though he'll garner more praise and accolades for his dominant play in the first half of the 2010-11 season than for any such accomplishments in All-Star Weekend, it certainly doesn't hurt to have some extra hardware sitting in the trophy case at home.
After the NHL's inaugural All-Star Game Fantasy Draft was completed on Friday night, Sharp found himself the lone outcast in a game littered with Chicago Blackhawks. Although Sharp was drafted by the Joel Quenville-coached Team Stall All-Stars, he was on the opposing side of his natural teammates. All of Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews and Duncan Keith were members of Team Lidstrom.
The fact that Sharp was left out of the pack is only fitting, he was left off the ballot for the All-Star Game as well. On a star-studded roster, one fresh off of a 2010 Stanley Cup championship, it was far too easy to overlook the contributions of the winger when so many big names were responsible for their playoff success.
This season, however, Sharp has emerged as one of the top players on the club. He currently leads the entire roster with 46 points in 49 games. Has Sharp emerged as a true star in the NHL? Or is he just a top-notch second tier player as he has been viewed for the majority of his career.
In 2010-11 the Blackhawks have dipped in comparison to years past, largely due to injuries and a financially-depleted roster. With Sharp on board, however, and playing at the top of his game, all might not be lost. The Blackhawks have 22/1 odds of winning the Stanley Cup. To bet on the Chicago Blackhawks, or for NHL player props involving Patrick Sharp himself, Check out Bodog's online sportsbook.
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The NHL has named it's Three Stars of the Month for the month of January and a trio of relatively unfamiliar faces have taken the honor, starting with Boston Bruins center Patrice Bergeron.
Although Bergeron has never exactly qualified as an afterthought on a competitive Bruins team, his struggles over the course of the past few seasons have helped shroud his name. This season, however, in the absence of star Marc Savard, Bergeron has emerged as one of the go-to options on the Northeast Division-leading club. Currently the Bruins have 12/1 odds of winning the Stanley Cup.
Currently Bergeron leads all Bruins scorers with 40 points in 50 games. In the month of January, he was particularly explosive, tallying 17 points and a +/- of +13 in 14 games. During his torrid stretch, Bergeron even managed to string together four consecutive games in which he tallied at least two points. The month also included his first career hat trick.
The Second Star of the Month was awarded to Phoenix Coyotes defenseman and last-minute All-Star Game addition, Keith Yandle. Seemingly out of nowhere, Yandle erupted for 17 points on the month, giving him an outstanding 44 points on the year in just 51 games. Yandle's 44 points are already three higher than his previous career high of 41 which he set in 2009-10 in 82 games.
To bet on the Phoenix Coyotes, powered by their new-found blue line star, check out Bodog's online sportsbook. They currently find themselves amidst the Western Conference playoff pack with a record of 25-17-9 through their first 51 games.
The Third Star of the Month was presented to Nashville Predators goaltender Pekka Rinne who started 11 of 13 Nashville games. His His eight wins tied for the most of any netminder in the month, while his GAA of 1.71 and save percentage of .947 were amongst the league's best.
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It wasn't long ago when Cam Ward and Tim Thomas were entertaining the men and women of Raleigh, NC with a novelty goalie version of the fastest skater competition at last weekend's NHL All-Star Game, but on Tuesday night the two were all business.
The Carolina Hurricanes, who hosted the event, were hosting the Northeast Division-leading Boston Bruins and the two netminders had unfinished business.
Fortunately for Thomas, who slipped up and lost to Ward in the fastest skater event, revenge was up for grabs and Boston walked away with a narrow 3-2 victory. En route to his redemption, Thomas stopped 24 of 26 shot while Patrice Bergeron notched the game-winner on the night.
With the victory, the Bruins advanced to 29-15-7 and hold a small four-point lead over the trailing Montreal Canadiens in their division. The Hurricanes, on the other hand, are on the outside of the postseason picture altogether, and looking to get in.
According to Bodog's online sportsbook, Boston has 12/1 odds of winning the Stanley Cup this year. If such a triumph is to happen, they'll have to get continued production from Thomas, who has looked every bit as dominant as he was in his Vezina-winning 2008-09 campaign.
In 37 appearances this season, Thomas has logged a personal record of 25-5-6 with a GAA of 1.82 and a save percentage of .945. His seven shut outs have helped anchor a Bruins attack led primarily by Bergeron.
Though a lot of hockey is yet to be played in the 2010-11 NHL season, betting on the Bruins appears to be an intriguing choice. Will this be the year that they make noise in the postseason? For those keeping track at home, the Bruins have not won the Stanley Cup since 1972.
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The Los Angeles Kings got a second-consecutive standout night from a goaltender on Wednesday, but this time around they're considerably more pleased with the result.
Although Jonathan Bernier played the Minnesota Wild to a 0-0 tie heading into a shootout on Tuesday, his eventual defeat post-overtime marred an otherwise brilliant, 25-save shutout.
This time, against the Edmonton Oilers, the club – and primary goaltender Jonathan Quick – got the much needed points they sought in the standings in addition to a nice statline.
Quick stopped 32 of the 33 shots he faced on the night, while Ryan Smyth and Jack Johnson led the way for the team on offense. Drew Doughty chimed in with a pair of assists making him the third player with multiple points in the 3-1 win.
With the win, and their third point in the last two days, the Kings advanced to 27-22-2. They now sit just two points out of the eighth and final Western Conference spot, but with many clubs still in their way.
In order for supporters to bet on the Los Angeles Kings with confidence, it would be nice to see the team streak together a number of games and get out of a dangerous pack in which nine teams are separated by just five points in the standings.
Between fourth-seeded Nashville (61) and 12th-seeded Calgary (56), there promises to be some intense competition for the final playoff spots. If LA is to make true on their 25/1 odds of winning the Stanley Cup, they'll have to continue to pick up as many points in the standings as possible, much as they've done since returning from the break.
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It may have taken a while, but the Calgary Flames are starting to look like the team everybody expected them to be at the beginning of the season. On Thursday night the squad picked up their sixth consecutive win and now sit just one point out of the Western Conference playoff picture.
Not bad for a team that until a few weeks ago only had the Edmonton Oilers between themselves and the bottom of the conference standings.
The Flames bounced back from a 2-1 deficit in the second period en route to their 4-2 victory over the Thrashers, as rookie Mikael Backlund tallied the game winner.
With the win, the Flames improve to 26-21-6 and now sit in a three-way tie for ninth in the conference (along with the Chicago Blackhawks and Los Angeles Kings). It won't be easy for the veteran squad to sneak into the conference's elite, but they are well on their way. The Flames haven't lost a game since a 6-0 rout at the hands of the Minnesota Wild on Jan. 19.
According to Bodog's online sportsbook, Calgary has 60/1 odds of winning the Stanley Cup this year. If they can continue to ride goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff as they have over the course of their last few games, the club could find themselves in a position to put a scare into some of the conference's top teams.
To bet on the Calgary Flames, long term or in individual game play, check out Bodog's online sportsbook.
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The New York Islanders are hearing footsteps in the Eastern Conference, as the New Jersey Devils creep out of the conference cellar and into their territory as the second worst team in the East.
Needless to say, the 2010-11 campaign hasn't been what the Isles had hoped, as another disappointing season unfolds in Long Island. On Friday, news broke that the situation's not about to get better any time soon. Primary goaltender, and benefactor of a great chunk of New York's salary cash, Rick DiPietro, will miss the next four to six weeks as he recovers from a series of facial fractures.
Earlier this week, DiPietro made news for engaging in a goalie scrap with Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Brent Johnson. With no disrespect intended, DiPietro's scrapping skills left a lot to be desired and a powerful hit from Johnson sent him to the ground. It turns out, the punch to the head was as devastating to his maxilla as it was to his pride.
On the season, the Islanders have managed a 16-28-7 record, giving them, by Bodog's calculation, 500/1 odds of winning the Stanley Cup this year.
Though they might not be mathematically eliminated from the playoffs just yet, new of their impending elimination should come soon enough. For that reason, betting on the Isles to contend for the championship would make no sense. But, when it comes to NHL betting, there are always opportunities in Bodog's online sportsbook.
Bet on the Islanders on an individual game basis if you think they can keep things together while their primary goalie takes to the sidelines.
Now, if only they could just go out and pick up a free agent netminder like Evgeni Nabokov… oh wait.
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The Pittsburgh Penguins are shutting down star center Evgeni Malkin for the remainder of the 2010-11 season after the 24-year-old tore the ACL and MCL of his right knee in a Friday game against the New York Rangers. Malkin's appearance in the Friday game was his first in over a week as he had previously been nursing an injured left knee and a sinus infection.
It just isn't his year.
Malkin will call it quits for the season, not bothering to risk a comeback from necessary surgery. In 42 games with the Penguins on the year, he managed to score 37 points. Though his offense wasn't quite on Sidney Crosby's outstanding level, his contributions will no doubt be missed as the club looks to win their first Stanley Cup since 2009.
To bet on the Penguins in Malkin's absence, check out Bodog's online sportsbook. With football now over and done with until next fall, it's only logical to move that focus and attention to detail elsewhere; the NHL. Will the Pittsburgh Pens manage to pull off what the Steelers failed to do?
According to Bodog, the Pens have 5/1 odds of winning the Stanley Cup. Those could potentially drop if the club starts to unravel in the absence of Malkin… but they could also improve when Crosby returns from a concussion.
Currently the Penguins are forth in the Eastern Conference with a record of 34-16-4, but only trail their Atlantic Division rival Philadelphia Flyers when it comes to overall points in the standings.
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The Edmonton Oilers may not be the most intriguing bet when it comes to the 2011 Stanley Cup, but the roster they've put out on the ice is quickly becoming one of the most compelling in the entire NHL. On Monday night the young Oilers won a big game over currently fourth-seeded Nashville, while rookie goaltender Devan Dubnyk posted his first career shutout.
The Oilers won the game 4-0, advancing their record to a paltry 16-29-8. Given the club's youth and inexperience heading into the season the big game is satisfaction enough. Though they haven't yet been mathematically eliminated from contention, Edmonton is more or less out of the question altogether when it comes to the Western Conference playoff race, but that doesn't make them any less appealing when it comes to NHL betting.
In addition to the heroics of their young goaltender, the Monday night win also featured a second consecutive two-point performance for Jordan Eberle. After missing over a month with an ankle injury, Eberle has arrived more statistically productive than ever. In his debut he recorded two assists and on Monday he potted a goal and a helper. They might not have impressive odds of winning the Stanley Cup, but the Oilers still boast some appealing NHL player props.
Fellow rookie Taylor Hall, the first pick of the 2010 NHL Draft added an assist on the night, as the beleaguered franchise won their first game since Jan. 25. They might not be winners in the scoresheet, but the Oilers are one of many teams who could certainly be intriguing winners in the sportsbook.
The NHL has named it's Three Stars of the Week for the week ending on Feb. 6, and the man leading the way only took one game to get atop the podium.
Detroit Red Wings forward Johan Franzen had a game for the ages on Wednesday, scoring five goals en route to a 7-5 victory over the Ottawa Senators. The single match alone gave Franzen the weekly lead for tallies, as he becomes the first player to put forth such a performance since Marian Gaborik did it in 2007.
Gaborik and Franzen are the first players to perform the feat since late 1996. Sure Franzen followed up the performance with a pair of donuts against the Blue Jackets and Predators, but the achievement still stands. If Franzen can emerge as a reliable offensive weapon for the Red Wings, the rest of the league had better take notice. With a 31-15-6 record, the Wings have 13/2 odds of winning the Stanley Cup this year.
The Second Star of the Week was awarded to Vancouver Canucks right winger Mikael Samuelsson who put together a week of two goals and four assists. His contributions helped prolong a Canucks win streak that currently sits at five. Vancouver has the best record in the entire NHL at 34-10-0. Bet on the Vancouver Canucks now.
The Third Star of the Week was presented to Anaheim Ducks winger Corey Perry, who scored three goals (including a Feb. 5 hat trick) and added a pair of assists as his Ducks fought valiantly for some much needed points in a tight Western Conference playoff race. They split a pair of games with a loss against San Jose and a win over Colorado.
Think you know how the remainder of the 2010-11 season will unfold? Put your money where you mouth is.
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The Anaheim Ducks have finally done something about Jonas Hiller's heavy work-load by bringing in free agent goaltender Ray Emery. The move, a brief one-year, two-way contract, will allow the Ducks to experiment with the troubled netminder without committing too much in the investment.
Considering Emery's track record, it's probably best that the franchise has an escape plan considering that they currently have one of the most coveted young cores in the game.
Off-ice issues aside, the Ducks are getting an excellent backup goaltender, who would likely be a starter in this league had he not shown a poor attitude in the past. Given the protection the team has allowed itself (they can send him down to the AHL with no repercussions thanks to the two-way clause in his deal), they really can't go wrong.
Though he had a moderately successful 2009-10 campaign with the Philadelphia Flyers before an injury rendered him ineffective, Emery had started to show brilliance as a member of the Ottawa Senators previously. His 33-win, 2006-07 campaign in which he posted a save percentage of .918 and GAA of 2.47 stands as the best of his career. Still he's only 28 years old.
But what Emery will the Ducks be getting? They're not so sure. Hopefully he can help them improve upon their 29-21-4 record that currently ranks sixth in the Western Conference. With winning experience and a core of stars more than capable of shouldering the offensive load (especially when Ryan Getzlaf returns), the Ducks have the potential take the Pacific Division lead away from the Dallas Stars.
According to Bodog's online sportsbook, the Ducks have 30/1 odds of winning the Stanley Cup this year. The addition of Emery might not push them over the top, but the chance to rest Hiller before a big playoff run certainly will.
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It wasn't long before Sidney Crosby's historic scoring stretch this season when Tampa Bay Lightning center Steven Stamkos was all the rage in the NHL. Prior to Crosby's dominance, it was Stamkos who appeared poised to replicate last season's pleasant Rocket Richard Trophy win and potentially reach the legendary 50 in 50 plateau.
Though his torrid pace has since slowed down, there is no mistaking the fact that the kid has had one of the most explosive careers in league history. On Monday night, Stamkos celebrated his 21st birthday. With the milestone, Stamkos joined a number of the game's best players in an elite category.
To put the young star's career in perspective, Stamkos sits tied for 13th with Eric Lindros for the most NHL goals in league history by a player prior to his 21st birthday. The list, of course, is led by none other than Wayne Gretzky whose 198 goals are far and away the most.
With 114 markers in his first 215 games, Stamkos trails only Crosby when it comes to current players. Between 2006 and 2009 Crosby put together 132 goals in 290 games before he hit the legal drinking age in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Who will be the next star to strike gold before lucky 21? We might not see it any time soon.
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The NHL's wheel of justice struck the Pittsburgh Penguins on Wednesday, ruling forward Matt Cooke ineligible for the next four games. The suspension, announced less than a day after the Tuesday night incident, stems from a play in which Cooke chased and hit Columbus Blue Jacket Fedor Tyutin from behind.
The hit, which took place in the corner, saw Cooke nail Tyutin into the boards after he had given up possession of the puck. It wasn't the first time Cooke's on-ice antics have garnered negative press. Last season it was Cooke who dealt the devastating blind-sided hit to Boston Bruins forward Marc Savard. Savard, as NHL fans know, has suffered with the lingering effects of the collision for the past 10 months.
How much of an impact will Cooke's absence affect the Pens? According to Bodog's online sportsbook they still have 11/2 odds of winning the Stanley Cup. Those odds are far more likely to be influenced by any developments in the injury status of stars Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. Though no timetable has been set for the return of Crosby, it's recently been made official that Malkin will not play for the next six months, rendering him out of commission until long after the playoffs.
In Crosby's case, a return this season is certainly expected, although the time it's taken for the star to rehabilitate from the injury has taken longer than initially thought. Prior to their injury woes, betting on the Pittsburgh Penguins looked as promising as ever as they had put together a 2010-11 campaign suggestive of another Stanley Cup.
Think the 34-17-4 Pens can hang on until they get all their pieces back and in good shape?
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The Anaheim Ducks will welcome back a familiar face – and no I'm not talking about the Francois Beauchemin trade. On Wednesday it was announced that team captain and star center Ryan Getzlaf will not only be activated from the injured reserve, but will play in tonight's game against the Vancouver Canucks at 10 PM EST.
The Ducks are +170 underdogs against the formidable Canucks, but with the star power of Getzlaf, combined with All-Star Corey Perry and young phenom Bobby Ryan, anything is possible. The addition of Getzlaf is one of a series of moves that have occurred over the week that make the Ducks a more legitimate contender. They also signed goaltender Ray Emery to a two-way contract that will see him start working into game shape in the AHL.
The big news of the day, however, has to be the fact that Getzlaf has recovered enough from his facial fractures to return to the ice. His 37 points in 40 games are hard to replace, not to mention his ability to win draws and lay down hits as necessary. With Getzlaf the Ducks can look to improve upon a 29-21-4 record that has them currently ranked seventh in the Western Conference.
According to Bodog's online sportsbook, the Ducks have 35/1 odds of winning the Stanley Cup this year. Will the moves that they've made this week, combined with the presence of Getzlaf be enough to push them from a borderline contender to one with a legitimate shot? It certainly wouldn't work for them to string together some games and claim one of the few home-ice advantages available in the first-round of the playoffs.
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It might be too late for the New Jersey Devils to sneak into the playoff picture in the Eastern Conference, but that doesn't mean the team isn't going to try. On Thursday night the Devils took down the Toronto Maple Leafs in overtime, giving them their 11th win in their last 14 games.
Now winners of three straight and having gone 8-1-1 over their last 10, things are looking as promising as they have at any point this season – even despite goaltender Martin Brodeur's recent injury. Unfortunately the success may have come a little bit too late. Although they aren't yet mathematically eliminated from contention, a playoff spot seems virtually out of the question.
Ilya Kovalchuk scored the game winner for the Devils in OT on Thursday, while Johan Hedberg stopped 31 of the 32 shots he faced on the night. The victory bumps the Devils up to 21-30-4, a vast improvement over what they were at the midway point in the season.
Can the Devils keep the momentum going through the end of the second half of the season? If anything, their play of late is more resembling of the "norm" for the franchise than anything else. But, although, the club has been on a torrid streak since last month, they have just 200/1 odds of winning the Stanley Cup, mostly because they are running out of time in the season.
To bet on the Devils in short-term play, check out Bodog's online sportsbook. They may not contend for the championship, but have every bit as a good a chance to win on a day-to-day basis as any team in the league, especially now that the wheels are rolling as everybody expected in preseason. As Brodeur and star Zach Parise return from injuries, the club will only improve even more.
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For the first time in three years Peter Forsberg will suit up for a game in the NHL, his first since a nine-match stint with the Colorado Avalanche in the 2003-04 campaign. Prior to a three-year span from 2005-2008, Forsberg was most known for his role in an Avalanche dynasty that saw the franchise win a pair of Stanley Cups in the early half of the last decade.
Though he won't have Joe Sakic and Patrick Roy suiting up beside him, Forsberg will join an impressive young group of Avs led by 2009 first round draft pick Matt Duchene. The Avs, headed by Duchene's 46 points so far this season, are currently struggling to remain in contention for a playoff spot in the Western Conference.
It won't be easy for the club to claw back into the post-season, especially considering their most recent slump. Although just five points separate the ninth-place Minnesota Wild from the 14th-place Avs, the franchise has lost five straight games. According to Bodog's online sportsbook, they have 50/1 odds of winning the Stanley Cup.
Will the addition of the veteran Forsberg help them turn their fortunes around? Bet on the Avalanche with Bodog, the Avs are listed as +110 underdogs against the Columbus Blue Jackets. It won't be long before the window of possibility shrinks even further, so now would be the ideal team for the club to start playing as they did earlier in the season.
Forsberg won't be relied on too heavily in his first games back, as the club has Duchene, Paul Stastny and Chris Stewart to fill the point column, but any contributions he can add on and off the ice could go along way in getting the team back on the right track.
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The NHL's Western Conference playoff race is an extremely hotly-contested one, but there's one team that sits far and away above the rest of the pack; the 36-11-9 Vancouver Canucks.
The Canucks sit not only ahead of the West, but the entire NHL with a nine-point cushion separating themselves from the West's No. 2-seeded Detroit Red Wings. On Saturday night, the feared Canucks won yet again, in a 4-2 affair over the Calgary Flames.
With the loss, the surging Flames fell, temporarily at least, out of the picture as the Minnesota Wild won their own Saturday night showdown and moved into eighth. The proximity of all the teams in the West (just six points separate the 3rd from 11th seed) helps put Vancouver's success this year into perspective. If that doesn't work, their +57 goal differential ought to do the trick.
According to Bodog's online sportsbook, the Canucks have a league-best 4/1 odds of winning the Stanley Cup this summer. If they can continue to get solid production out of their Roberto Luongo/Cory Schneider goalie tandem and an offense that currently leads all teams with 190 goals for, expect them to stay at the top of the pile until the postseason rolls around.
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Think the Canucks can make good on their inevitable home-ice advantage in the playoffs? The club will be gunning for its first appearance in the Stanley Cup finals since the 1994 season and their first title in franchise history. The club fell in the second round in each of the past two seasons, will this be the year they finally make that historic run?
If their play all season is indication, it very well may be.
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Washington (27-14-9) was recently passed by Tampa Bay for the Southeast Division lead. That was unthinkable heading into December, when the Capitals were 18-6-2 and riding a four-game winning streak.
Then, everything hit the fan. The Caps lost eight consecutive games, a tailspin that was largely documented on the HBO series 24/7: Penguins Capitals. For a while it looked like Washington might never get back on track. And while Washington did finally end the losing streak, it may not have completely snapped out of its funk. The club is playing decent hockey but is far from the dominant squad we’ve watched over the past two years.
Shockingly, the problem has been scoring. Washington has become renowned for its high-octane offense, but it ranks just 14th in goals per game this season. Alexander Ovechkin is having a good season, but far below his lofty standards. The Russian has just 51 points in 50 games and, even stranger, is on pace for just 31 goals. Currently, the worse mark in Ovie’s impressive career is 46 goals.
There’s all kinds of speculation as to what’s wrong with Ovechkin — he’s playing with less ferocity since being suspended, he’s saving himself for the playoffs — but the one certainty is that Washington needs more from him.
And, as usual, the Capitals are trying to find an answer in net. Rookie Braden Holtby is the third goalie to start for Washington this season, and the team appears to be giving him a real hard look. Holtby has started three straight games since being recalled from the minors, allowing just one goal in each.
It’s been an odd year for the Capitals. Many expected them to be a serious Stanley Cup contender and, according to the odds, they still are. But there are tons of holes to fill and answers to be found. So far, the season has been a disappointment — but most teams would love to be 27-14-9 and be disappointed, wouldn’t they?
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