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**BettorsChat** · 06-09-2020, 08:17 PM

It's too bad Canada can't be any of those hub cities. And I'm kind of surprised by the fact that the media will not be allowed into training facilities.

**Udog** · 06-09-2020, 10:45 PM

Maybe Mr. Trudeau will be able to ease restrictions in time for a Canadian city or two to get in on it.

As far as the media not being allowed goes, I would think that if they observed distancing and other precautions it would be okay for them to be there. On the other hand, I salute NHL's efforts to keep this infection from spreading. They've done a very responsible job since the very beginning of all this.

**BettorsChat** · 06-10-2020, 08:32 PM

Originally posted by Udog View Post

Maybe Mr. Trudeau will be able to ease restrictions in time for a Canadian city or two to get in on it.

As far as the media not being allowed goes, I would think that if they observed distancing and other precautions it would be okay for them to be there. On the other hand, I salute NHL's efforts to keep this infection from spreading. They've done a very responsible job since the very beginning of all this.

Yeah I agree the NHL has done a really good job. Hopefully the NFL etc will do as equal or better job at handling all of these issues.

**Udog** · 06-15-2020, 09:40 AM

Oilers vs Blackhawks Picks and Predictions for NHL Qualifying Round
Rohit Ponnaiya

Led by young stars such as Leon Draisaitl, the Edmonton Oilers are -165 favorites against Duncan Keith and the veteran-laden Chicago Blackhawks in their best-of-five NHL Qualifying Round series.

NHL betting resumes and we get a tantalizing Western Conference matchup as the Edmonton Oilers face the Chicago Blackhawks in a Qualifying Round matchup to determine which team will advance to the NHL playoffs.

The Oilers, who are loaded with top-end talent led by the NHL's two leading scorers in Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid, are -165 to get into the Stanley Cup playoffs. The Blackhawks, featuring an experienced core of three former Conn Smyth winners in Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews and Duncan Keith are listed as +145 underdogs.

We break down the NHL odds as we bring you picks and predictions for the play-in series between the Edmonton Oilers and the Chicago Blackhawks.

Oilers vs Blackhawks Qualifying Round Odds
Team Odds to win the series
Edmonton Oilers -165
Chicago Blackhawks +145

Edmonton Oilers

Edmonton Oilers Stanley Cup Odds +2,500

You can't really talk about the Oilers without first mentioning McDavid and Draisaitl, who have combined for 207 points in 135 games this season. Splitting the two superstars up on separate lines has given Edmonton better balance and made them more difficult to defend against.

Edmonton has been incredible on the power play this season, converting on 29.5 percent of their chances with the man advantage. Not only is that the best mark in the league, it's more than four points higher than second-place Boston, who have a PP percentage of 25.2. The Oilers have been excellent when down a man as well, ranking second in the league on the penalty kill.

In nets, the Oilers seem perfectly happy to platoon both Mike Smith and Mikko Koskinen. They played in almost the exact same number of games this season and while Smith is the more experienced goalie, Koskinen (2.75 GAA and .917 save percentage) performed better this season.

Edmonton Oilers betting trends

The Oilers power play percentage of 29.5 is the highest mark in the NHL over the last 40 years.
The Oilers have an almost even distribution of scoring across all three periods, scoring 72 goals in the first period, 73 in the second and 74 in the third.
In Leon Draisaitl's last six games against the Blackhawks, dating back to the start of the 2018-2019 season, he has scored in every contest for a total of 11 points.

Chicago Blackhawks

Chicago Blackhawks Stanley Cup Odds +6,600

The Blackhawks finished the regular season at the bottom of the Central Division standings, despite winning five of their last seven games heading into the COVID-19 shutdown. Don't blame that poor play on their forwards though, as Kane and Toews continue to play at a high level while Dominik Kubalik, Brandon Saad and Alex DeBrincat provide depth.

Although goalie Corey Crawford has been solid for Chicago, it's the defense in front of him that's cause for concern. Duncan Keith's play has dropped off from his Norris-trophy winning days, while Brent Seabrook is unlikely to play again this season (and wasn't really that effective even when he was healthy). Chicago has allowed a league-high 35.1 shots per game, which is bad news against an efficient Oilers side that ranks fourth-best in shooting percentage.

Chicago Blackhawks betting trends

The Blackhawks allow the second-most high-danger scoring chances in the NHL at even strength.
The Blackhawks have the third-worst winning percentage in the league in one-goal games.
The Blackhawks have allowed the fourth-fewest goals in the league during the first period, but the fifth-most goals in the NHL during the third.

Oilers vs Blackhawks Head-to-Head Comparison

Oilers vs Blackhawks Picks and Predictions

Series Prediction: Edmonton Oilers -165 - Despite this matchup being between the No. 5 seed Oilers and the No. 12 Blackhawks, don't expect this to be a cakewalk for Edmonton. Chicago won two of three games against Edmonton during the regular season and with a core loaded with Stanley Cup experience, they won't be an easy out.

That said, this Blackhawks team is nowhere near as good on defense as it was during the Stanley Cup years and Edmonton's high-flying forwards will take advantage of that. Chicago allows the third-most high-danger scoring chances in the league, which will be disastrous against McDavid, Draisaitl and co.

With the two best players in this series and better special teams units on both the powerplay and the penalty kill, back the Oilers in this series.

**Udog** · 06-26-2020, 09:45 AM

Penguins vs. Canadiens Odds, Picks and Predictions

Qualifying Round Odds:
Pittsburgh Penguins (-195)
Montreal Canadiens (+155)

The format for coming back was never going to please anyone, and the teams it probably bothers the most are the ones that were situated in battles for the 4th, 5th, or 6th seed. These teams were virtually assured a playoff berth at worst, and now they are having to be involved in a “play-in” series against a team that probably wasn't going to be around that long. Definitely stings from that perspective, and sadly for the the Pittsburgh Penguins and their fans, that's the perspective this team faces when things return.

Not only that, in short series like these first ones will be, all it takes is for a goalie to get hot for a week or so to carry the “worse” team to the upset. And Pittsburgh's playing the Montreal Canadiens to open things up, a sub-par team overall, but one with one of the best goalies in the world in Carey Price. That's as prime of a candidate as their is to steal a series with a mediocre squad in front of him, and the Penguins probably do deserve a bit better of a fate.

All that being said, Pittsburgh is the better team in this matchup, is priced like it, and should win. However, the problem is more then just the theft ability of Carey Price, as who knows if the Penguins can get things started right off the hop. A poor opening game, followed by Price stealing one, all of a sudden has Pittsburgh on the brink of elimination for something they never thought possible for the entire year; missing the playoffs.

If things go according to plan, laying this price with the Penguins should get bettors to the window. But really, what has gone according to plan at all.

The Penguins are listed as heavy favorites against the Canadiens to advance past the qualifying round. (AP)

Pittsburgh Penguins

Price to win Eastern Conference: +850
Price to win Stanley Cup: +1600

On paper, there is plenty to like about backing this Pittsburgh team both in this first series, and long term in the playoffs. They showed all year they are one of the better teams in the East, and could come out playing great hockey right from the outset. But that doesn't take away from the idea that they did get part of the worst end of this format for returning, and knowing what's ahead of teams who make a deep run, Pittsburgh has tasted plenty of success before and may decide to punt on all this abnormality.

Either way, from a betting perspective, it makes Pittsburgh a tough team to confidently go against, or confidently back until you maybe see them in action for a little while. It might only take a period or two to really show where Pittsburgh's motivation levels for this whole ordeal may be.

Pittsburgh Penguins
Record, Form, Analysis

Pittsburgh went into the layoff sitting in 5th in the conference, but just four points out of the division lead. That's how good this team when things were rolling and normal, but most of that damage was done prior to those final few weeks of the season.

This Penguins team was actually leaking a bit of oil over the final month of play, going 3-8 SU over their final 11 games, beating only three teams (New Jersey, Buffalo, Ottawa) that weren't even good enough to be invited to the restart of the year. No way that form has any bearing on how this Penguins team returns, but it does make it tough to consider backing them as the better squad.

Montreal Canadiens

Price to win Eastern Conference: +3800
Price to win Stanley Cup: +7000

The argument for backing Pittsburgh in this series is that the other option is Montreal, and the actual playoffs were nothing more then a pipe dream for this team had the year continued on as is. But they get to come to the restart as the #12 seed, worst in the conference, and have the worst odds of any Eastern Conference team to win their series, win the conference, and win the Stanley Cup. They don't deserve to be here, but they are, any anything can happen for any team in this kind of format.

Montreal Canadiens

Record, Form, Analysis
Montreal had lost three in a row and were sitting 10 points out of 8th place when things were stopped, so this return to play is definitely a second chance at the season for Montreal. If the players view it like that and are able to take advantage of the opportunity, all the better to them, but any long term futures for this team should be completely scrapped at this point. The team just simply isn't good enough relative to their competition.

Montreal is a team you've got to take on a matchup by matchup basis, as connecting on them winning a series or two could bring solid, and likely the only profits Montreal will provide when things get going again. Montreal is one of those rare teams where backing them in the short term is where the profits are to potentially be had, and you'd better believe Carey Price will be dominant again and/or the Penguins appear disinterested to confidently submit that series wager to start.

Head-to-Head Matchups

December 10 – Montreal 4 at Pittsburgh 1
January 4 – Pittsburgh 3 at Montreal 2 (OT)
February 14 – Montreal 1 at Pittsburgh 4

Based on that season history between the two, you can see how tough of a matchup the Montreal Canadiens can potentially be for Pittsburgh. The two teams traded 4-1 wins with Pittsburgh winning the coin flip OT game. If that's how this series were to start with Montreal getting that bounce in an OT win, all of a sudden the heavily favored Penguins are on the brink of elimination and respond with a 4-1 win in Game 3.

That's clearly just one scenario, but it emphasizes the idea backing the Penguins is extremely tough to do here. I'd much rather lay off Pittsburgh this round, see them advance and then back them in what will at least be a seven-game set, and potentially a better stylistic matchup for Pittsburgh.

Penguins vs Canadiens Prediction

This is a series where it's tough to concretely stand behind a prediction on either side. On one hand you've got a Pittsburgh team that's feeling slightly and maybe not interested in staying long because of it, while the other side leaves you with a Montreal Canadiens team that simply does not deserve to continuing playing hockey this season.

I think the only way to back Montreal is if you firmly believe they'll make the most of their second chance at 2019-20, and that Price will steal at least one game on his own. And even if that's the case, it may be better to try and get in and get out with a single game ML Montreal bet early on in the series.

As long as Pittsburgh shows interest in potentially making another long playoff run, they'll be the ones who win this series. It may end up being tougher then a 5 vs 12 matchup may suggest, but with no March Madness played this year, every bettor who loves to tout those upset numbers by the #12 seeds in March has another angle to hold onto here.

If Pittsburgh's interested, they are winning, even if it takes them a game or two to get interested in the end. This series is one where trying to pick off a Montreal ML individual game play makes a lot of sense, but without strong knowledge of how either team will react really, you've got to believe the better team in this matchup disparity moves on.

Best Bet: Pittsburgh wins the series 3-2

**Udog** · 06-26-2020, 10:09 AM

Hurricanes vs. Rangers Odds, Picks and Predictions

Qualifying Round Odds:
Carolina Hurricanes (-136)
New York Rangers (+110)

The last of the Eastern Conference playoff 'play-in' series deals with the team everyone was talking about over the last month of NHL play, as there weren't too many teams hotter then the Rangers before the league stoppage.

The Rangers ran roughshod over all of their opponents during February, and because of it they played themselves back into playoff contention. Yet, at the same time, nothing likely kills momentum like that better then a three-month world stoppage that this last little while has been, and asking or expecting the Rangers to come out of the gates playing that high level of hockey again seems to be a bit big.

But that end to the regular season has made the Rangers a popular underdog in this first round matchup and the futures markets, but does it make sense to follow along?

The Rangers shut down the Hurricanes this season by taking all four meetings from their divisional rivals. (AP)

Carolina Hurricanes

Price to win Eastern Conference: +1800
Price to win Stanley Cup: +4300

At the time of the stoppage, Carolina was doing what they could to tread water in their current playoff positioning, as there was just an overall lack of consistency in play. Four-game losing streaks were followed up with three game winning streaks, and while those can be great to ride as a bettor throughout the year, you are doing so knowing a great deal about their current form. That's not the case here, and it makes it tough to full trust or fade the Hurricanes.

From a price perspective, they've got the same price to win the Stanley Cup as their opponent the Rangers is tagged with, identical to the Islanders as well. Yet, Carolina does hold a two-point edge in the conference odds at +1800 compared to +2000 the other way, and that does suggest something about their being some potential longer term benefits backing this team.

Carolina Hurricanes
Record, Form, Analysis

As mentioned earlier, Carolina's final seven games before the break began with a four-game losing streak, and concluded with a three-game winning streak. Being streaky like that and winning or losing three-plus games in a row was how the bulk of the Hurricanes season went for the most part, and in this revised format, there are obviously some severe pros and cons to that result pattern.

Should Carolina open out of the gate with the form that earned them those multi-game losing stretches, they'll be out in a heartbeat here, but the same can be argued for them moving on to the next round if the Hurricanes are the team that goes on to win three or four in a row.

As a bettor, that's probably the question you've got to ask yourself regarding Carolina's backing potential. Do you believe they'll be on point, or well off it out of the gate, because you're not going to have time to decipher that waiting for them to play a game or two. Picking a stance on that question is where many of the pre-series action will come from in the market.

New York Rangers
Price to win Eastern Conference: +2000
Price to win Stanley Cup: +4300

If you subscribe to the belief that any time off for a team that's playing well is generally a bad thing, then going against the Rangers is something you may want to consider. The Rangers had started to cool off a bit right as the month of March hit with a 2-5 SU record in their last seven games before the stoppage, but prior to that there was no one hotter then them in hockey, and that's the dominant memory of this Rangers team in the marketplace overall.

From January 31st until February 27th, the Rangers went 12-3 SU overall as they played themselves right back into playoff contention after some rough early months. That's about as streaky as it comes when you want about teams going on runs (both good and bad), and recapturing that magic three months later in an unheard of setting feels like quite a stretch.

New York Rangers
Record, Form, Analysis

That final full month of the season has many in the market place talking about the Rangers as a potential dark horse team to make a run at things this year. That's definitely possible as they've got the talent on the ice to do so, and proved it by running through the league for a month relatively unscathed.

But we can't be so quick to forget about those first few months of the year that the same guys on this Rangers team played as a unit, and the poor record they put up in that time. Anybody can get hot for awhile, and while it does take a relative “good” team to get as hot as the Rangers did for a month, that's nothing but a distance memory right now three months later.

A quick series like this opening round could be one where the Rangers do find a way to stay relatively hot, but any Rangers support should start on a series by series basis before strongly considering other futures. Even in a brand new setup for everyone, the Rangers may not have the complete team to make as deep of a run as is commonly considered.

Head-to-Head Matchups
November 7 – New York 4 at Carolina 2
November 27 – Carolina 2 at New York 3
December 27 – Carolina 3 at New York 5
February 21 – New York 5 at Carolina 2

Not only do those supporting the Rangers quickly reference their dominant run through the league in February before the stoppage, the secondary piece f support for that case rests in the Rangers sweeping the season series with the Hurricanes.

Even early on in the campaign when the Rangers weren't playing their best hockey, they seemed to have Carolina's number. None of that is disputable, it happened, but heavily it should be weighed in regards to predicting future events is always up for dispute.

Hurricanes vs Rangers Prediction

Sweeping season series is all well and good, but even in a normal playoff year that tends to mean next to nothing once the potential for one's season to be over is on the line. The Rangers find themselves in the same spot as their New York counterparts in that regard, as the Islanders won all three meetings with the Panthers this year, but just like my prediction in that series, I'm going with the other side to advance.

For one, the Rangers may have already cooled off a bit, but the stoppage came at the worst time for them, and them starting from scratch again just gives off the impression that the run won't be long. Remember, the counter argument to that spectacular February for the Rangers is that if you were to neutralize things and give New York a .500 record for the month, they might have not even gotten an invite to this restart of the year.

Carolina might be streaky in three and four game sets, but their run through a few rounds of the playoffs last year was priceless experience for this organization, and as the far better team, the extra prep time should be highly beneficial for them in this matchup.

The Rangers past run is always a nice talking point, but it's also caused their futures prices to be a bit overvalued across the board. Like the Panthers in that Islanders series, Carolina's going to know all about the fact that they dropped all four regular season games to this Rangers team, and they'll made amends for it in a hurry.

Best Bet: Carolina wins the series 3-1

**Udog** · 06-26-2020, 10:11 AM

Maple Leafs vs. Blue Jackets Odds, Picks and Predictions

Qualifying Round Odds:
Toronto Maple Leafs (-175)
Columbus Blue Jackets (+140)

The official terminology on what the NHL is calling their return to play isn't really important at all, as the best thing about any of it is the fact that we'll have action back on the ice soon. Even with all the teams sectioned off at two neutral sites and the initial headaches that may bring to some handicappers, it's the same for every one of the teams involved, and it's not like bettors can't look to make some early adjustments if need be.

These initial series have some intriguing story lines across the board, especially since some are matchups you'd never see this early in a post-season in the usual format. That can be viewed as potentially a good or bad thing depending on the team you are talking about, but it should be predominantly a good thing for at least one team out there, and it's there series that kicks off these previews.

The Toronto Maple Leafs are listed as a substantial favorite against the Columbus Blue Jackets in the qualifying round. (AP)

Toronto Maple Leafs
Price to win Eastern Conference: +1300
Price to win Stanley Cup: +2900

Toronto is a team that's yet to have their young core of next level talent experience playoff success in their brief NHL careers, and the reason(s) for that are mainly two-fold.

One, Toronto's always had trouble keeping the puck out of their own net these past few years, and it's burned them in at least one playoff game in every first round series that they've dropped the past few years. They made it a priority need of improvement in the 2019-20 season, and while it's still a work in progress and the break did it no help, it's something the Leafs are more then comfortable living with.

The second main issue behind all those first-round defeats for Toronto recently, is actually the usual playoff format itself and the division they are stuck in. The Leafs have been looking up at Boston for years and have still yet to surpass that hurdle. But with the way Tampa Bay has turned into a league powerhouse the past few seasons, Toronto's path to success in the playoffs was always one of the toughest. Repeated losses in those first round series makes some question whether or not this Leafs team will break through, but if there ever was an ideal time to do that for Toronto, this would have to be it right?

Toronto Maple Leafs
Record, Form, Analysis

This alternative ending to the year gives this Leafs team a great opportunity to get that first series win under their belts – whether they officially call it playoffs or not – and who knows what kind of confidence guys like Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner build from there.

Toronto enters this round with three more wins (36) then Columbus in the same amount of games played, and do deserve to be the significant chalk in this series. Sloppy defensive play out of the gate could bury the Leafs from the outset though, and this was a team that was prone to that mistake even when they were practicing every day, let alone having multiple months off. Which Toronto team on defense shows up early could tell you a lot about where the Leafs may be headed this summer.

Columbus Blue Jackets
Price to win Eastern Conference: +3200
Price to win Stanley Cup: +6500

The Blue Jackets have the 2nd worst odds to win the East and 3rd worst to win it all of all the returning teams, so that should tell you a lot right there. This franchise shocked everyone when they swept away the President's Trophy winning

Tampa Bay Lightning in Round 1 a year ago, but that unit on the ice was also a lot more talented then the one Columbus has this year. Keep that in mind when you do see that under the normal scenario, this would be a #8 vs #9 matchup in theory.

The big prices on Columbus to make a deep playoff run, and them being underdogs at the price they are to Toronto in the series, tells you that this probably isn't your typical 8 vs 9 contest as it would suggest on paper.

Columbus Blue Jackets
Record, Form, Analysis

Those that believe in this Blue Jackets team have to view the layoff as a good thing, as this team was really struggling for awhile before the break. Columbus had lost 12 of their previous 15 games at the time, and while there was some bad luck mixed in there with six losses in extra time, it speaks to the overall direction this franchise was going.

They were treating this year as a bit of a sell-off year after losing what they did in free agency last summer, and had the season continued on as normal, Columbus would likely not be involved in post-season hockey.

Head-to-Head Matchups
October 4 – Toronto 4 at Columbus 1
October 21 – Columbus 4 at Toronto 3 (OT)

The two teams officially split the head-to-head games this year, but both were in the first month of the season, long before Columbus started to see the writing on the wall for their franchise. Not a whole lot you can take from those games other then the winner should expect to put up at least three goals, and over the course of an entire series, that edge has to be given to the Maple Leafs.

Maple Leafs vs Blue Jackets Prediction

No need to really overthink this one, as even in a situation where there shouldn't be any advantages anywhere outside of the talent on the ice, Toronto getting to avoid going through their own division in the early rounds of any post-season play is a huge opportunity that's too good for them to pass up. Toronto is head and shoulders the better team here, and as long as they don't play like buffoons defensively, that first post-season series win should be theirs for the taking.

Columbus won't be sneaking up on anyone this year, and I don't believe they've even got the talent to pull off a similar feat to what they did a year ago. Even if this were a series where the teams had their typical home and away games, the end result still feels the same in that Columbus will likely be able to take just a single game.

Best Bet: Toronto wins the series 3-1

**Udog** · 06-26-2020, 10:15 AM

Islanders vs. Panthers Odds, Picks and Predictions

Qualifying Round Odds:
New York Islanders (-122)
Florida Panthers (+100)

Half of the bracket in the Eastern Conference may have two chalky favorites in series involving Canadian-based teams, but the other half of the bracket belongs to hockey fans in New York. Both the Islanders and Rangers are involved in the other two play-in series, but the only one of them laying chalk in their respective series is the team from Long Island.

The Islanders are squaring off with a Panthers team that was sitting 10th at the stoppage, but based on the price put out by oddsmakers, they view this as a contest much closer to one that is more associated with a #8 vs #9 contest for those who may be more familiar with seeds. It' makes for an interesting handicap to say the least.

The Panthers lost all three meetings with the Islanders this season but look for revenge in the qualifying round. (AP)

New York Islanders
Price to win Eastern Conference: +2000
Price to win Stanley Cup: +4300

The Islanders may be the only New York team laying a price in their opening series, but in terms of futures odds, Rangers fans can take solace in the fact that there is no difference in price between the Islanders and Rangers to win the East and/or Stanley Cup.

Which does make backing any futures with the Islanders rather tough to do right now, considering it's viewed as something of a coin flip they even make it to the next stage. They've got a goalie in Sergei Bobrovsky who's known to get scorching hot for sustained periods of time, but even if that ends up being the case, the entire team in front of him is going to have a tough time running the gauntlet all teh way to at least the Stanley Cup Finals.

New York Islanders
Record, Form, Analysis

From a performance perspective, the stoppage probably couldn't have come at a better time for the New York Islanders. They were doing nothing but sliding in the standings having lost seven straight, hanging on to their playoff spot because points were still earned with four of those defeats coming in extra time.

All this time off to regroup has to be viewed as a good thing for the Islanders in that regard, as who knows if they'd be even playing playoff hockey had they continued down that path. If seeing the Islanders struggle in all those games is the lasting memory of this team for you, it is going to be hard to get behind this team, but sometimes a second chance is all a group needs.

Florida Panthers
Price to win Eastern Conference: +2700
Price to win Stanley Cup: +5500

If you can't really consider backing Islanders futures because of the coin flip nature of their first round series, the same has to apply to their opponent. Florida's never going to be a team that scares anyone on paper, nor is that roster going to invoke tremendous confidence in bettors willing to get behind this squad.

They've got the roster built to pull off an upset or two in an unprecedented format that these guys are in, but it would take a lot for them to really be considered 'live' in either of those futures options.

Florida Panthers
Record, Form, Analysis

The Panthers had won two in a row before play stopped, but their record in a more long term record was was just .500 at 6-6 SU in their last 12 games. They did see Bobrovsky go down with injury at the start of March though, and with him likely fully healed now, it does give the Panthers a nice uptick. They are a team that will go as far as their goaltending takes them in this format.

Head-to-Head Matchups
October 12 – Florida 2 at New York 3 (SO)
November 9 – Florida 1 at New York 2
December 12 – New York 3 at Florida 1

As you can see from the head-to-head history this year, the Islanders managed to sweep the season series with the Panthers, and did so on the strength of their defensive play. Florida never got more then two goals against them in a single game, and in today's NHL that's not going to win a lot of contests.

But those games were played a very long time ago, and the Islanders have really only slowly slid downhill since 2020 began. The series price being as tight as it is suggests that head-to-head history means next to nothing here and it's hard not to agree with that.

Islanders vs Panthers Prediction

In series that are going to be projected as close and treated like a coin flip in the markets, it's going to take some pretty strong reasoning behind looking to back the favorite in that scenario regardless of the specific situation. Losing seven straight months ago means nothing now, but it could also be a snapshot of minor issues and deficiencies that this Islanders team had been covering up earlier in the year.

There simply is no convincing reason to get me to back New York in pursuit of a series victory, whereas Florida's argument lies in their goaltending being the more trustworthy unit in my view, and it's ability to affect a short series like this.

Getting swept in the regular season series may mean little from a handicapping perspective, but chances are those Florida players will be reminded about it before they hit the ice. I'll be of the belief that as professionals they'll want to do their best to rectify that situation as best they can, and what better way then to beat New York when it matters the most.

Best Bet: Florida wins the series 3-2

**Udog** · 07-10-2020, 08:24 AM

Eastern Conference Round Robin Odds and Picks

Now that we've taken a look at the round robin tournament in the Western Conference, it's time to shift over to the Eastern Conference side of things. Three challengers are looking to supplant Boston from what would have likely been a comfortable top seed in the conference and likely top seed in the entire league. The Bruins now have three games to defend that vantage point they worked so hard to get during the year, as without question Boston is one of those teams that got dealt a hand worth griping about in this restart.

Everyone's in the same situation though and if Boston was as good as their place in the standings suggests, getting sharp quick and posting at least a 2-1 SU record in the clubhouse should be rather attainable.

Yet, is it betable?

Boston Bruins: 44-14-5-7
Price to win #1 Seed: +140

Notes:
6.1 total goals scored on average in 10 games played against other three teams
3-7 SU in those 10 games overall; 0-4 SU record in OT/SO games
Best foe to face: Take your pick, only one win vs each opponent
Worst foe to face: Take your pick, only one win vs each opponent

David Pastrnak is coming off a tremendous season by scoring 48 goals for the Boston Bruins. (AP)

Not only do the Bruins have to essentially scrap what would have been them likely cruising to a President's Trophy, but they've got to do it in a three-game round robin format against three foes that did get the better of Boston throughout the year. Sure, all the tiebreaker advantages will be on their side, but nobody's got a bigger gripe about losing slight advantages they worked all season to earn then the Boston Bruins do.

How or if that ends up affecting Boston's final seeding for the season will be determined, but the idea that Boston's got the biggest chip on their shoulder in this tournament is a bit problematic from a betting standpoint.

Boston could come out and say screw it to the league from the outset, run away with their three contests and leave no doubt they were the best team. The +140 price tag definitely reflects that being a possibility that seems quite probable. Yet, should the Bruins slip up and lose that first game, then they could just as easily say screw it to the league, settle for whatever seed they get in the end, and be brash and bold about their chances of running through the competition.

It makes Boston rather unbetable for this #1 seed prop, even if it's rather probable it turns out that way. You can't dominate the majority of the league and not have some random luck – four OT losses combined to these three teams – start to land in your favor. Bruins fans would prefer they save up all the good fortune they can to cash in as late in the playoffs as they can, and that's probably the better way to look at supporting Boston in the futures market – in series long wagers where it's going to be hard for one team to knock them off four times.

Tampa Bay Lightning: 43-21-5-1 SU
Price to win #1 Seed: +185

Notes:
5.55 total goals scored on average in 9 games played against other three teams
6-3 SU in those 12 games overall; 1-1 SU record in OT/SO games
Best foe to face: Went 5-1 SU vs Boston (3-1) and Philly (2-0) combined
Worst foe to face: Went 1-2 SU vs Washington; one loss in OT

The Tampa Bay Lightning look to rebound from last season's surprising first round playoff exit. (AP)

If you're a bettor that is looking hard at the head-to-head history these teams put up during the regular season, chances are Tampa Bay is the selection that's easy to land on for this #1 seed wager. Had the Lightning won an OT game against Washington they'd be at least .500 against all three opponents in this tournament, and typically did so by closing ranks defensively and keeping these better teams off the score sheet.

For all the attention the big names get offensively for Tampa Bay, that 5.5 goals/game number really sticks out to their general belief against the better teams in the league. Tampa wants to shut things down defensively first and foremost and go from there in these games. They know they can hang with anyone in a high scoring affair, and against sub-par teams, Tampa knows they'll win more then their share of games like that on just offensive talent alone.

But it's against these better teams – granted Philly wasn't really considered a Top 4 team all year – where Tampa finds the most success by being sound defensively. The Lightning only put up 3 goals/game in those nine contests against these teams themselves, which is far below their yearly total of the 3.47 they've got to lead the league, so the whole style of game seems to buck general perception. Perhaps that's something to consider for the individual game lines – like going 'under' totals – and it may help them ultimately earn this top seed.

You know one thing, that Tampa Bay core has got to be alright with getting a chance to finish this year in whatever fashion they have to after their unceremonious exit in Round 1 of last year's playoffs.

Whether or not that means they decide they need to push for the #1 seed or perhaps really don't care where they land is the ultimate question, but you know one thing, their head-to-head resume against the other three teams involved stands at the top of the heap this season.

Washington Capitals: 41-20-5-3 SU
Price to win #1 Seed: +550

Notes:
6.2 total goals scored on average in 10 games played against other three teams
5-5 SU in those 10 games overall; 3-0 SU record in OT/SO games
Best foe to face: Went 2-1 SU vs Boston and Tampa Bay
Worst foe to face: Went 1-3 SU vs Philadelphia

Alexander Ovechkin and the Capitals are seeking their second Stanley Cup title in three seasons. (AP)

Washington's profile in the head-to-head arena looks quite similar to Boston's from earlier. The winning record just really isn't there for the Caps in that history, as they got awfully lucky in games that needed extra time. Chances are in the long run that OT luck might diminish but the overall luck for the Caps may grow, considering they still are a team that's a division leader and were neck and neck with Tampa Bay in the standings.

Yet, the odds suggest Washington's got next to nothing in terms of a shot to get the #1 seed. Sure, it would likely take a 3-0 run for Washington to earn that top spot, but beat Tampa Bay, and catch an angry Boston team playing sloppy, and all that's left is to beat the division rival that Washington knows got the better of them earlier in the year. Hell of a lot easier to write out than actually accomplish, but for those bettors that never shy away from a few flyer bets, there are always worse bets out there then taking the Caps to win the top seed and needing to go 3-0 SU to do so.

Philadelphia Flyers: 41-21-2-5 SU
Price to win #1 Seed: +550

Notes:
5.66 total goals scored on average in 9 games played against other three teams
5-4 SU in those 9 games overall; 2-1 SU record in SO games
Best foe to face: Went 3-1 SU vs Washington
Worst foe to face: Went 0-2 SU vs Tampa Bay

The Flyers put together a terrific season in the Metropolitan division behind veteran left winger Claude Giroux. (AP)

The Philadelphia Flyers were living it up as the darlings of the betting market for the final six weeks before the season stoppage. Philly was surging up the standings with win after win and ultimately played themselves into this Top 4 spot at exactly the right time. But I don't think any sort of momentum can survive three months of inactivity, so which Philadelphia Flyers team will we see in round robin play?

As great as those final six weeks or so of the year were for Philly, bettors simply have to get past using that run as the biggest snapshot of this team's past. Philadelphia was a mediocre team for the first few months and sure they got hot late, but overall, they may actually be a little overvalued in this postseason.

That's not necessarily the case here with the #1 seed prop as they'll need to run the table in all likelihood to earn that top spot, but no matter what number seed the Flyers end up with, it will still be perceived better than their opponent in the next round. I'm not entire sure if six weeks of very good hockey warrant the types of prices we may see if that's the case.

Prediction

The odds suggest that this race for the #1 seed is nothing but a two-horse race between the Bruins and Lightning and it's hard to disagree. The overall resume suggests taking the +185 with Tampa to get it done would be the way to go, but at the same time, Boston's just as strong of a team and could just as easily have things bounce their way from the outset. One of those two teams does win it, and forced to make a selection it would be Tampa based on the payout offered back.

But betting the head-to-head game between Boston and Tampa as a way to decide on the eventual winner may be the better way to go. It's at a neutral site, with no fans, meaning the line is going to be as pick'em as they get. At least that way, you can eliminate the other variables of potential outcomes for the #1 spot like Washington or Philly running the table.

Not a specific prop that brings a strong opinion either way, especially when this round robin should be viewed in a similar light as the West in that gaining information from these meetings will help down the road should these teams meet in a seven-game series. But a selection has to me made.

Best Bet: Tampa Bay +185

**Udog** · 07-10-2020, 08:28 AM

Western Conference Round Robin Odds, Picks and Predictions

As entertaining and exciting as those initial Western Conference elimination series are, the reality remains that there are still four powerhouse teams at the top of the conference that those potential title hopefuls will still have to get through. And while the round robin for seeding isn't the perfect solution across the board - 1st place teams St Louis and Boston could end up losing seeding to the respective #4 seeds who were 12 and 11 points behind respectively in the standings – it has made the most of a bad situation.

Giving these teams a few games with something, not everything on the line right out of the gate is a nice advantage of sitting in the Top 4, as is knowing you are already “in” the playoffs. It would feel a little gross to see #4 Dallas, and #4 Philadelphia, flip spots with the Blues and Bruins respectively in this format, but seeding generally matters the least in the NHL playoffs and this way things are somewhat arbitrarily settled on the ice in some manner.

Built-in advantages for those better teams with the tie-breaker rule does help those top teams in their quest to maintain position, but how any or all of these four teams look in a return to play is still anyone's guess. However, it is always fun to try and figure out where the seeds may fall based on what happened between the teams during regular season meetings, and at the very least come up with at least a potential betting approach for some of the individual round robin games.

Let's see what we can find:

St. Louis Blues: 42-19-7-3 SU
Price to win #1 Seed: +175

Notes:
6.8 total goals scored on average in 12 games played against other three teams
8-4 SU in those 12 games overall; 2-2 SU record in OT/SO games
Best foe to face: Went 5-0 SU vs Dallas; outscored Stars 18-9 in season series
Worst foe to face: Went 1-2 SU vs Vegas; both losses in OT

The St. Louis Blues put together another strong season as they look for a second consecutive Stanley Cup title. (AP)

St. Louis was the only team of these four to post a winning record in all of their contests against the other three squads, and generally did so in dominating fashion. All eight games that didn't need extra time to be decided for the Blues against these three teams were all decided by at least two goals, and St. Louis went 6-2 SU in those contests.

It's also interesting to note that the 6.8 average goals scored per Blues game against one of these three teams would bring a situation like the winner in all 12 of those games needed to score at least three goals as well. So maybe a few 'overs' may be the way to look when the Blues are involved in these round robin games. After all, St Louis games against Colorado averaged 7 goals exactly, while Blues/Golden Knights games put up 8.6 goals on average.

Hard not to like the Blues chances here of staying atop the conference given they were the only team to post a winning record in head-to-head contests, and half of those losses were in the coin flip known as regular season overtime. Posting a winning 2-1 SU record seems like the likeliest of outcomes for the Blues if decent enough hockey is played. Arguments can be made as to why staying off a St. Louis futures bet for inning this round robin are out there, but it doesn't get a whole lot better than what the Blues resume has on it for support.

Colorado Avalanche: 42-20-7-1 SU
Price to win #1 Seed: +225

Notes:
6.4 total goals scored on average in 10 games played against other three teams
4-6 SU in those 10 games overall
Best foe to face: Went 2-0 SU vs Vegas; outscored Knights 13-4 in season series
Worst foe to face: Went 0-4 SU vs Dallas; two losses in OT

Nathan MacKinnon and the Avalanche tied the Blues for the most wins in the Western Conference with 42 this season. (AP)

Colorado is a strong enough team that talking yourself into backing them at this price to win the round robin. All it may take for the Avalanche to come away with at least a 2-1 SU record is for them to crack the nut against Dallas and go from there. Obviously beating a St Louis team that they split the season series with (2-2 SU) would go a long way towards that goal as well, and that may be determined by something as simple as which side is deemed the home team. The home side went a perfect 4-0 SU in St Louis/Colorado games.

Physically, Colorado is among the youngest teams in the NHL by average age of projected starters, and that's something that's at least got to be acknowledged all things considered. And remember, a few Avalanche players were already announced to have dealt with the virus months ago, and even without knowing names, should they be bigger names and they've recovered 100%, the fear of being on this Avalanche team potentially not at full strength is less then it could be for the other three teams involved.

However, it can be tough to really get the sense that a team like Colorado cares too much about having that top seed in this scenario. A younger team would feed off that situation were they on their home ice and could feed off the crowd, but in a neutral environment like this, they probably aren't too concerned about it. Their level of hockey stacks up with anyone in this league when they are at their best, and after being on the right side of a #8 over #1 upset in last year's playoffs, the Avalanche know every team can be dangerous at this time of the year.

Colorado earning the #1 seeding is definitely in the cards, but it's not an outcome I'm all that interested in right now. I view Colorado as a much better futures team to back in either the series market that comes up, or the outright conference or Stanley Cup markets overall.

Vegas Golden Knights: 39-24-6-2 SU
Price to win #1 Seed: +300

Notes:
7.7 total goals scored on average in 7 games played against other three teams
3-4 SU in those 7 games overall
Best foe to face: Went 2-1 SU vs St Louis; both OT wins where Vegas scored 5+
Worst foe to face: Went 0-2 SU vs Colorado
Only team from Pacific Division in Top 4

The Golden Knights seek their second Stanley Cup Final appearance in the last three seasons. (AP)

Right away that 7.7 average goals per game for Vegas screams 'overs' for their contests in this round robin and you won't get much of an argument from me if that's a route you take. That being said, it may be something that is slightly exploitable given the smaller sample size of games Vegas has overall being the only Pacific division team. G Marc-Andre Fleury is no stranger to getting scorching hot between the pipes this time of the season, and totals have to start out on the higher side.

The Golden Knights as a team can be the ultimate “run hot, run cold team,” and if you did want to back one of the chasers to take advantage of this format, Vegas is a pretty good choice. The Golden Knights have the team speed to keep their opponents on their back foot for long periods of time, and if they put the puck in the net multiple times during those runs, games are typically over.

Then again, no crowd means no atmosphere, and for a team like Vegas that's thrived on that since Day 1, they could end up starting out on one of those 'cold' streaks and go 0-3 SU. Had two OT games not gone their way against St Louis, they would have been swept in the season series by the Blues and the Avalanche for an 0-5 SU record. That's how razor thin the edge can be at times. But everyone goes to Vegas with a little gamble in their hearts already, and should the Knights run hot out of the gate, cashing at +300 early on is never a bad thing.

Dallas Stars: 37-24-5-3
Price to win #1 Seed: +550

Notes:
5.09 total goals scored on average in 11 games played against other three teams
5-6 SU in those 11 games overall
Best foe to face: Went 4-0 SU vs Colorado
Worst foe to face: Went 0-5 SU vs St. Louis

Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn look to lead the Stars to the top overall seed in the Western Conference. (AP)

Doesn't get much streakier than the head-to-head records for the Dallas Stars against their two division rivals in this round robin. If those trends against Colorado and St. Louis were to continue, chances are Dallas isn't going to grab that #1 seed even with a 2-1 SU record. Not sure the Stars have the offensive firepower to rely upon after such a long layoff to come out of the gate and lead the way to a 3-0 SU mark, so their betting value likely comes along further down the road.

It is that number of 5 goals/game that stands out like a sore thumb though given what the other three teams have put up together. And similar to potentially taking advantage of Vegas 'unders' in this round robin, Dallas 'overs' are in that category as well with the totals already likely to be a little lower. Only one of the Stars 11 games against these teams saw 7 goals scored, and that was only because they had to tied at 3-3.

The defense Dallas plays could help them go a long way once the seven-game playoff rounds start, but they may treat these round robin games more like a training camp to get their offense going and opening things up. Sparks happen early and maybe a run at the #1 seed happens for the Stars, but if it does, it does, no need to sweat missing on a +550 underdog hitting in an unheard of season restart scenario.

Prediction

Overall, there appears to be more ways to look at the individual game totals and work them to your advantage in this round robin format, and waiting to see just how interested these teams may be in actually treating this like a #1 seed battle and not extended training camp is always an option as well.

If everything theoretically remains equal to the standing of these teams for the six months the season was played, St. Louis likely does enough to win this thing in the end. Early losses for Colorado and/or Dallas might have them punting on #1 seed aspirations by midway through their second contest. The other option is banking on Vegas running out right out of the gate, and as entertaining as an option that is, it's a tough thing to confidently pull the trigger on when the most recent form you've got to work with is from three months ago.

For now, more of the better betting options for these four teams likely lie in their series prices next round and beyond, as we could easily see all four of these teams pair off in seven-game sets in the Western Conference semis. It will be then where using what we see from these teams in the round robin will be much more valuable, as opinions will be more confidently backed.

But if you are looking for an early piece of the action, grabbing a piece of Vegas and a chunk of St. Louis at the current prices should end up producing the winner here.

Best Bets:
St. Louis +175 (1 unit)
Vegas +300 (0.5 unit)

**Udog** · 07-15-2020, 06:26 PM

NHL
Dunkel

Saturday, August 1

NY Rangers @ Carolina

Game 3-4
August 1, 2020 @ 12:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
NY Rangers
11.448
Carolina
10.574
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
NY Rangers
by 1
7
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Carolina
-125
5 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
NY Rangers
(+105); Over

Chicago @ Edmonton

Game 9-10
August 1, 2020 @ 3:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Chicago
12.086
Edmonton
11.287
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Chicago
by 1
5
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Edmonton
-150
6
Dunkel Pick:
Chicago
(+130); Under

Florida @ NY Islanders

Game 5-6
August 1, 2020 @ 4:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Florida
11.228
NY Islanders
8.863
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Florida
by 2 1/2
7
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
NY Islanders
-115
5 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Florida
(-105); Over

Montreal @ Pittsburgh

Game 1-2
August 1, 2020 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Montreal
9.096
Pittsburgh
12.150
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Pittsburgh
by 3
7
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Pittsburgh
-170
5 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Pittsburgh
(-170); Over

Winnipeg @ Calgary

Game 15-16
August 1, 2020 @ 10:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Winnipeg
12.532
Calgary
10.539
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Winnipeg
by 2
6
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Calgary
-115
5 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Winnipeg
(-105); Over

Sunday, August 2

Arizona @ Nashville

Game 11-12
August 2, 2020 @ 2:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Arizona
12.191
Nashville
10.642
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Arizona
by 1 1/2
5
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Nashville
-125
5 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Arizona
(+105); Under

Philadelphia @ Boston

Game 17-18
August 2, 2020 @ 3:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Philadelphia
11.735
Boston
13.340
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Boston
by 1 1/2
4
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Boston
-135
5 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Boston
(-135); Under

St. Louis @ Colorado

Game 19-20
August 2, 2020 @ 6:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
St. Louis
10.348
Colorado
11.538
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Colorado
by 1
5
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Colorado
-110
5 1/2
Dunkel Pick:
Colorado
(-110); Under

Columbus @ Toronto

Game 7-8
August 2, 2020 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Columbus
10.437
Toronto
11.875
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Toronto
by 1 1/2
4
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Toronto
-160
6
Dunkel Pick:
Toronto
(-160); Under

Minnesota @ Vancouver

Game 13-14
August 2, 2020 @ 10:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Minnesota
11.223
Vancouver
9.914
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Minnesota
by 1 1/2
7
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Vancouver
-120
6
Dunkel Pick:
Minnesota
(+100); Over

NHL
Long Sheet

Saturday, August 1

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

MONTREAL (31-31-0-9, 71 pts.) vs. PITTSBURGH (40-23-0-6, 86 pts.) - 8/1/2020, 8:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MONTREAL is 31-40 ATS (-14.5 Units) in all games this season.
MONTREAL is 50-81 ATS (+137.2 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent over the last 3 seasons.
MONTREAL is 12-21 ATS (-11.7 Units) after allowing 4 goals or more this season.
MONTREAL is 3-12 ATS (-12.2 Units) after 3 or more consecutive losses this season.
PITTSBURGH is 27-35 ATS (-32.8 Units) on Saturday games over the last 3 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 21-26 ATS (-17.0 Units) after a division game over the last 2 seasons.
PITTSBURGH is 43-44 ATS (-22.7 Units) after a win by 2 goals or more over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
PITTSBURGH is 6-3 (+0.3 Units) against the spread versus MONTREAL over the last 3 seasons
PITTSBURGH is 6-3-0 straight up against MONTREAL over the last 3 seasons
4 of 8 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=-0.3 Units, Under=-0.6 Units)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

NY RANGERS (37-28-0-5, 79 pts.) vs. CAROLINA (38-25-0-5, 81 pts.) - 8/1/2020, 12:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NY RANGERS are 37-33 ATS (+74.9 Units) in all games this season.
NY RANGERS are 17-13 ATS (+34.4 Units) on Saturday games over the last 2 seasons.
NY RANGERS are 14-8 ATS (+23.7 Units) vs. division opponents this season.
NY RANGERS are 29-27 ATS (+63.4 Units) after a non-conference game over the last 2 seasons.
NY RANGERS are 18-17 ATS (+40.8 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
CAROLINA is 8-13 ATS (-10.1 Units) vs. division opponents this season.
CAROLINA is 29-58 ATS (+101.3 Units) in road games after a 3 game unbeaten streak since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
NY RANGERS is 10-2 (+12.4 Units) against the spread versus CAROLINA over the last 3 seasons
NY RANGERS is 10-2-0 straight up against CAROLINA over the last 3 seasons
6 of 11 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+0.2 Units)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

FLORIDA (35-26-0-8, 78 pts.) vs. NY ISLANDERS (35-23-0-10, 80 pts.) - 8/1/2020, 4:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NY ISLANDERS are 87-71 ATS (+172.0 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
NY ISLANDERS are 35-23 ATS (+0.0 Units) on Saturday games over the last 3 seasons.
FLORIDA is 129-139 ATS (+304.9 Units) revenging a home loss versus opponent since 1996.
NY ISLANDERS are 3-11 ATS (+15.2 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
NY ISLANDERS is 5-4 (+0.5 Units) against the spread versus FLORIDA over the last 3 seasons
NY ISLANDERS is 5-4-0 straight up against FLORIDA over the last 3 seasons
7 of 8 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+6.2 Units)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CHICAGO (32-30-0-8, 72 pts.) at EDMONTON (37-25-0-9, 83 pts.) - 8/1/2020, 3:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
EDMONTON is 12-4 ATS (+6.8 Units) on Saturday games this season.
EDMONTON is 22-16 ATS (+38.1 Units) revenging a loss versus opponent this season.
EDMONTON is 16-7 ATS (+23.3 Units) after allowing 4 goals or more this season.
EDMONTON is 15-5 ATS (+9.9 Units) after a loss by 2 goals or more in their previous game this season.
CHICAGO is 9-5 ATS (+16.3 Units) in road games after scoring 4 goals or more in their previous game this season.
EDMONTON is 32-40 ATS (-8.5 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
CHICAGO is 5-4 (+1.6 Units) against the spread versus EDMONTON over the last 3 seasons
CHICAGO is 5-4-0 straight up against EDMONTON over the last 3 seasons
5 of 9 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+0.7 Units)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

WINNIPEG (37-28-0-6, 80 pts.) vs. CALGARY (36-27-0-7, 79 pts.) - 8/1/2020, 10:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
WINNIPEG is 15-24 ATS (-17.0 Units) after a 3 game unbeaten streak over the last 3 seasons.
CALGARY is 11-3 ATS (+14.2 Units) in road games after allowing 4 goals or more this season.
CALGARY is 127-125 ATS (+297.6 Units) in road games after a loss by 2 goals or more in their previous game since 1996.
CALGARY is 20-13 ATS (+6.7 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
WINNIPEG is 37-34 ATS (+71.9 Units) in all games this season.
WINNIPEG is 44-47 ATS (+114.4 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season since 1996.
CALGARY is 8-15 ATS (-12.6 Units) after a division game this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
WINNIPEG is 4-3 (+0.7 Units) against the spread versus CALGARY over the last 3 seasons
WINNIPEG is 4-3-0 straight up against CALGARY over the last 3 seasons
5 of 7 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+3.2 Units)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sunday, August 2

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

COLUMBUS (33-22-0-15, 81 pts.) at TORONTO (36-25-0-9, 81 pts.) - 8/2/2020, 8:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
COLUMBUS is 27-20 ATS (+48.5 Units) in a road game where where the total is 6 or more over the last 2 seasons.
COLUMBUS is 11-2 ATS (+8.9 Units) after playing 3 consecutive road games over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 36-34 ATS (+75.4 Units) in all games this season.
TORONTO is 40-34 ATS (-10.8 Units) in a home game where the total is 6 or more over the last 2 seasons.
TORONTO is 16-16 ATS (-6.0 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record this season.
TORONTO is 17-19 ATS (-17.6 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
COLUMBUS is 4-4 (+1.1 Units) against the spread versus TORONTO over the last 3 seasons
TORONTO is 4-4-0 straight up against COLUMBUS over the last 3 seasons
3 of 6 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=-0.7 Units, Under=-0.1 Units)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ARIZONA (33-29-0-8, 74 pts.) vs. NASHVILLE (35-26-0-8, 78 pts.) - 8/2/2020, 2:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
NASHVILLE is 35-34 ATS (+78.1 Units) in all games this season.
NASHVILLE is 5-11 ATS (-11.5 Units) after a 3 game unbeaten streak over the last 2 seasons.
NASHVILLE is 14-17 ATS (-12.1 Units) when playing against a team with a losing record this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
ARIZONA is 4-4 (+1.8 Units) against the spread versus NASHVILLE over the last 3 seasons
NASHVILLE is 4-4-0 straight up against ARIZONA over the last 3 seasons
6 of 8 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+3.9 Units)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

MINNESOTA (35-27-0-7, 77 pts.) vs. VANCOUVER (36-27-0-6, 78 pts.) - 8/2/2020, 10:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MINNESOTA is 5-13 ATS (-9.7 Units) on Sunday games over the last 2 seasons.
VANCOUVER is 71-80 ATS (+157.9 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
VANCOUVER is 167-149 ATS (+364.4 Units) in road games after scoring 4 goals or more in their previous game since 1996.
VANCOUVER is 21-13 ATS (+36.3 Units) after playing 3 consecutive home games over the last 2 seasons.
VANCOUVER is 208-245 ATS (+494.6 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record since 1996.
MINNESOTA is 18-14 ATS (+37.6 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
VANCOUVER is 4-5 (+0.7 Units) against the spread versus MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
MINNESOTA is 5-4-0 straight up against VANCOUVER over the last 3 seasons
5 of 9 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+0.7 Units)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

PHILADELPHIA (41-21-0-7, 89 pts.) vs. BOSTON (44-14-0-12, 100 pts.) - 8/2/2020, 3:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PHILADELPHIA is 5-13 ATS (-10.3 Units) after 3 or more consecutive unders over the last 3 seasons.
BOSTON is 49-28 ATS (+14.7 Units) in road games after shutting out their opponent in their previous game since 1996.
BOSTON is 227-250 ATS (-31.1 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record since 1996.
BOSTON is 21-11 ATS (+9.9 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 41-28 ATS (+8.9 Units) in all games this season.
PHILADELPHIA is 13-6 ATS (+19.5 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
PHILADELPHIA is 5-4 (+2.7 Units) against the spread versus BOSTON over the last 3 seasons
PHILADELPHIA is 5-4-0 straight up against BOSTON over the last 3 seasons
6 of 9 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+2.5 Units)

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ST LOUIS (42-19-0-10, 94 pts.) vs. COLORADO (42-20-0-8, 92 pts.) - 8/2/2020, 6:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
COLORADO is 159-152 ATS (+319.1 Units) in road games after a non-conference game since 1996.
ST LOUIS is 27-17 ATS (+9.7 Units) in road games after scoring 4 goals or more in their previous game over the last 3 seasons.
ST LOUIS is 59-38 ATS (+17.3 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
ST LOUIS is 34-20 ATS (+12.3 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
ST LOUIS is 9-4 (+4.9 Units) against the spread versus COLORADO over the last 3 seasons
ST LOUIS is 9-4-0 straight up against COLORADO over the last 3 seasons
7 of 13 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+1.2 Units)

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Monday, August 3

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CHICAGO (32-30-0-8, 72 pts.) at EDMONTON (37-25-0-9, 83 pts.) - 8/3/2020, 10:30 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
CHICAGO is 5-4 (+1.6 Units) against the spread versus EDMONTON over the last 3 seasons
CHICAGO is 5-4-0 straight up against EDMONTON over the last 3 seasons
5 of 9 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+0.7 Units)

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NY RANGERS (37-28-0-5, 79 pts.) vs. CAROLINA (38-25-0-5, 81 pts.) - 8/3/2020, 12:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
NY RANGERS is 10-2 (+12.4 Units) against the spread versus CAROLINA over the last 3 seasons
NY RANGERS is 10-2-0 straight up against CAROLINA over the last 3 seasons
6 of 11 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+0.2 Units)

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WINNIPEG (37-28-0-6, 80 pts.) vs. CALGARY (36-27-0-7, 79 pts.) - 8/3/2020, 2:30 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
WINNIPEG is 4-3 (+0.7 Units) against the spread versus CALGARY over the last 3 seasons
WINNIPEG is 4-3-0 straight up against CALGARY over the last 3 seasons
5 of 7 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+3.2 Units)

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MONTREAL (31-31-0-9, 71 pts.) vs. PITTSBURGH (40-23-0-6, 86 pts.) - 8/3/2020, 8:00 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
PITTSBURGH is 6-3 (+0.3 Units) against the spread versus MONTREAL over the last 3 seasons
PITTSBURGH is 6-3-0 straight up against MONTREAL over the last 3 seasons
4 of 8 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=-0.3 Units, Under=-0.6 Units)

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DALLAS (37-24-0-8, 82 pts.) vs. VEGAS (39-24-0-8, 86 pts.) - 8/3/2020, 6:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DALLAS is 39-53 ATS (-24.7 Units) after a non-conference game over the last 3 seasons.
DALLAS is 268-177 ATS (+56.8 Units) after a loss by 2 goals or more in their previous game since 1996.
DALLAS is 232-251 ATS (+535.5 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record since 1996.
VEGAS is 85-75 ATS (+162.0 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
VEGAS is 6-2 (+5.9 Units) against the spread versus DALLAS over the last 3 seasons
VEGAS is 6-2-0 straight up against DALLAS over the last 3 seasons
5 of 7 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Under=+2.9 Units)

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WASHINGTON (41-20-0-8, 90 pts.) vs. TAMPA BAY (43-21-0-6, 92 pts.) - 8/3/2020, 4:00 PM
Top Trends for this game.
TAMPA BAY is 105-51 ATS (+51.3 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 17-3 ATS (+12.0 Units) after scoring 1 goal or less in their previous game over the last 2 seasons.
TAMPA BAY is 263-255 ATS (+577.5 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season since 1996.
WASHINGTON is 158-107 ATS (+13.6 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 135-87 ATS (+27.3 Units) after playing 3 consecutive road games since 1996.
WASHINGTON is 81-61 ATS (+12.8 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 3 seasons.
WASHINGTON is 26-17 ATS (+47.1 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record in the second half of the season over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
WASHINGTON is 9-7 (+4.2 Units) against the spread versus TAMPA BAY over the last 3 seasons
WASHINGTON is 9-7-0 straight up against TAMPA BAY over the last 3 seasons
7 of 12 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons . (Over=+2.0 Units)

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**Udog** · 07-15-2020, 06:30 PM

Saturday, August 1

NY Rangers @ Carolina
NY Rangers
NY Rangers is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Carolina
NY Rangers is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Carolina
Carolina
Carolina is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Carolina's last 7 games at home

Chicago @ Edmonton
Chicago
Chicago is 6-1 ATS in its last 7 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Chicago's last 5 games when playing on the road against Edmonton
Edmonton
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Edmonton's last 5 games when playing at home against Chicago
Edmonton is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Chicago

Florida @ NY Islanders
Florida
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Florida's last 5 games
Florida is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against NY Islanders
NY Islanders
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of NY Islanders's last 5 games when playing at home against Florida
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of NY Islanders's last 8 games when playing Florida

Montreal @ Pittsburgh
Montreal
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Montreal's last 5 games when playing Pittsburgh
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Montreal's last 11 games
Pittsburgh
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Pittsburgh's last 5 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Pittsburgh's last 5 games when playing Montreal

Winnipeg @ Calgary
Winnipeg
Winnipeg is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games
Winnipeg is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games
Calgary
Calgary is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games when playing at home against Winnipeg
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Calgary's last 6 games when playing Winnipeg

**Udog** · 07-26-2020, 09:29 PM

How to Bet the 2020 NHL Postseason
Matt Blunt

Handicapping the
NHL Playoffs

The NBA isn't the only league returning to a standard format schedule, as the NHL has decided to give every opening series one potential back-to-back spread around four other games with one day off before hand.

It can always be debated how important the numbers these teams put up before the stoppage really do matter, but games off a day's rest do make up the bulk of the schedule for NHL teams regularly, and we already have some matchups where some interesting betting angles can be approached with these numbers.

The lack of any real travel should dilute them somewhat, as the long layoff will as well, but there could be some nice spots that pop up early on in these series, and continuing throughout the playoffs.

So let's take a look at some of these potential scenarios as it will be here before you know it.

NHL Results
One Day of Rest

Best Records One Day of Rest

Colorado 27-14
Tampa Bay 25-16
Philadelphia 24-8
St. Louis 24-14
Calgary 24-20
Pittsburgh 21-9

Not surprising to see the majority of these teams being the ones in the round robin playing out for the Top 4 seeds, because like it was mentioned earlier, this one day off structure does typically make up the bulk of a team's schedule. Those are some strong numbers the Blues, Flyers, Lightning, and Avalanche put up and should be able to be put to use in the rounds going ahead.

Chances are this scheduling format stays consistent throughout the entire stay in the bubble, and if the teams that dominated in that situation do so again in the restart, likely the most futures units should be saved for teams that do currently reside in the Top 4, whether they are on this list or not.

What is really interesting in terms of the Pittsburgh Penguins case is that the first four games of their series with Montreal are all off a day off. The Canadiens were simply average in that role (19-18 SU) during the year, but were 3-9 SU in that spot as any sort of plus-money underdog and that's likely where they'll be all series.

Pittsburgh to win exactly 3-0 is sitting at +400 right now, while the Penguins to win 3-1 is +350. If you're liking Pittsburgh but aren't keen on paying the juice on them for the series, those are other options to go about it.

And should the series go to a decisive Game 5 on back-to-back nights, a series Penguins wager would still be live, but it would be sweating a 6-8 SU record in that role vs Montreal's 4-9 SU number.

A game Pittsburgh should win, but could also be a single game wagering option should your only pre-series wagers be on the Penguins in three or four and whiff on both. Keeping options open is never a bad thing.

Worst Records One Day of Rest

Chicago 10-25
Dallas 14-20
Edmonton 20-26

Chicago and Edmonton are matched up to begin their proceedings and Oilers fans are hoping that their young talent does in fact win out in the end. Chicago did tie Vegas for the most wins overall in games played on no rest this year with nine, and that back-to-back spot in this series would be a pressure packed Game 5.

Oilers fans do not want to see their team in that spot if possible – although Edmonton was 6-1 without rest this year - and their prices to win 3-0 (+450) and 3-1 (+375) are in the same ballpark that Pittsburgh's are.

Other notes for NHL games off a day of rest

Tampa Bay was a great 'over' bet after a day off at 25-13-3 O/U this year, while the Islanders were the best 'under' side to be on at 13-28 O/U. The Islanders path to success in this restart is going to have to start with their defensive play to begin with, and if they can shut down a Florida team that was predominantly an 'over' team after a rest day (20-14 O/U), who knows how far they could go.

Tampa Bay and their offense is always going to get plenty of love, but looking to back them 'over' the number in their round robin games out of the gate may not be a bad idea either. Washington was an 'over' team themselves in this role at 22-15, and while Boston was just 14-18 SU in their outings, that could also keep the total low enough to keep the 'over' side as the play.

The round robin games could have a more loose feel to them to begin with as they are used more for fitness rather than anything else, and the Lightning, Caps, Bruins and Flyers could all end up going that guns blazing route and let the seeds fall where they may.

NHL Results
Zero Days of Rest

Best Records
Zero Days of Rest

Vegas 9-2
Chicago 9-5
Tampa Bay 8-4
Edmonton 6-1

The first thought that tends to come to mind with Vegas atop that list is the Golden Knights owning an advantage formerly known as the “Vegas Flu” when opponents were in town. That is a term that will likely won't be around much longer, but this is Vegas playing without rest, not their opponent.

The Knights did the bulk of that damage on the road (7-1 SU without rest on the road), but did have the benefit of some luck going their way being 4-0 SU in games that needed OT or a shootout.

The suggestion that Vegas understands how to shut out distractions and get the best result does bode well for their future prospects in this restart and it will be interesting to see how things may line up for the Knights when their elimination games start.

Worst Records
Zero Days of Rest

Toronto 2-11
Arizona 2-10

Hands down the two worst records of any teams involved in this restart, and both better not find themselves down in their respective series when that no rest game pops up.

For Arizona it's Game 3 of their contest with Nashville, so get a split in the first two “road” games and all is forgotten about.

That Coyotes/Predators series has been one that's felt like it will need the distance to be decided since the format was laid out, and outside of this severe disadvantage for one game from a scheduling standpoint for Arizona, the historical scheduling numbers are pretty even between the two.

Toronto's back-to-back game is Game 4 with Columbus a team that was 6-7 SU in that role over the course of the year. The Leafs still have to view this unique campaign as one where they can get that playoff burden off their back early without having to deal with the likes of Boston or Tampa Bay, and maybe they end up flipping the script on this number and close out the series in four games.

Or, it Toronto's “throw away” game after grabbing a 2-1 series lead before they deal with a pressure-packed Game 5. That sounds about par for the course for your team doesn't it Leafs fans? Either way, Toronto trailing in that series going into a Game 4 might be time to start pricing out the possibility of being on the Blue Jackets to close things out then.

Other Notes for NHL games played without rest

The sample size is nowhere near the same, but to see a heavy 'under' team like the Islanders actually be 4-3 O/U in their games without rest is a tidbit of information to hold on to.

That back-to-back spot is Game 3 for the Islanders and Panthers, and it may end up being the only spot that does really look decent to 'over' bettors in that series. Dallas is another team that has had more 'overs' in back-to-back spots too (6-5 O/U).

Ultimately, these back-to-back numbers are helpful in isolating certain games, but these back-to-back spots are going to be so different that they might not mean nearly as much as the one day off numbers do. When games without rest happened during the year, there was some travel involved, and new lodgings to deal with, potentially a time zone and a whole bunch of other things.

None of that will be the case for this restart, and the later in a series these back-to-back games are the easier it may end up being pulling the trigger on the side that simply has looked the fittest through the first four games. Hard not to give that method of attack a thought as well.

Announcement

NHL Playoff Plan and Info

NHL Playoff Plan and Info

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