With news coming down that professional hockey is (likely) to restart back up in hub cities Edmonton and Toronto, the first thought bettors should have is what kind of value do the Oilers have? Yes, there will be no fans in attendance, but having games played at Rogers Place is still key for 2020 NHL futures betting Edmonton Oilers.
When play halted on March 11th, Edmonton was just 3 points back from Vegas in the Pacific. The Oilers had missed the playoffs for two straight seasons and in 12 of the last 13 years but there’s reasons to like this star-studded team in the Covid-plagued season.
Most Talented Team in Hockey?
Besides playing on their own ice (without fans), 2020 NHL futures betting Edmonton Oilers looks trendy for a lot of reasons. First and foremost, Ken Holland’s team boasts numbers 1 and 2 in the league in points. Leon Draisaitl has scored 110 points on the year and Connor McDavid 97.
The 83 points that Edmonton had prior to the Covid stoppage were the 4th most in the West. That being said the Oilers were just 15th offensively in goals scored and 29th in SOG. The team started the season 7-1 when everybody was fresh, which could repeat after the last four months idle.
Nice Value on the Lines
Oddsmakers have set the line at +2300 to win the Stanley Cup for 2020 NHL futures betting Edmonton Oilers. The team is +1100 to win the West, the fifth highest total behind Vegas, Colorado, St. Louis, and Dallas.
Mediocrity plagued the Oilers since the calendar turned 2020 as they’ve posted a 16-13 record since then. The Oilers were also just 17-17-6 at home prior to the Corona shutdown. Even without fans in attendance, there is still some advantage to playing in a comfortable environment though.
Favorable 1st Round Matchup
Edmonton may seem to be at a disadvantage since they are one of 8 teams having to take part in what is basically a play-in series. A ‘first’ round best-of-five series against Chicago could be just what the team needs to shake off the rink rust though.
The Blackhawks would appear like a dangerous team considering they are returning to the playoffs after a 2-year hiatus. Chicago won 3 Stanley Cups over the period from 2010 to 2017. Despite having a lot of talent on the ice, the ‘Hawks are a shell of their former selves and had the second fewest points of any qualifying team this year with 72.
The Oilers are just 1-2 vs. Chicago on the season however. The last two have been high scoring too with a 5-3 and a 4-3 split. The Blackhawks give up a ton of opportunities though, ranking 31st in the league in SOG (35.1). Trading goaltender Robin Lehner mid-season because they thought they were out of a postseason chance may have doomed the Blackhawks, although they do still have Corey Crawford.
Can Edmonton Win in the Later Stages?
It’s a -150 line for McDavid and Co. in 2020 NHL futures betting Edmonton Oilers in their 1st round matchup vs. the Blackhawks. At some point Vegas, Colorado, St. Louis, and Dallas loom though. The Oilers have gone 1-1-1 vs. the Golden Knights, 1-1 vs. the Avs, 1-2 vs. the Blues, and 2-1 vs. the Stars – not great but not horrible.
Can you count on the team getting out of the West in 2020 NHL futures betting Edmonton Oilers? The first round seems like a given with the aging ‘Hawks having to restart after assuming their season was done. After that it never hurts having the top two point scorers in the league moving forward in the West for Edmonton – especially with home ice basically all the way through the playoffs.
The Oilers became a trendy pick with the announcement that Edmonton is a hub city. Trendy isn’t necessarily wrong though.
