First-place Canucks getting disrespected by Stanley Cup oddsmakers
When will the Vancouver Canucks get the respect they deserve?
They sit atop the NHL standings, rank first in goal differential, rank first in points percentage, have several leading candidates to win major awards, and are the only NHL team in the top five for both goals scored and goals allowed.
Despite all of those accolades, the majority of oddsmakers have them ranked outside the top five teams most likely to win the Stanley Cup. Some oddsmakers have the Canucks ranked as low as 10th.
PlayNow, BC’s only fully licensed sportsbook, currently has the Canucks with the eighth-best odds (12-1) to win it all. It’s already been revealed that the sportsbook would be liable to payout at least $3 million if the local team captures the Stanley Cup.
PlayNow.com
Most major oddsmakers have the Canucks in a similar position to PlayNow. FanDuel and DraftKings are some of the oddsmakers that are the lowest on the Canucks, both giving the team 14-1 odds, placing them 10th.
Bet365 is the bookmaker showing the Canucks the most respect, giving them the second-best odds at 9-1, only behind the Oilers.
There are some legitimate reasons why the Canucks have such low odds. To start, they have one of the toughest paths to the Cup finals, having to go through either (or both of) the defending champion Vegas Golden Knights and high-flying Edmonton Oilers.
The Oilers mark an especially large challenge in the eyes of oddsmakers as they have the best odds of winning the Stanley Cup at many outlets. Despite their recent historic winning streak, they still sit 14 points behind the Canucks.
In addition, the Canucks’ core players have less playoff experience than many of the teams they fall behind. Elias Pettersson, Quinn Hughes, and Thatcher Demko have never played in a playoff game with fans in attendance, only participating in the COVID-affected 2020 postseason.
Betting odds are also influenced by the volume of wagers placed on each market. It makes sense that many casual fans, especially those in the US, may not yet be supporting the Canucks.
However, many hockey analytics websites do not agree with the oddsmakers, giving more respect to the body of work produced by the first-place team thus far.
For example, MoneyPuck has the team in fourth, with a 9.1% chance to win the playoffs. Another analytics website, Sports Club Stats, has given the Canucks the best chance to win the Stanley Cup. Hockey Reference also has the Canucks in first with a 12.7% chance to win it all.
The Canucks have never won the Stanley Cup in more than 50 years of playing in the NHL. With a franchise-best pace, this season is shaping up to be one of their best chances to break that drought.