NHL Ice Hockey – A Guide to the New Season

The new NHL ice hockey season across North America got underway last weekend, and what is regarded as the most physical and competitive league in the world, continues to draw large crowds and childhood aspirations. Ice Hockey is tough, there are no two words about it. If you are not hitting, or getting hit, then you are not in the game. But, as renowned as it is for its physical toughness, there is a certain amount of unrivalled grace that goes with the game. It is tough, it is passionate and it rarely disappoints in action, with high scoring games very common.

The professional game is played at such a high speed, that it can take mere seconds from your goaltender stopping a shot, to your team scoring a breakaway goal at the other end. There are all types of players, just as in soccer, you have your goal-scorers, your playmakers, your agitating goons and the show-boaters who can go coast to coast (one end of the rink to the other) and score. It collates to one of the most exhilarating sporting spectacles there is. From the physical hits, to the punch-ups, to one-time passes and impossible looking stick handling skills at a hundred miles an hour, there is always something to appreciate.

This is league where stars can literally win games for their teams night in, night out. So who to look out for? The two most famous names at the moment in NHL circles, are that of Sidney Crosby of the Pittburgh Penguins, and the Washington Capital’s Alexander Ovechkin. Ovechkin in particular is a sheer delight to watch, looking more like a scrappy street kid than a super star of sport, he has such a presence on the ice, and commands such respect from his peers. He is a goalscoring wonder with stick handling skills that dazzle. Crosby is another in the same vein, and they both are relative NHL newcomers of a young age. Crosby, along with high scoring teammate Evgeni Malkin, lead the Penguins to the Stanley Cup last year, with a seventh game victory over one of the most famous names in sport, the Detroit Red Wings. New kid on the block to watch out for is the New York Islanders’ John Tavares, but is unfortunately stuck on a very poor team.

The NHL is made up of two conferences, East and West, with three five-team divisions in each. The winners of each division progress to the post-season knock-out format within their conference. Qualifying along with them are the five best placed teams from the conference, meaning that eight teams from each conference progress. The trail for the Stanley Cup is based within the conference during these playoffs, and East only meets West in the Stanley Cup finals themselves. Each round of the play-offs is a best of seven series between teams.

So which teams to look out for? In NHL the good teams are good, for not only do they possess the superstars, but they have the right mix of toughness and skill to get through the tougher games when the players are running on fumes. They will also have strength in depth, something which is imperative with injuries. NHL has a lot of lesson from which football could learn, and the sport is kept under tight control with finances and rules.

So, on to the Stanley Cup. With the season in a new dawn, the Pittsburgh Penguins will be expected to go back to the finals. They have been there with the Red Wings in the last two finals, and the pressure will be on them to retain it. The Red Wings are powerhouses and are the team to beat in the West, but there are new challengers on the way. The San Jose Sharks should always be there or there abouts, and the rise of the Chicago Blackhawks is not something to be trifled with. They have youth, speed and ability, but perhaps lacking the inexperience of the teams above them. One word of advice, is that the Red Wings should win their division, and they will be the threat from the West. If you want a comparison, then they are the Manchester United of Ice Hockey. They are relentless, and will be hungry for their title back.

How to Pick Ice Hockey Winners:
There are natural game winners which perform all of the time, and this can make a huge difference. For new followers of the NHL, the best way to pick up tips for outright winners is to let the competition settle down a little. That will help you to see who is struggling after running on new season enthusiasm. But at the start of the season is the prime time to pick up on some upsets. This is because teams are fresh, and with the slate wiped clean, then all teams are full of early season promise. For example, the St Louis Blues have beaten the much favoured Detroit Red Wings back to back, something that is unlikely to happen during the final stretch when everyone is in their groove. Pittsburgh losing 3-0 to Phoenix? Unheard of.

That is the early season for you. It happens, but it won’t mean a lot come December, for that is when the cream starts rising to the top. While some favourites may be struggling early on, and some surprise names like the New York Rangers and Phoenix Coyotes have gotten out of the gates well, it will turn around. Streaks are hot topics in betting on ice-hockey games, as winning puts extra strength in the legs. When picking individual games to bet on, look at these factors:

• Length of winning/losing streak
• Key Injuries
• Lengthy Road Trips
• Back to Back Games
• Which Goaltender is getting the start
• Divisional rival games (for those games are often more intense).

When it comes to betting on NHL games, there is plenty of opportunity to bank some cash. Those above are some of the key pointers to look out for when betting on games, and another one of the major factors being the last time a team played. The NHL arguably is one of the most schedule-heavy seasons, with teams often playing games on back to back nights. This is physically demanding on teams, and when the second game is away from home, then it is made all the tougher. Those second games will usually see a team tighten up to a more defensive game. The teams at the top, the challengers for the coveted Stanley Cup, will have the guile to negotiate these tricky occasions.

Betting on individual games does not have to start or stop with fixed odds. You can, more often than not expect goals and that is great for handicap and spread betting. A shutout by a goalie is something which is heralded when it happens, and is a keenly eyed stat to success. Look for points spreads, as good teams will easily overcome a 2 goal deficit. One game earlier in the season saw the Philadelphia Flyers come back from 5-0 down to win the game in a shoot-out. That’s the kind of action you can expect to see in the NHL.

Stanley Cup Outright Odds
Pittsburg Penguins: 13/2 at Stan James
Detroit Red Wings: 7/1 at Stan James
San Jose Sharks: 9/1 at Expekt
Chicago Blackhawks: 10/1 at Stan James
Boston Bruins: 10/1 at Stan James
Washington Captials: 14/1 at BetFred
Philadelphia Flyers: 18/1 at Paddy Power
Vancouver Canucks: 20/1 at Coral
Calgary Flames – 20/1 at Paddy Power
Anaheim Ducks – 22/1 at Stan James

Stanley Cup: This could be a much closer run thing than in recent past seasons. The Red Wings should be challengers again, but the likes of the Washington and Pittsburgh could be the ones to beat. If you want to look a little further afield, then Chicago look to have built a strong squad, and somewhat surprise early pacesetters the New York Rangers are looking good, but this is a long and arduous season. The archetypal marathon and not a sprint. For a banker, look at the Pens to retain the Stanley Cup, but
Pick 1: Pittsburgh Penguins 13/2 at Stan James
Pick 2: Washington Capitals 14/1 at BetFred
Pick 3: Detroit Red Wings 7/1 at Stan James

WESTERN CONFERENCE
The West holds a lot of strength, and again the Detroit Red Wings seem untouchable at times. Along with the San Jose Sharks, Chicago Blackhawks, and Anahiem Ducks this is a fiery conference, one which is a bit more physical than the East. There are some surprise names at the top of the conference after the first couple of weeks of games, notably the Colorado Avalanche and Phoenix Coyotes. Neither of them will last.
Pick 1 Banker: Detroit Red Wings 17/5 at Stan James
Pick 2 from the Running Pack: Calgary Flames 11/1 at Paddy Power
Pick 3 Outside Chance: Chicago Blackhawks 9/2 at Stan James

EASTERN CONFERENCE
Washington and Pittsburgh are the stand out names, simply because they have teams built around superstars. The Buffalo Sabres are slick team at times, and they have another goalscoring superstar, Ilya Kovalchuk, and the Ottawa Senators always cause problems when they are on their game. It is just how much the off-season trading has affected teams, and although Ottawa fell away last year, they should be good enough to challenge. As will Boston, who played some enthralling hockey last season in the east, and if they can enhance on what they achieved last year, then they will be a force to reckon with.
Pick 1 Banker: Pittsburgh Penguins 3/1 at Stan James
Pick 2 from the Running Pack: Washington Capitals 6/1 at Coral
Pick 3 Outside Chance: Boston Bruins 9/2 at Stan James