While there is a clear discrepancy in talent among the 30 NHL teams, that disparity in talent doesn’t necessarily show up on the scoreboard early on in the season. While the reigning Stanley Cup champion Boston Bruins might very well get their chance to defend their title next spring, that doesn’t necessarily mean they will be at the top of the Eastern conference standings at the end of October. In fact, with just three wins through their first seven games, the Bruins are the perfect example of the mistake made by players that bet on favorites early on in the season. While they may have the talent and experience to compete with the best teams in the playoffs, there is also a good chance they could come out of the gate slow with no intertops urgency in their game.
Rather than simply taking the favorites, the simpler approach would be to keep an eye on the teams that start fast, and roll with them. While the Colorado Avalanche and Toronto Maple Leafs might not have what it takes to make the playoffs in their respective conferences, they have a lot to prove as a franchise and will do their best to win every game early on. So while Colorado may not be able to beat Boston if they played later on in the year, it shouldn’t be that much of a surprise that the Avalanche were able to edge out a close win against the Bruins within the first couple of sports betting games.
