It looks like an oxymoron to name the Vancouver Canucks a sleeper.
The one workforce in a hockey-mad metropolis, the Canucks entice an unbelievable quantity of media consideration in comparison with most groups within the NHL. With a lot noise across the Canucks, it’s exhausting for them to fly underneath the radar.
When issues are going nicely in Vancouver, the bandwagon fills up in a rush. When issues head south, the pitchforks and torches come out.
We noticed each side of this coin up to now two seasons.
The Canucks had been terrific in 2023-24, profitable the Pacific Division and incomes their head coach on the time, Rick Tocchet, the Jack Adams Trophy because the league’s greatest coach.
Every part appeared in place for an additional large season in 2024-25, however issues bought weird actual quick in Hollywood North.
J.T. Miller took a depart of absence, then was traded to the Rangers, as a result of irreconcilable variations with fellow star ahead Elias Pettersson, who noticed his manufacturing dip to 45 factors after posting totals of 102 and 89 within the two earlier seasons.
The cleaning soap opera surrounding Miller and Pettersson led to different points, which in flip negatively impacted Vancouver’s efficiency. The Canucks missed the playoffs, and their 90 factors had been 19 fewer than they tallied in 2023-24.
Issues turned much more dour when Tocchet selected to not return and as an alternative took a job with the Flyers.
Then got here the rumors surrounding captain and face-of-the-franchise Quinn Hughes, who’s being linked with a transfer to New Jersey to play together with his two brothers.
With Miller and Tocchet out, and Hughes’ coronary heart rumored to be in New Jersey, it’s straightforward to see why the Canucks are unfancied within the betting market forward of the brand new marketing campaign.
Sitting as excessive as 80/1 (BetRivers) to win the Stanley Cup, the Canucks went from division winner to also-ran in simply over a calendar yr.
And whereas most hockey pundits would advise you to avoid this circus, bettors need to be keen to discover alternatives to purchase low. And this may very well be a wonderful one.
For all their shenanigans, the Canucks have themselves a stable roster. They’ve bought a few stars in Hughes and Pettersson, there’s loads of depth round them, and their goaltending tandem has the potential to be the most effective within the NHL, as long as Thatcher Demko is wholesome.
Simply a few years in the past, Demko was thought-about the most effective goalies within the circuit and was constantly a classy decide to win the Vezina Trophy.
The California native posted a .913 save share in 182 video games between 2021 and 2024, however accidents derailed his momentum, which put his profession with the Canucks doubtful.
Betting on the NHL?
That every one appears to be behind the 29-year-old, who has a terrific deputy in Kevin Lankinen. The Finn has blossomed into one of the underrated netminders within the league lately and put up terrific numbers as Vancouver’s starter final season.
You need to be capable of poke holes in an 80/1 lengthy shot, and you may actually discover faults with this roster – they may very well be weak down the center if Filip Chytil can’t keep wholesome – however there actually aren’t any alarming purple flags.
The protection, anchored by Hughes, seems stable with the addition of Marcus Pettersson, and there are a variety of scorers who can decide up the slack on a nightly foundation. Brock Boeser, Conor Garland, Jake DeBrusk, Evander Kane, and Nils Hoglander are all bona fide top-six gamers, and Jonathan Lekkerimaki might get there in his sophomore yr.
Even for those who assume backing the Canucks to win the Stanley Cup is out of the query, there are many different methods to purchase low on Vancouver.
Adam Foote to win the Jack Adams at 25/1 could be my favourite play of the bunch, as he will definitely garner loads of help if the Canucks are across the 100-point mark. Vancouver is +320 to hit that plateau, which exhibits simply how a lot worth there’s by backing Foote in his debut behind the bench.
PICK(s): Canucks (80/1, BetRivers) | Adam Foote to win Jack Adams (25/1), to get 100+ factors (+320)
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Michael Leboff is a long-suffering Islanders fan, however a long-profiting sports activities bettor with 10 years of expertise within the playing business. He loves utilizing sport concept to assist punters win bracket swimming pools, discover lengthy pictures, and discover ways to beat the market in mainstream and area of interest sports activities.
