NHL Stanley Cup Odds - 2009 Best Bets

With the playoffs underway and the pundits predicting, it's time to see who the bookmakers like this year. The chart below reflects the season opening and current Vegas odds on each team's likelihood to pull in the big prize.

Team'''''''''''Open''''''''''Current
SJS''''''''''''''''''10/1''''''''''''''''''4/1
DET''''''''''''''''''5/1'''''''''''''''''''9/2
BOS''''''''''''''''30/1''''''''''''''''''5/1
WAS'''''''''''''''18/1''''''''''''''''''6/1
NJD''''''''''''''''20/1''''''''''''''''''8/1
PIT''''''''''''''''''11/2'''''''''''''''''''9/1
VAN'''''''''''''''30/1'''''''''''''''''10/1
CHI'''''''''''''''''40/1'''''''''''''''''11/1
CAR''''''''''''''''22/1'''''''''''''''''13/1
PHI''''''''''''''''''15/1'''''''''''''''''13/1
CGY''''''''''''''''30/1'''''''''''''''''15/1
NYR''''''''''''''''15/1''''''''''''''''''18/1
STL'''''''''''''''''60/1'''''''''''''''''30/1
ANA''''''''''''''''12/1'''''''''''''''''35/1
MTL''''''''''''''''10/1'''''''''''''''''35/1
CLB''''''''''''''''''75/1'''''''''''''''''40/1

Historically, Presidents' Trophy recipients and division winners hoist while wildcards wither. With that in mind, the safe money is on San Jose (4/1) with reasonable longshots being New Jersey in the East (9/1) and Vancouver in the West (10/1). Of course, all of these picks were a significantly better buy in October at 10/1, 20/1, and 30/1, respectively.

I wish I knew then what I know now.