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Wed Sep 23, 2009 10:59 am EDT

According to Vegas oddsmakers, your 2009-10 playoff teams

By Greg Wyshynski

 

(Ed. Note: This is actually a perfect post to announce that I'll be appearing at Blogs With Balls 2.0 in Las Vegas on Oct. 15, speaking on a panel about blogger access vs. mainstream media access for sports coverage. BWB is partnering with ESPN on some deep admission discounts, so do check them out. Hope to see some West Coast puckheads out there.)

It could be a peculiar point-spread on a college basketball game or tantalizing odds on a horse at the track. It could be an unlikely player scoring the first touchdown in the Super Bowl or an unlikely team winning the Stanley Cup. No matter the sport, anyone that's ever placed a bet has quietly asked his or herself the same question: What do the oddsmakers know that I don't know?

The Las Vegas Hilton sports book released its betting lines on the 2009-10 NHL regular season this week, and that included the over/under for projected point totals in the final standings. In looking at what the bookmakers believe are the top 16 teams in hockey, we're once again asking ourselves: What do they know that some of us don't?

From the Las Vegas Sun's Odds 'N' Ends column, which focuses on the lack of odds-maker enthusiasm about the Toronto Maple Leafs despite their offseason changes, a few words on hockey wagering:

Hockey bettors represent a loyal but small subset of Nevada sports gamblers. The Nevada Gaming Control Board tracks NHL betting in a category called "other" - encompassing all sports besides the big three of football, basketball and baseball.

Last year bettors in the state risked $131.5 million on those "other" sports including hockey, or about 5 percent of the $2.6 billion wagered in Nevada sports books.

The full list of all 30 NHL team point projections can be found on a sidebar to the article, but our focus here is on the teams that Las Vegas Hilton sports book oddsmakers feel will make the playoff cut. And here they are:

Eastern Conference

Team

2008-09 Points

2009-10 Points Projection

Washington Capitals

108

104.5

Philadelphia Flyers

99

102.5

Pittsburgh Penguins

99

102.5

Boston Bruins

116

101.5

New Jersey Devils

106

96.5

Carolina Hurricanes

97

94.5

Montreal Canadiens

93

93.5

Buffalo Sabres (tie)

New York Rangers (tie)

91

95

91.5

91.5

Does Vegas still like the Devils based on repuation or reality? Will it be the Sabres and Rangers for the final berth? Shine up the President's Trophy for Ovechkin? Not so fast ...

Western Conference

Team

2008-09 Points

2009-10 Points Projection

San Jose Sharks

117

107.5

Detroit Red Wings

112

106.5

Chicago Blackhawks

104

105.5

Anaheim Ducks

91

96.5

Calgary Flames

98

96.5

Vancouver Canucks

100

96.5

St. Louis Blues

92

91.5

Dallas Stars (tie)

Edmonton Oilers (tie)

83

85

89.5

89.5

The surprise here is that the Columbus Blue Jackets (86.5) are not only picked to finish out of the money, but behind the new-look Minnesota Wild (88.5) and even with the Los Angeles Kings (86.5) in the West. Guess Steve Mason(notes) still has to prove he's a money goaltender.

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109 Comments

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  1. Jim
    1. Posted by Jim Wed Sep 23, 2009 11:13 am EDT

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    Lets Go Blues!!!
    Manage your own hockey club http://trophyhockey.org/manager_creation.php?ref=5856
  2. Jason P
    2. Posted by Jason P Wed Sep 23, 2009 11:27 am EDT

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    Looks right except the Hawks are going to be on the top of the western conference!!! Detroit Sucks!!!!!-lol
  3. Vince S
    3. Posted by Vince S Wed Sep 23, 2009 11:29 am EDT

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    completely meaning blog post about nothing. Thanks.
  4. coley s
    4. Posted by coley s Wed Sep 23, 2009 11:29 am EDT

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    think cbj should make that list in the west adn def. take chitown over detroit unless they r predicting a real chemistry problem there... as for the east im fine with the pens finishing behind all those playoff chokers... ovi and the caps lost alot and didnt add enough, as for the pens didnt really change. they flyers will be the flyers pronger or not. But i really think that NYR made big and important changes to propel them to the top of a weak east. o well
    almost hockey season im over these scrimmages...
    Go Pens'
  5. Vince S
    5. Posted by Vince S Wed Sep 23, 2009 11:29 am EDT

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    * meaningless, thanks again... for nothing.
  6. books
    6. Posted by books Wed Sep 23, 2009 11:31 am EDT

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    I don't think the Ducks will finish that high...it's very tempting to put some money on the Oilers not making the playoffs there is absolutly no way they are finishing with 90 points this season.
  7. JBIRD
    7. Posted by JBIRD Wed Sep 23, 2009 11:32 am EDT

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    Wild will be in Blues will be out.
  8. jjm
    8. Posted by jjm Wed Sep 23, 2009 11:34 am EDT

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    That thing about this being meaningless and nothing...........ditto.
  9. bj
    9. Posted by bj Wed Sep 23, 2009 11:35 am EDT

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    hackey fantasy league ID-198539 Pass-deadhead11 jump in ,all i ask is to keep up with it or dont join.
  10. chieftanfeces
    10. Posted by chieftanfeces Wed Sep 23, 2009 11:38 am EDT

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    Go Sharks!
  11. joe customer
    11. Posted by joe customer Wed Sep 23, 2009 11:46 am EDT

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    Wow! The canes actually got credit for being a hockey team? Whats Really going on. Go Canes!
  12. zjemas
    12. Posted by zjemas Wed Sep 23, 2009 11:46 am EDT

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    Meaningless... unless you enjoy betting on NHL hockey.
  13. Noa Kai
    13. Posted by Noa Kai Wed Sep 23, 2009 11:47 am EDT

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    Sharks might be the top team in the westagain, but they still have to prove themselves in the playoffs.
  14. cc
    14. Posted by cc Wed Sep 23, 2009 11:59 am EDT

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    Actually, I always think I'm smarter than Vegas predictions, and then I'm not. Would love to see the Vegas predictions versus the results from last year.
  15. SOOK
    15. Posted by SOOK Wed Sep 23, 2009 12:14 pm EDT

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    Dallas, Edmonton, and St. Louis over the KINGS this year? Please. Los Angeles will be in the post season this year.
  16. dwilhelmdw
    16. Posted by dwilhelmdw Wed Sep 23, 2009 12:19 pm EDT

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    Great so the Sharks will lose to Dallas or Edmonton this year in the playoffs, good to know.
  17. knucklehead
    17. Posted by knucklehead Wed Sep 23, 2009 12:21 pm EDT

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    @books
    Flames and Nucks both should finish above the Ducks.
    ...the perfect situation would be if the Flames still had McCarty and signed Theo.
  18. Wyshynski
    18. Posted by Wyshynski Wed Sep 23, 2009 12:23 pm EDT

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    I have to admit I'm a little confused.
    The biggest sports book in Vegas puts out point projections on all 30 teams, and the post is "worthless"?
    I'd as for elaboration, but I know that's asking too much of the hit-and-run commenters here.
  19. Dutch
    19. Posted by Dutch Wed Sep 23, 2009 12:30 pm EDT

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    Wysh, kind of you to invite your Constituents out to Vegas to meet with the Puck Daddy Brain Trust. Unfortunately its Vegas on a Thursday. Next time you're in SoCal make yourself available to meeting some of the folks who pay your salary rather than just dining at fancy restaraunts in Santa Monica. As for Vegas Lines on Hockey, I'm not a fan of futures betting as it's such a long proposition and so much unknown can happen during the course of a season, I also typcially stay away from Hockey betting in general because the lines suck. Take your team to win and you get like -220, otherwise they have to win by 2 goals (-1.5) for you to cash in. That often doesn't happen. The good news with betting Hockey is often they don't keep up very well with the lines during the season. A buddy of mine got mid-season 07-08 season 100-1 odds on the Caps to win the Cup and 25-1 odds on the Penguins to do the same. Neither obviously paid out but both had a shot, esp. the Pens. Worth following the lines at mid season for Cup winners, I mean a 100-1 on the Caps just 2 years ago? 100-1?????
  20. Matt
    20. Posted by Matt Wed Sep 23, 2009 12:32 pm EDT

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    Greg I think the biggest question (for me anyway) is ... how well did Vegas do in their projections LAST season ... and the season before that?
  21. Dutch
    21. Posted by Dutch Wed Sep 23, 2009 12:34 pm EDT

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    RE: previous post, TYPO alert: restaraunts should read "Restaurants", I need to beat Doc to the punch. @Wysh, you know I'm a loyal fan of PD and would consider it an honor to meet the PD Brain Trust, just not so honored as to drive 4.5hrs. on a Thursday. Come to Vegas over Super Bowl weekend or buy me a beer in SoCal! Cheers.
  22. SundayRed85
    22. Posted by SundayRed85 Wed Sep 23, 2009 12:35 pm EDT

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    The 'Hawks will finish that high if Patrick Kane doesn't beat another cabbie for twenty cents...
  23. The Dood
    23. Posted by The Dood Wed Sep 23, 2009 12:36 pm EDT

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    Columbus will make the playoffs. That's a guarantee. As for Vegas, they have no hockey team, much less anyone there that knows a thing about hockey. I bet the way they get their odds and predictions is to pull a name out of a hat and then pull a number out of a different had and just match them up. Whether you think it or not, sports aren't about betting and making money. Its about watching the game for the love of the game. Way to turn everything into a money scheme.
  24. The Dood
    24. Posted by The Dood Wed Sep 23, 2009 12:36 pm EDT

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    Columbus will make the playoffs. That's a guarantee. As for Vegas, they have no hockey team, much less anyone there that knows a thing about hockey. I bet the way they get their odds and predictions is to pull a name out of a hat and then pull a number out of a different had and just match them up. Whether you think it or not, sports aren't about betting and making money. Its about watching the game for the love of the game. Way to turn everything into a money scheme.
  25. kevin
    25. Posted by kevin Wed Sep 23, 2009 12:39 pm EDT

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    I love how some of you people count out the Blues this year. It is truly mind-boggling. We did not lose ANYONE from last year's squad and we regained several key players who were hurt for the majority of last season, namely former # 1 overall pick Erik Johnson and point-a-game player Paul Kariya. I guess once again St. Louis is going to be an underdog for the entire season and will shock everyone......again.
    Hopefully this year though we won't get swept in the first round. I think the playoff experience that all of our rookies got last year should help a lot. GO BLUES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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