The season in the NHL has not yet begun, but you can bet on its outcome now. North American bookmakers recently updated their quotes and offer to bet on future champions, guess the best goalkeeper, MVP of the season and the main sniper. One of the Russian NHL players is quoted extremely highly in the last two nominations, and this is not Alexander Ovechkin at all. And who then?

One hundred thousand of 400 dollars

It may seem that betting before the start of the season is a stupid thing. But as soon as the matches start, and in each of the categories there is a clear leader, the odds will change in an unfavorable direction. However, there is a chance to hit the jackpot in the course of the season, but it requires incredible luck, as happened with the American from St. Louis.

In 2019, Scott Berry came to Las Vegas and did not spare $400 for his beloved bluesmen. Then it seemed that he had irretrievably lost his money and it would be better if he just lost it in a casino for his own pleasure. After all, St. Louis was in last place in the regular season. But by the playoffs, the Blues came to life, reached the finals and enriched Berry by 100 thousand dollars. He believed in his favorites to the last, and with the score 3-2 in the final series in their favor, he refused to sell his bet for 75 thousand.

Vladimir Tarasenko / Photo: © Bruce Bennett / Staff / Getty Images Sport / Gettyimages.ru

Making a bet then, Berry was guided not by subtle calculation, but only by faith in his team.

Who is the favorite?

Las Vegas bookmakers do not give any surprising predictions regarding the favorite of the upcoming season: the lowest odds – 5.5 – are from the current Stanley Cup holders from Colorado. If you bet $100 on Avalanches, you can win a total of $550. You can get exactly twice as much if you bet on Carolina and Toronto. Last season finalist and two-time Stanley Cup winner in the previous two seasons, Tampa Bay is listed slightly worse than these two clubs.

Florida closes the top five with a coefficient of 14. Although the Panthers ingloriously flew out in the first round, losing to Washington, they will enter the new season much more experienced, although they have lost several leaders. And where, by the way, are Ovechkin’s Capitals? In the middle of the table – in 16th place, behind Vegas, Minnesota, and Pittsburgh.

Photo: © REUTERS/Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

If you bet $100 on the capital team, you can win $3,500! At the same time, the Caps strengthened well in the offseason, signing six new players and completely changing the goaltending line. It could be risky.

MVP – Kaprizov!

But if everything is more or less clear with the applicant clubs, and the rating there is actually based on the statistics of performances last season, then with personal categories everything is more curious.

Reigning Hart Trophy winner Auston Matthews is second in line to win this season’s MVP award. Above him is Conor McDavid, who already has two of them. Third on the list is Leon Draisaitl, another Edmonton forward who has been in the shadow of his Canadian partner for years now.

Much more curious here is the fifth number of the forecast – Kirill Kaprizov from Minnesota. It accepts bets with a coefficient of 13, that is, $ 100 will have $ 1,200 of net benefit. The top ten also includes Nikita Kucherov (factor 16) and Igor Shesterkin (21).

Photo: © REUTERS / Matt Blewett-USA TODAY Sports

The Russian leader of Minnesota is among the main contenders for the status of the best sniper of the season. A hundred dollars in this category can turn into 1400 if Kaprizov turns into a machine for the production of heads. But in the forecast for the Maurice Richard Trophy, he is only sixth, and this time two lines higher – another Russian. It’s easy to guess who exactly is the nine-time best sniper in the league by the name of Ovechkin. Despite his decent age, his pursuit of Wayne Gretzky’s eternal record forces bookmakers to reduce the odds on Alexander the Great – it is 11. The leader in this nomination is the current best NHL sniper Matthews (odds – 3.25).

Russia has a new leader

In the goalie category, faith in the Russians is so strong that it will not be possible to earn a lot on them: Igor Shesterkin is in first place and can only bring $ 250 from a bet of 100, Andrey Vasilevsky is in second (coefficient – 6), and Ilya Sorokin is third (9).

Igor Shesterkin / Photo: © REUTERS/Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports

If you do not look at the contenders for Vezina, then it turns out that the leader among Russians for the upcoming season overseas is considered not Ovechkin or Panarin, but Kaprizov, who just yesterday made his debut in the NHL. His undeniable Minnesota leadership, many club records broken, over 100 points in a season, great play with Mats Zuccarello and no pressure of unattainable goals for the season is the perfect combo to really surprise and snatch one of the most prestigious awards. At least it won’t shock anyone.