We here at The Touchback have placed a bet on the Calgary Flames to win the Stanley Cup in 2022 as well as the Western Conference Finals. Their odds to lift the cup this year hover around +1500 to +2000 depending on where you place your wager. That’s enough to get us interested.
However, many people are understandably squeamish on placing a bet on the Calgary Flames to win the Stanley Cup in 2022. For starters, they had a disruptive summer with both Matthew Tkachuk and Johnny Gaudreau leaving town. That is a lot of star power off the roster.
And yet, Calgary may be a better team this season. They replaced the uber talented duo with Jonathan Huberdeau, Nazem Kadri and MacKenzie Weegar along with several solid role players. You could easily argue they are deeper in 2022 even if the top-end talent is a little less. As we have seen with previous Stanley Cup champions, depth often trumps sheer star power.
Another reason many people may not want to stake a bet on the Calgary Flames to win the Stanley Cup in 2022 is goaltending. The usually reliable Jacob Markstrom was flat out bad against the Edmonton Oilers in last season’s playoffs. That being said, he was huge in the first round versus Dallas and it’s likely that was a blip more than a cause for concern.
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There is more to betting on the Calgary Flames to win the Stanley Cup in 2022, though. Firstly, we know just how difficult it is to repeat as champion in the NHL. The Colorado Avalanche are favorites and certainly a force to be reckoned once again, but they aren’t as good as last year’s side. Edmonton is another threat yet no one knows if their goaltending and defense comes together.
Additionally, the Flames play in a Pacific Division that has seen some improvements but lacks three really talented hockey teams. The LA Kings and Anaheim Ducks have improved, but you wouldn’t fear a first round series against either. The Vegas Golden Knights aren’t scaring anyone, and the Canucks remain a jumbled mess.
All of this means Calgary has a path to Stanley Cup Finals. Of course, they still need to successfully traverse it and then win the damn thing once there. But it is worth betting on when you look at the odds.
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