Why not? is a feature on The Touchback exploring bets with longer odds that could plausibly happen. This doesn’t mean these wagers are locks. They are simply ones where you can justify the risk. Today, we look at why you should bet on the Florida Panthers to win the Stanley Cup at +2200.
While the Tampa Bay Lightning are back-to-back champions, a three-peat is going to be tough after losing several key contributors, including their entire checking line. But they aren’t the only favorite looking worse off heading into 2021. And that’s why it isn’t crazy to bet on the Florida Panthers to win the Stanley Cup at +2200 (Odds at Fanduel Sportsbook).
There are eight teams with the same or lesser odds than the Panthers to win it all this season. And all of them have taken a step back. The Las Vegas Golden Knights traded Marc-Andre Fleury and did nothing major to shake up a team that looked slow and old in the NHL Playoffs four months ago.
The Colorado Avalanche also lost their starting goaltender in Philipp Grubauer along with a few other key pieces. Back over in the Eastern Conference, you have perpetual choke artists (Toronto Maple Leafs), top-heavy sides (Pittsburgh Penguins) and offensively challenged foes (New York Islanders). All are very flawed.
Then you get to the Florida Panthers. According to ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski, they had the best offseason among this year’s betting favorites. Adding Sam Reinhart gives the team some scoring punch. On the flip side, losing goalie Chris Driedger didn’t really matter considering they still have Sergei Bobrovsky and Spencer Knight.
They also received a huge boast in the form of top defenseman Aaron Ekblad, who has recovered from his broken leg and is now fully cleared to practice. He was having a superb season for Florida before getting hurt in March and the team missed him during their first-round playoff exit.
That playoff loss to the eventual champion Lightning is something that could serve them well. Despite being undermanned, the Panthers were impressive in that series, and it is an experience they can learn from.
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Should you bet on Florida Panthers to win the Stanley Cup at +2200
Given the odds, a bet on the Florida Panthers to win the Stanley Cup is a good proposition. Look, anything can happen between today and next June. But, this is a team that has everything you could want from a hockey contender heading into a new season.
They managed to get better while all their main rivals lost talent or stood pat. The Panthers are strong in net and shouldn’t have any issues offensively. Hell, the only real negative is their signing of Joe Thornton, a player who is seemingly a one-man Stanley Cup repellent. However, not even that stops us from liking this wager.
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