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We’re in the early part of the NHL hockey season with most teams having played 5 or 6 games. This gives us enough data to work with as we take our first look at which teams have been the most profitable for bettors in the early going. In our next update, we’ll look at which teams have lost the most money for bettors and next week we’ll take our first look at team over/under tendencies. The information and data below includes all games played through the end of action on Saturday, October 12.
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NHL HOCKEY BETTING MOST PROFITABLE TEAMS AS OF OCTOBER 13, 2019
EDMONTON OILERS (+5.5 UNITS)
The Edmonton Oilers are off to a 5-0 start and that has made their financial backers a tidy sum in the process. Connor McDavid is still Connor McDavid but the biggest surprise of the early campaign has been the rebirth of former Penguins/Predators/Golden Knights/Flames veteran James Neal. After an awful year with Calgary last season the Flames sent him to Edmonton in exchange for Milan Lucic. What looked like a simple exchange of overpriced contract now looks like a huge win for the Oilers. Neal has 7 goals in the first 5 games of the season. That’s the best goal scoring start to the year than any player in Oilers’ history, breaking the record of 6 in 5 games held by #99 himself, Wayne Gretzky.
COLORADO AVALANCHE (+4 UNITS)
Four wins in four games for the Avalanche who were expected to be a serious contender for the Western Conference crown this season. Nathan MacKinnon is still Nathan MacKinnon but so far he’s been more of a playmaker than a shooter with 6 points in 4 games including 5 assists. Don’t worry, the goals will come. Linemate Mikko Rantanen has 3 goals and 3 assists but the biggest surprise could be rookie defenseman Cale Makar who has 5 assists in 5 games. Colorado also has the #5 goals against per game in the league at this juncture with former Capitals backup Phillipp Grubauer looking sharp as the Avs starting netminder.
BUFFALO SABRES (+3.9 UNITS)
Sabres are sitting atop the Atlantic Division after 5 games with a 4-0-1 record. After a pair of multiple goal victories over the Pittsburgh Penguins and New Jersey Devils to start the season they’ve had to scrap in their last three games with an OT loss at Columbus followed by an OT win at home over Montreal and a shootout victory over Florida. Jack Eichel leads the team with 7 points (3 goals 4 assists) and last year’s #1 overall pick, defenseman Rasmus Dahlin has a goal and 6 assists. Goal scoring has come throughout the lineup with 10 Sabres lighting the lamp in the team’s first five games.
DETROIT RED WINGS (+3.3 UNITS)
Wings were expected to struggle this year as the team continues to rebuild with youth. Instead, they’ve been very competitive with three wins in their first five games. Offensively, it’s been all Anthony Manta/Dylan Larkin/Tyler Bertuzzi as the trio have combined for 10 goals and 10 assists. Jonathan Bernier has outplayed Jimmie Howard in net and a change of starters could be in the cards for Detroit.
ANAHEIM DUCKS (+3.2 UNITS)
LA’s other team had all but been left for dead heading into the 2019-2020 season but instead of being a Western Conference doormat they look like the Ducks as we’ve always known them—a tough, grinding team that is miserable to play against and one that gets excellent goaltending. Anaheim is 4-1 on the year and 2 points behind Edmonton in the Pacific Division. Goaltender John Gibson has been excellent with a 3-1 record 1.26 goals against average and a .961 save percentage. Overall, Ducks lead the league in team defense allowing just 1.20 goals against per contest.
BOSTON BRUINS (+3 UNITS)
The Bruins are 4-1-0 on the year and right behind the Ducks with the #2 scoring defense in the league at 1.60 goals against per game. They haven’t had a particularly difficult schedule so far with road wins at Dallas and Arizona and a home win over New Jersey with a road loss in Colorado. Best win of the year was a 10/9 4-3 win against the Golden Knights in Las Vegas. It’ll be interesting to see if the Bruins maintain this pace when they step up in class.
