We are in the dog days of the NHL offseason, but that doesn’t mean bettors should sit around and wait for the leaves to start changing colors before building their portfolio for the 2024-25 campaign.
In fact, it is a best practice among professional bettors to get money down early in the offseason to ensure they get the best of the number since money will start pouring in as we get closer to training camp and a lot of prices you see now will be long gone.
So with that in mind, here are a handful of futures wagers that are worth playing early because there’s a good chance these numbers are slashed by the time we drop the puck in October.
Boston Bruins to win the Atlantic Division (+500, BetMGM)
It is a little perplexing to see the Bruins listed as the fourth-favorite to win the Atlantic Division at some sportsbooks after they put together another impressive season.
Boston has collected at least 107 points in each of the past three campaigns and has answered the skeptics who thought the Bruins would take a step back after losing players like Zdeno Chara, Tuukka Rask, Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci over the last handful of seasons.
The Bruins saw another key player, Jake DeBrusk, leave this summer, but they were proactive once again and signed Nikita Zadorov and Elias Lindholm to ensure that this remains one of the deepest lineups in the NHL.
With an elite goaltender in Jeremy Swayman, star players at the top of the roster and a winning culture, the Bruins have too high of a ceiling to be the fourth-favorite in a wide open Atlantic Division.
Boston Bruins left wing Brad Marchand. USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con
Jon Cooper to win the Jack Adams Trophy (15/1, Caesars)
It’s hard to believe that Jon Cooper, the longest-tenured head coach in the NHL, has never won the Jack Adams Trophy.
He’s got two Stanley Cup rings, four Eastern Conference championship banners and a Presidents’ Trophy, but somehow he’s never been named Coach of the Year.
That could change this spring if the Lightning make good on some raised expectations after a couple of down seasons and a busy summer in which they saw Steven Stamkos walk and Jake Guentzel join the club.
Betting on the NHL?
- Check out the best NHL betting sites
- Read our expert guide on how to bet on the NHL
- Get the latest Stanley Cup Odds
Like most awards, the Jack Adams is voted on by human beings (broadcasters in this instance) and having the best storyline matters almost as much as your team’s results.
It’s hard to find a coach whose team has a realistic chance of contending with a better supporting narrative than Cooper, a surefire Hall of Famer who has yet to win this honor.
Don’t be surprised if Cooper ends up as one of the favorites in this market as we approach Opening Night.
Noah Hanifin to win the Norris Trophy (500/1, FanDuel)
As these odds imply, it is extremely unlikely that Noah Hanifin wins the Norris Trophy. The former fifth-overall pick is a top-pair defenseman in the NHL, but he’s never put up the offensive numbers that voters value in this category.
That said, Hanifin has a couple of things going for him that make him interesting at this monster price.
For one, he should be the No. 1 defenseman on a terrific Vegas Golden Knights team. With Alex Pietrangelo past his prime, there’s little doubt that Bruce Cassidy will lean on Hanifin to be the headliner on this blueline.
Noah Hanifin will need to improve offensively but if he does, is very live to win the Norris Trophy. NHLI via Getty Images
Secondly, Hanifin will get every opportunity to run the top power play in Vegas, which should also feature Jack Eichel, Tomas Hertl and Mark Stone. That should boost his production considerably.
Hanifin posted 13 goals in 80 games with Calgary and Vegas in 2023-24. If he can bump that to 20 and play massive minutes on a Stanley Cup contender? Well, then things get very interesting for folks holding this ticket.
