Penguins Post Erik Karlsson Trade East and Stanley Cup Odds

New Pittsburgh Penguins President of Hockey Operations Kyle Dubas has been making his mark on the club, acquiring Erik Karlsson from the San Jose Sharks. Karlsson is coming off capturing the Norris trophy with the Sharks and surpassing the 100-point plateau, signifying he still has a lot left to offer a contending team. Yes, the Penguins’ core is old, but there’s no reason for them not to make another run at a Stanley Cup during Sidney Crosby’s twilight years. 

Below, we’ll dive into the Penguins’ odds of winning the Eastern Conference and Stanley Cup. 

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How much more does this Penguins’ core have to give? That’s a question that many looking at their betting prices in the futures markets are wondering this morning, just 24 hours removed from making a blockbuster trade. As we stand on August 7, the Penguins sit in a tie with the New York Rangers at +950 for the sixth-shortest odds of winning the East.

Ahead of them are the Carolina Hurricanes, Toronto Maple Leafs, New Jersey Devils, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Boston Bruins. When you look at the depth in the East, there are multiple teams you can make a case for to win the conference. At their current price, the Pens aren’t exactly in a position where we’d consider their odds to be a value. There’s still a lot of uncertainty around this club, notably how top-heavy and old it is. The ceiling for this team looks to be one that can win multiple rounds in the playoffs, but we have a hard time seeing them playing for a Stanley Cup. 

One injury to Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang, or Erik Karlsson, and the Pittsburgh Penguins are in a world of trouble. That alone makes it difficult to make a real case for them to win the Stanley Cup, even factoring in the pedigree that these superstar talents boast.

Dubas has made a big bet on their aging core, along with two inconsistent goaltenders in Tristan Jarry and Alex Nedeljkovic. Jarry can be a reliable starter at his best, but he’s been too inconsistent to make the long-term bet on him that Dubas did in free agency. The Pens do have the familiarity aspect with Jarry, but we’re just not sure he’s the type of goalie that can lead them to a Stanley Cup, even after Adin Hill emerged and did so with the Vegas Golden Knights last year.

Of course, we like the high-end players on the Pens roster, but there’s not enough value in backing their +2000 Stanley Cup odds as we sit in the dog days of summer. 

Odds courtesy FanDuel Sportsbook