Ryan O'Reilly Trade Bolsters Maple Leafs Stanley Cup Odds
The Toronto Maple Leafs appear to be all in this season after acquiring forward Ryan O’Reilly from the St. Louis Blues.
Significant trades have started happening ahead of the NHL’s March 3 trade deadline. With several teams up against the salary cap, teams were expected to wait closer to the deadline to make trades to save money, but that hasn’t been the case.
The Leafs’ acquisition of O’Reilly is interesting considering what they gave up, especially after general manager Kyle Dubas said he wouldn’t trade his first-round pick for a rental, which is what he did. There’s a chance O’Reilly will re-sign with the club, but that is unknown.
Let’s dive into the Maple Leafs’ Stanley Cup odds on the FanDuel Sportsbook and discuss if there’s value in backing their current price.
Maple Leafs Looking to go on Deep Playoff RunA few things stand out with the Leafs’ acquisition of O’Reilly and Noel Acciari. The Maple Leafs are now tougher to play against, and they added scoring depth. Through the team’s numerous first-round eliminations, scoring depth has been an issue as goals dry up in the playoffs. There’s less time and space in the playoffs for the Leafs’ star players to do what they’re accustomed to, which is why these additions have the potential to pay dividends in April and May.
With the Blues, O’Reilly captured a Stanley Cup and won the Conn Smythe in 2019, so he knows what it takes to win big games. Even if the Leafs find themselves eliminated in the first round, there shouldn’t be much pushback with a move like this. It’s now up to the players to reward management for giving them what they’ve been asking for.
The Maple Leafs are currently priced with the fourth-shortest odds to win the Stanley Cup at +900. By all accounts, the Maple Leafs will face the Tampa Bay Lightning in Round 1 of the playoffs, which is no easy task. Still, there’s reason to be bullish about the Leafs, whose fate could come down to goaltending. Despite a lack of playoff success, this is a solid price for the Leafs’ Stanley Cup odds.
