NHL futures bet: Edmonton Oilers, Stanley Cup odds

The Edmonton Oilers spent a good portion of the first half of the season trying to find their game. The Oilers won just 21 of their first 42 games and a lot of the flaws that have plagued Edmonton for years — poor goaltending, leaky defense and a lack of help for Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl — popped up again. 

It looked as if the Oilers, who were one of the favorites in the Western Conference before the season, would be in a real scrap just to get into the NHL playoffs. 

The vibes are much better now. 

Since Jan. 11, the Oilers have gone 8-0-1 with a +24 goal differential. And while the schedule hasn’t been a true gauntlet in that span, Edmonton took care of business against some also-rans, while also defeating Vegas, Tampa Bay and Seattle. And perhaps most importantly, the Oilers have looked much more assured in their own zone, allowing just 21 goals in those nine contests. 

Perhaps the most notable development of the past month has been the play of big-ticket goaltender Jack Campbell, who looks to be turning his season around after struggling mightily in the first half. 

Campbell, who owns a pedestrian .889 save percentage and -11.3 Goals Saved Above Expected (GSAx) in 26 appearances this season, has posted a .917 save percentage and +1.87 GSAx in his last seven outings. With Stuart Skinner providing steady minutes all year, getting Campbell on track was vital if the Oilers wanted to make a charge up the Pacific Division. 

It also should be noted that Edmonton has won all five games since Evander Kane returned to the lineup. Kane, who went down with an injury in the beginning of November, has only a pair of goals and an assist since coming back, but he completely changes the makeup of the team’s top-six, relieving some of the burden from McDavid and Draisaitl. 

As things stand now, the Oilers occupy the first wild-card spot in the Western Conference and are four points above the playoff cutline. But this doesn’t look like a team that will be looking behind it much longer. Instead, the Oilers seem to be on their way up the Pacific Division ladder and are just two points (with a game in hand) behind the pole-sitting Golden Knights and one point behind the Kraken (who have a game in hand) and Kings (who have played two more games). 

BetMGM makes the Kraken a slight +160 favorite to win the Pacific, but the Oilers are right behind them at +250 and should flip those odds, and then some, pretty soon. Six out of Edmonton’s next nine games come against teams well outside of the playoff picture. 

Betting on the NHL?

While there does seem to be some value on the Oilers at +250 to win the Pacific, if you think that’s worth a bet, you should also invest in Edmonton to win the Western Conference at +500 or even the Stanley Cup at 17/1 because the path out of the Pacific is pretty soft. Barring something unforeseen, Edmonton would be a decent favorite against any other Pacific team right now and the Oilers wouldn’t be an underdog in a best-of-seven unless they met Colorado in the Western Conference final. 

The Oilers have been on a rip over the last month, but it doesn’t look as if it’s going to slow down any time soon. Plus, this is a team that should be active at the trade deadline and will look to bolster its steadily improving blue line. 

It seems as if the price on Edmonton is only going to get shorter from this point on. If you want in, act fast.