NHL Betting: Why We Are Betting on Vegas to Repeat as Stanly Cup Champions

The Vegas Golden Knights have not looked like Stanley Cup Champions since December 15, going 12-14. Things have not been better of late, losing three of their previous four games. The cold streak has the team’s price to win the Stanley Cup dropping on betting apps across the industry.

Below, we will share why our US Legal Betting hockey experts think that now is the time to bet on the Knights to repeat as champions. We will provide you with the latest insights to help you bet confidently at Stanley Cup betting sites this season.

Betting sites across the country have greatly dropped the odds for the Golden Knights to win the 2024 Stanley Cup. Here is where some of the industry leaders currently have their odds:

The top reason for the Knights’ struggles has been their scoring. They currently rank fourteenth in the NFL in goals, averaging 3.14 per game. Their defense has been solid, but their inability to score has cost them a lot of close games. Vegas is averaging just 2.72 goals over their last 26 games, which is less than the 2.73 they are allowing this season.

The Knights’ offensive struggles can be largely attributed to injuries. William Karlsson missed January with a lower-body injury, and Jack Eichel has been out since January 11 with an injury of his own. Karlsson recently returned to the ice, but Eichel is listed as week-to-week.

Karlsson and Eichel are two of the team’s top scorers and a key part of their power play. The Golden Knights have struggled to generate goals on the power play, and now rank twentieth in the league by percentage (19.7%). It is very hard to win consistently if you can’t score on the power play, especially when you are also struggling to score at full strength.

As we mentioned above, this team has been struggling with injury. Losing Eichel and Karlsson is a brutal blow, but they were also without defensemen Shea Theodore. The 28-year-old recently returned from surgery he had in November, causing him to miss three months of the season. The Knights worst run of the season coincides with when all three of these stars without, explaining the struggles. 

While we have concern about Eichel and the lack of a return date for him Karlsson and Theodore will give this team a boost over the next few weeks. Once settled in, they should have enough to stay towards the top of the West. If Eichel can get back in time, they could even make a run at the Canucks for the lead in the Pacific.

Stars returning from injury is only part of the reason that we love this bet. The key to winning a Stanley Cup is goaltending, and the Knights have that in spades. Logan Thompson (17-10, 2.68 GA/G, 90.9 SV%) and Adin Hill (14-5, 2.15 GA/G, 92.9 SV%) have both been good this season.

Hill was the key to the Knights championship run in last season’s playoffs, and now they will (hopefully) have a healthy Logan Thompson behind him. 

Bettors will be scared away from taking the Knights right now, but this price won’t last long. Vegas will start improving soon, and the bets will start rolling in once they do. While the West is competitive, we think the Knights talent and experience make their current price too good to pass on.