Pacific Division Betting Preview: PointsBet Canada Overs & Unders
By: Aleem Kanji
Anaheim Ducks:
Over 71.5 -115
Under 71.5 -115
2021 82-game pace = 62.96 points
The Ducks are in a rebuild, there is no question. Ryan Getzlaf is hanging around on one-year contracts, and gone are the days of the 2010s. However, there is some very good young talent on this team. They could be a force to reckon very soon. In goal, John Gibson is one of the best goalies in the league. Unfortunately, he does not have much help and is often injured, due to his workload and exhaustion.
Up front, the Ducks are hoping Maxime Comtois, Troy Terry and Sam Steel can keep things interesting. Trevor Zegras had 12 points in 24 games last year and is on the verge of stardom. But, he is still only 20 and will have some struggles this year. There are some good pieces on defense, but they are getting up in age with Hampus Lindholm and Cam Fowler. Jamie Drysdale will be the next heir apparent soon enough, but he is a rookie and will most likely struggle in the defensive zone. He is an offensive defenseman, but might be a year away from contributing at a high level.
Anaheim is a team that has some good core pieces, but they’re just now starting to come into their own. Gibson will keep this team in games and the division is relatively weak. Take the over 71.5 points for the Ducks.
Calgary Flames:
Over 92.5 +100
Under 92.5 -130
2021 82 game pace = 80.53 points
The Flames have a roster that is built to compete now. Unfortunately, last year they missed the playoffs. Rumors of in-fighting between Johnny Gaudreau and Matthew Tkachuk checkered their offseason. Both are in the last year of their respective deals and one of them could be out the door next summer. In goal, Calgary paid up for Jacob Markstrom last year, although he disappointed. Daniel Vladar who could be an interesting backup and may give Markstrom some real competition.
The Flames have a real question about Sean Monahan. Is he a true No. 1 center or a very good No. 2? During the shortened season, Monahan was only scoring at a 0.5 points per game clip. This will not cut it for a team with playoff aspirations. Behind him, Mikael Backlund provides depth and Blake Coleman can step up in a pinch. Look for Andrew Mangiapane to take another step and really show he belongs in the top 6. Their defense core was remade after Seattle took Mark Giordano. The heir apparent is either Rasmus Andersson or Juuso Valimaki and could provide some real youth to a competent defense.
Calgary management has aspirations to compete for the top of this division and their points total reflects this. Darryl Sutter will have his guys ready for every game, but is his coaching style reflective of hockey in 2021? I don’t think so. They will be relying on Markstrom too much. Take the under 92.5 for the Flames.
Seattle Kraken:
Over 92.5 -115
Under 92.5 -115
2021 82 game pace = N/A
The Kraken are the NHL’s newest team. They made some moves during the Expansion Draft that left analysts scratching their heads. Perhaps other teams approached this Expansion Draft a bit more thoughtfully than they did with the Vegas Golden Knights in 2017, with Seattle often tasked with having to pick players who were either high cap hits or replacement level players. In goal, the Kraken signed UFA Philipp Grubauer and took Chris Dreidger from Florida to make a decent tandem.
Their forward corps is steady if unspectacular. With Jordan Eberle, Jaden Schwartz and Yanni Gourde, the Kraken will have enough depth to give the weaker teams fits, but may have trouble lining up against stronger competition. On defense, newly-named captain Mark Giordano will be able to bring some leadership, while players like Vince Dunn and Haydn Fleury could surprise.
Everyone will look at the Kraken and why can’t they replicate what Vegas did in its first season? But, the odds of a player like William Karlsson (and his 43 goals in 2017-18) are pretty slim. Books were giving that Vegas team a 68.5 point over/under in 2017-18. Things have changed in the NHL since then, but can lightning strike twice? I think not. Take the under 92.5 for the Kraken.
Vancouver Canucks
Over 88.5 –
Under 88.5 -115
2021 82-game pace = 73.21
Vancouver is in an interesting position. The Canucks recently signed their two best players to lucrative contracts and will get them in for the preseason. Pettersson and Hughes should give the Canucks a great forward and defense combo. The Canucks are hoping that Demko is ready to become a No. 1 goalie, but brought in veteran Jaroslav Halak as a safety net.
Brock Boeser and Bo Horvat are still on this team and are very good pieces. Boeser especially has some extra motivation as he is an RFA next year and will be looking for a big payday. Management took a gamble and is hoping for Oliver Ekman-Larsson to get back on track after his trade from the Coyotes. Unfortunately, there is not much depth behind him.
Last year was not good for the Canucks. They got hit with the COVID-19 bug and it derailed their entire season, along with the fact that Pettersson was injured. The Canucks will be hard pressed to make the playoffs with their roster. Take the under 88.5 for the Canucks.
