Detroit Red Wings 2019/20 Season Betting Preview
4 years ago
by OddsShark (@OddsShark)
The Detroit Red Wings have gone back to the future in 2019 in hopes of rekindling some of their past success that led to making the playoffs in 25 consecutive seasons. Now with a three-year drought, the Red Wings brought back legendary captain Steve Yzerman as their general manager following a successful stint with the Tampa Bay Lightning that saw them make it to the Stanley Cup Final in 2015 and win the Presidents’ Trophy this past season.
2018/19 Points Total: 74
2019/20 Points OVER/UNDER: 75.5
Odds to Win Division: +10000
Odds to Win Conference: +5000
Odds to Win Stanley Cup: +10000
2019/20 Points OVER/UNDER: 75.5
Odds to Win Division: +10000
Odds to Win Conference: +5000
Odds to Win Stanley Cup: +10000
Yzerman won three Stanley Cups in Detroit (1997, 1998 and 2002) as a player, and his ability to scout talent and develop players is one of the main reasons why Tampa Bay has been one of the top teams in the NHL over the past few years.
The key for his return to the Motor City though will be patience because the Red Wings likely will not get back to the playoffs this season. Their extremely long odds to win the Atlantic Division at +10000 at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com are telling in terms of what oddsmakers think about their chances to compete with the Lightning, Toronto Maple Leafs, Boston Bruins and others in a very stacked division heading into this year’s campaign.
Detroit does have a legitimate star player in 23-year-old center Dylan Larkin, who totaled a career-high 73 points (32 goals and 41 assists) in his fourth season. But the team currently lacks additional stars, with many of the players either too young or too old to make a serious impact or help improve the team’s NHL odds on the futures at sportsbooks.
In fact, 38-year-old defenseman Niklas Kronwall recently retired after 15 seasons with the Red Wings, winning a Cup in 2008. Center Valtteri Filppula was also on that team, and Yzerman re-signed him this offseason to add another veteran presence to mentor the younger players. The 35-year-old Filppula had 31 points (17 goals and 14 assists) with the New York Islanders a year ago, and he spent some time in Tampa Bay with Yzerman as well.
It may take a few more seasons for Detroit to be a playoff team again, especially with the defense an ongoing issue, particularly the goaltending. The aging duo of Jimmy Howard (23-22-5, 3.07 goals-against average) and Jonathan Bernier (9-18-5, 3.16) was bad last season, and they cannot play much worse. At least Howard finished with a winning record, and how much he has left in the tank might determine whether or not they surpass their point total.
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