Futures at willhill.com

With NHL teams opening training camps this week, many people (mostly Canadians) have been looking for good places to place wagers on who the eventual Stanley Cup Champions might be. After checking on a few sites offering NHL Futures, I offer three solid bets that give great odds, and three teams to stay away from. As odd as it sounds, it seems that the UK based www.willhill.com has the most lucrative odds for hockey futures that were available.

The Good:

San Jose Sharks (odds: 12-1)
Last season, the Sharks were bounced in the 2nd round of the playoffs by the Detroit Red Wings. Many analysts thought that the Red Wings didn?t beat the Sharks, the Sharks beat themselves. With essentially every big member of the team returning, their youth and early exit last season should slowly be turning into valuable experience. Sniper Milan Michalek and captain Patrick Marleau have been awarded contract extensions, and with quite possibly the best playmaking center in the NHL in Joe Thornton, they will again be looking to turn regular season success into playoff dominance. If sniper Jonathon Cheechoo can return to the 56 goal form of 2005-06, look out. The young guys are only going to get better and compliment an already impressive top two forward lines. Joe Pavelski, Ryan Clowe, Patrick Rissmiller, and Steve Bernier will all be maturing, just to name a few.

My only concern is the Sharks blueline, which has lost Scott Hannan to free agency, and needs guys like Matt Carle to really step up, and do it now. However, with young, mobile defencemen and an Evgeni Nabakov between the pipes (who no-longer has to worry about his #1 goaltender status with Vesa Toskala heading to Toronto), there should be plenty to keep the puck out of the Sharks? net. 12-1 is a great bet on a team that probably should be considered the Cup favourite behind Anaheim.

Calgary Flames (odds: 25-1)
The Flames had some issues last season with a new coach, and an uncanny inability to win on the road which carried into the playoffs and led to a first round exit at the hands of the Detroit Red Wings. Offence was never a problem for the Flames last year, but they were criticized about being outworked and undisciplined, both of which never happened under former coach/current GM Darryl Sutter. This has been addressed with the arrival of new head coach ?Iron? Mike Keenan. While this move was questioned by some, it should help return the Flames to the work ethic of the 2004 Stanley Cup Finalist squad who beat their opponents down with hard work and relentless physical play. With bargain contract extensions being signed by Blueliner Robyn Regehr and captain Jarome Iginla, two important members are now free to focus on hockey, and not contract issues. With returning forwards Matthew Lombardi, Daymond Langkow, Alex Tanguay, and Kristian Huselius, putting the puck in the net shouldn?t be a problem. The veteran presence of Craig Conroy and Stephane Yelle will round out a very deep forward unit.

Back at the point, Dion Phaneuf is back with his bone crushing hits, booming shot, and menacing presence. With Regehr locked up, Rhett Warrener returning and Adrian Aucoin and Cory Sarich replacing the departed Brad Stuart and Roman Hamrlik, things should be solid as always on the Cowtown blueline. In goal, the Flames sport one of the game?s best in Mikka Kipprusoff, who?s in the final year of his contract and set to become an unrestricted free agent at season?s end. If the Flames are unable to lock up their netminder before the playoffs, the team might realize that this season is their best shot at winning Lord Stanley?s mug.

Longshot: Los Angeles Kings (odds: 80-1)
Yes, the same Los Angeles Kings that finished the 2006-07 season 14 games below .500. The Kings have quietly assembled one of the best young core of forwards with Patrick O?Sullivan, Alexander Frolov, Anze Kopitar, and with perhaps the quietest 80 points in the league last season, Mike Cammalleri. Combine this with new acquisitions of Kyle Calder, Ladislav Nagy, and Michal Handzus, and you have a good mix of youth and veteran presence up front. If Nagy and Handzus can stay healthy, they could have overdue breakout years, and Calder should be able to help Dustin Brown and Derek Armstrong with 3rd line checking.

On defence, the Kings could possibly have one of the best top six in the NHL. Lubomir Visnovsky has just been wrapped up in a long term deal, and Rob Blake is once again providing leadership and guidance to the Calder Trophy candidate and Blue Chip prospect Jack Johnson, who is undeniably NHL ready. The acquisitions of Brad Stuart and Tom Preissing?s astonishing +40 rating should really help stabilize the blueline, with veteran Jaroslav Modry rounding out the top six. The Kings biggest and most glaring hole is between the pipes. With injury prone Dan Cloutier still under contract, I find it unlikely that he is able to lead the Kings to a playoff run. He hasn?t played solid hockey for any length of time since about 2003. With AHL Goaltender of the Year Jason Labarbara set to return to the Kings line-up, he could conceivably steal the number one job, which I?m sure Kings fans would be more comfortable with than the notion of Cloutier playing 60+ games. The Kings also signed free agent JS Aubin, who might spend most of the season in Manchester, the Kings? AHL affiliate.

The Bad:

Buffalo Sabres (odds: 10-1)

With these, not much elaboration is needed. The Sabres have lost both co-captains in Daniel Briere and Chris Drury, and didn?t replace them with anyone of note. With Danius Zubrus also gone, most of the offensive responsibility will lie with Thomas Vanek. With no big names to help take the pressure off, the Sabres will be hard pressed to match last year?s offence. On defence, they are still very solid, as are they in net with Ryan Miller, but they have just lost too much firepower to justify placing a bet like this.

New Jersey Devils (odds: 14-1)

While it?s tough to count out anyone with Martin Brodeur in the net, I think that like the Sabres, the Devils just lost too much in the offseason. Scott Gomez is off to Broadway, and their best defenceman in Brian Rafalski is headed to Detroit. That means their top three defencemen from the 2003 Stanley Cup Champions are all gone. Danius Zubrus? signing will help marginally offensively, as will Karel Rachunek and Vitali Vishnevski help the holes left on the point, but the Devils are a worse team than last season?s version. Expect Pittsburgh to take over this division.

Nashville Predators (odds 16-1)

Unless this line falls to about 200-1, I?d stay away. With ownership issues abound in Tennessee, the gutting of the roster, including all-star goalie Tomas Vokoun is in full force. They still have some good young talent, but unless everyone has career years, they?ll be lucky to make the playoffs in the league?s worst division. Leave this bet alone, no matter how lucky you?re feeling.