The National Hockey League is scheduled to begin in October, and the current odds are starting to settle in for a Stanley Cup Favorite.  The Philadelphia Flyers currently have the best odds at most major online sportsbooks. Canadian teams seem to be updating their rosters left and right, thus fluctuating odds, which have been for the better except in the Ottawa Senators case.  Futures bets are still a good at this point for odds are expected to change some more leading up to opening day.

In preparation for the 2006 Stanley Cup, sports bettors are scrambling quick to keep up with changing odds.  This years NHL season, which is set to begin the first week of October, is fast approaching, and team rosters are finally starting to settle in place after some recent signings.  So too are the postseason odds for the Stanley Cup favorite.

Canada has made a dramatic comeback - as far as odds are concerned - in recent days.  Although no Canadian team has the best odds, which is actually held by the Philadelphia Flyers at 5:1, there are several teams who are definitely in the big picture.  The Toronto Maple Leafs are currently at 12:1.  This was a jump from 15:1 after the team signed Jeff O'Neill, Eric Lindros and Jason Allison. This poses as a great matchup with the Ottawa Senators who actually dropped brom 10:1 to 8:1. Two other Canadian teams, besides the Maple Leafs, getting a boost in odds are the Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers, who had the biggest improvement (from 40:1 to 25:1) when they signed Chris Pronger and Michael Peca.  The Flames recently made room for new players like Tony Amonte and Miika Kiprusoff, thus improving their odds to 20:1.

The major factor this season has been in retaining key players from the previous season whose contracts were up and in the air.  Most teams did not let any of their promising players, which shows for a definite commitment by all to take home the Stanley Cup...It is definitely going to be a highly competitive and exciting year and postseason.  Even in Pennsylvania, where the Flyers are the favorites, the Penguins are expected to give tough competition after recently going from 100:1 to 35:1 when the team signed Sergei Gonchar and Ziggy Palffy, and drafted the newcomer, Sidney Crosby, who should be exciting to watch this year.  What a payout that 100:1 futures bet will be!

For more information on the upcoming season, including a month by month schedule of games, one of the best resources you can freely use is the NHL website.

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