The defending Stanley Cup Champion Colorado Avalanche didn’t have the first half many expected, but is there still value in them winning the Central?
Injuries have been a significant concern for the Avs this season. The teams’ captain, Gabriel Landeskog, has yet to play a game but is expected back for their stretch run. The addition of Landeskog can potentially be a massive boost for Colorado, considering his impact over the years.
Let’s look at the Colorado Avalanche’s current odds to win the Central Division on the FanDuel Sportsbook and break down whether or not they have enough value to back.
The Avalanche are a Sneaky Threat to Win the Central DivisionOddsmakers have continued to remain bullish on the Colorado Avalanche in the futures department. They remain the odds-on favorite to win the Western Conference and boast the third-shortest odds to win the Stanley Cup. Even amid disappointing results, it’s hard to argue with the prospects of the Avalanche. The sky is the limit when you have a core of Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen, and Cale Makar.
During the offseason, the Avs also added goaltender Alexandar Georgiev, and he’s performed above expectations, especially with the injuries they’ve endured. The Avs netminder has a 20-11-3 record with a .919 save percentage, numbers that could improve once the team gets back to full health.
The one thing the Avs have shown is their lack of a second-line center. After Nazem Kadri departed in free agency, the Avs haven’t replaced his production, indicating the team could target a trade for one before the March 3 deadline. It’ll go a long way in the postseason if they can add a player to fill that position.
Colorado sits nine points behind the division-leading Dallas Stars, but the Avs have three games in hand. With health becoming less of a factor, the Avs head into the All-Star break with a 7-3 record over their last ten games. The Avs are priced at +300 to win the Central, the second-shortest odds. Even with all that’s gone wrong for the Avs during their first 48 games, they still have a path to the division title.
Despite the Avs being somewhat of a longshot to win the division, there’s some merit in sprinkling some money on them to do so.
Buy or Sell: Buy the Avs to win the Central at +300
