The 3 best futures bets at the NHL trade deadline

The NHL trade deadline is Monday, and for teams in the playoff race, it is a significant day in the stretch drive of the season.

It also presents an opportunity to break down the three best futures bets available at BetAmerica. 

Pittsburgh Penguins to win the Stanley Cup (+1100)

The Penguins have outright odds of +1100 to win the Stanley Cup, the sixth-lowest odds at BetAmerica. Bettors may soon not be able to get the Penguins at a better price.

A rash of injuries earlier in the season—including to Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin—did nothing to slow the Penguins, and they’re now leading the Metropolitan Division by one point, over the struggling Washington Capitals, with a game in hand. 

The Penguins' outright odds have continued to shift over the last seven weeks, as they've continued to win and get healthy. 

With the one-two punch up the middle of Crosby and Malkin, a healthy Penguins team has the ability to beat any of the other Eastern powerhouses—Tampa Bay, Boston, Washington—in the playoffs, and this may be the best value to get them at between now and June.

Golden Knights to win Western Conference (+650)

The Western Conference is wide open, and the Vegas Golden Knights are on a nice run, with a 6-3-1 record in their last 10 games, after previous struggles and a coaching change. 

The Golden Knights have odds of +650 to win the West—the fourth-lowest odds on the board at BetAmerica. There is value in that selection, though, as the Stanley Cup window is still open for Vegas, which added help on its blue line by trading for Alec Martinez from the Los Angeles Kings. 

If Vegas is able to use its size and speed like it did two years ago, and gets better goaltending from Marc-Andre Fleury, that makes the Golden Knights the most dangerous team in the conference.

Dallas Stars to win Central Division +200

The St. Louis Blues are the defending Stanley Cup champs, and the Colorado Avalanche average 3.54 goals per game, the second-best rate in the NHL. But there is value in betting on the unheralded Dallas Stars to win the Central Division with odds of +200 at BetAmerica. 

The Stars and Blues are tied for the division lead with 76 points, each through 60 games played. The Avalanche are a point back, with a game in hand, but they’re also dealing with injuries to forwards Mikko Rantanen and Nazem Kadri, and goaltender Philipp Grubauer. 

That’s not to suggest the Avalanche are done in the Central race, but those injuries could have a significant impact on Colorado’s chances down the stretch. 

The Stars are among the stingiest defensive teams in the league, and Ben Bishop continues to give them great goaltending. They might not be the flashiest pick, but they present decent value in a divisional race that could come down to the wire. 

The ice is heating up in the NHL! Check out all the action at BetAmerica!