Detroit Red Wings The Biggest Longshot To Nab The 2021 Stanley Cup

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Next weekend marks the long-awaited start of the 2020-21 NHL Season. However, despite their proud franchise history, the Detroit Red Wings are not expected to make a significant impact this year.

Despite all the changes and modifications made by the NHL to kickstart the 2021 season, Detroit remains an unlikely candidate for triumph in the playoffs.

The future of the Detroit Red Wings in 2021 remains uncertain, but their chances of success are slim following a disappointing 2020 season. Let’s delve deeper into the matter.

NHL adjusts schedule, divisions

The start of the upcoming NHL season is set for January 13th, marking its official commencement. A comprehensive 56-game schedule has been meticulously planned for each team, spanning from January 13th to May 8th. Following the regular season, playoffs will take place from May to July, adhering to the traditional 16-team format.

In addition to reducing the number of games from 82 to 56 for the season, the NHL has also made modifications to the divisions for 2021.

A total of four divisions have been established, with teams exclusively competing against other teams within their respective division during the regular season. The playoffs will feature the top four teams from each division. As a result of the challenges posed by COVID-19 and restrictions on cross-border travel, the NHL has been compelled to form a division exclusively comprising all seven Canadian teams.

In 2021, the NHL divisions are structured as follows, with the Red Wings being a member of the Central Division.

North Division	West Division	Central Division	East Division
Calgary	Anaheim	Carolina	Boston
Edmonton	Arizona	Chicago	Buffalo
Montreal	Colorado	Columbus	New Jersey
Ottawa	Los Angeles	Dallas	NY Islanders
Toronto	Minnesota	Detroit	NY Rangers
Vancouver	San Jose	Florida	Philadelphia
Winnipeg	St. Louis	Nashville	Pittsburgh
	Las Vegas	Tampa Bay	Washington

Detroit Red Wings 2021 season odds

There’s a fresh season ahead, with divisional bubbles and plenty of possibilities, but according to the sportsbooks we’re monitoring, the Red Wings are not expected to have a significant amount of that potential.

Detroit Red Wings 2021 Season Odds	BetMGM	DraftKings	FanDuel	PointsBet	William Hill
Win The Stanley Cup	+10000	+35000	+20000	+30000	+20000
Win The Central Division	+3000	+5000	+2800	+4000	+5000
Make The Playoffs	Yes +1000 No -2500	Yes +1150 No -5000	N/A	N/A	Yes +650 No -1000
Point Total	O 43.5 -110 U 43.5 -110	O 42.5 -112 U 42.5 -112	O 42.5 -115 U 42.5 -115	N/A	O 43.5 -110 U 43.5 -110

The Detroit Red Wings have the highest odds of winning the Stanley Cup, ranging from +10000 to +35000 depending on the sportsbook.

According to oddsmakers, the Colorado Avalanche are considered the frontrunners with a +700 odds of winning the Cup, while the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Las Vegas Golden Knights are also viewed as strong contenders.

The Detroit Red Wings are considered as longshots to win the Central Division, with odds ranging from +2800 to +5000 in their favor.

Detroit’s playoff chances are not significantly better, as two sportsbooks have listed them at odds of +1000 or higher.

The points prediction for the season is either 42.5 or 43.5, depending on the sportsbook.

Make sure to select your sportsbooks carefully, as the odds vary significantly. If you are confident in the Wings’ performance, aim for the highest possible return on your bet.

Yzerman sticking with Blashill as coach

Under the leadership of Steve Yzerman, who previously guided the Lightning to a Stanley Cup victory, the Red Wings are embarking on their second full season with him as their general manager. Yzerman, who played for the team from 1983 to 2006, aspires to replicate his success with the organization he once represented on the ice.

Head coach Jeff Blashill embarks on his sixth season, having successfully guided the Wings to the playoffs in his inaugural year (2015-16). However, the subsequent four years witnessed a series of disappointments as his team consistently recorded a losing record.

During the previous season, the Detroit Red Wings concluded with a record of 17 wins, 49 losses, and 5 ties in 71 games before their season was halted due to COVID-19. Notably, they were excluded from the NHL bubble that ultimately wrapped up the season, ultimately ending with the fewest wins in the league.

Scoring needs to improve for Wings to succeed

Detroit had a multitude of issues in the previous season, evident from their abysmal -122 goal differential, which ranked the lowest in the league.

Tyler Bertuzzi led the team in goals last season with a meager 21, while Dylan Larkin topped the charts in points with a modest 53. However, the team has potential reinforcements in Filip Zadina and Anthony Mantha, who can contribute to improving these numbers. Mantha showcased his prowess by scoring 16 goals and tallying 38 points in just 43 games last season. In the meantime, Zadina stepped up during Mantha’s absence and recorded eight goals and seven assists in 28 games. It is worth noting that both Bertuzzi and Mantha begin this season with new contracts.

Larkin, a hometown talent hailing from Waterford, is steadily progressing towards securing the coveted captaincy for the team, a position that has been vacant since 2018. In the eyes of Yzerman, the franchise’s focus remains firmly fixed on Larkin as their key player.

Larkin and Mantha are favored by BetMGM Sportsbook to be the top point scorers for the Wings, with odds of +150. Bertuzzi is also a strong contender, not too far behind, with odds of +200.

However, in addition to the need for better scoring, the defense also requires improvement.

With a 2.95 GAA in 46 games, Jonathan Bernier displayed potential. This marked the highest level of play in net for the 12-year NHL veteran since his time with Toronto in the 2014-15 season.

Last season, at the young age of 22, Filip Hronek was unexpectedly thrust into the defense position due to Danny DeKeyser’s back injury. This experience is likely to benefit Hronek as he enters the upcoming season with DeKeyser’s return.

Red Wings have an uphill climb in the Central Division

Detroit was placed in a challenging position within the Central Division, facing tough competition from the defending Stanley Cup champions, Tampa Bay, and the Stanley Cup finalists, Dallas.

Tampa is seen as the top contender to win the Central, whereas Detroit has been given the least favorable odds by oddsmakers.

The odds for the Lightning to win the division title range from +125 to +135, while the Stars and Hurricanes are contending for the second spot, depending on the specific sportsbook.

The Red Wings kick off their season on Jan. 14 with a home game against Carolina, which is the first of two games between the teams. Detroit will then continue their home streak with four consecutive games against the Hurricanes and Blue Jackets. Afterward, they will hit the road for a four-game trip, facing off against Chicago and Dallas.

The Detroit Red Wings face the longest odds and are considered the biggest longshot for 2021. However, history has shown that unexpected events can occur. It is highly unlikely that they will perform worse than they did last year.

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