The 2021-22 NHL regular season is officially back in business on the heels of an eventful All-Star break. Likewise, betting odds on the 2022 Stanley Cup are also reaching their natural crescendo. We are so deep into the season that the championship landscape is essentially set in stone.
Or maybe not.
As we have covered ad nauseam in this space, there's an influx of parity throughout the NHL this year. It has made for wonky game-to-game wagering, and it's been harder to discern clear title options. Even the best betting sites for 2022 NHL hockey are struggling to make sense of the pecking order. Championship odds are shifting almost daily as new contenders emerge. And for our next edition of 2022 NHL picks, we'll be spotlighting yet another team that has made the leap to Stanley Cup hopeful: The Pittsburgh Penguins.
First thing's first, though. Let's review the latest betting odds on the NHL for all the action taking place on Thursday, February 17, including the Penguins' matchup vs. the Toronto Maple Leafs:
| Favorite |  | | Underdog |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toronto Maple Leafs | -146 | +132 | Pittsburgh Penguins |
| New York Rangers | -190 | +171 | Detroit Red Wings |
| Washington Capitals | -175 | +158 | Philadelhia Flyers |
| Buffalo Sabres | -114 | +103 | Ottawa Senators |
| St. Louis Blues | -265 | +235 | Montreal Canadiens |
| Boston Bruins | -110 | +100 | New York Islanders |
| Winnipeg Jets | -170 | +153 | Seattle Kraken |
| Chicago Blackhawks | -141 | +128 | Columbus Blue Jackets |
| Edmonton Oilers | -230 | +205 | Anaheim Ducks |
| Vancouver Canucks | -115 | +104 | San Jose Sharks |
Though single-game lines won't move much before the opening faceoff, we still endorse double-checking all NHL betting odds for accuracy, since they can technically shift right up until the action is underway.
We also believe it's a great idea to peruse our reviews of the top online sportsbooks prior to making any NHL betting picks. These evaluations are super detailed and will enable you to find the best hockey betting sites in 2022.
Can Penguins Make Stanley Cup-Sized Statement vs. Maple Leafs?
Going up against the Maple Leafs' offense spells death for most teams that aren't also firecrackers on that end of the ice. But not the Penguins.
Pittsburgh sports perhaps the most hellacious defense in the league. Only two teams are allowing fewer goals per game, and only two teams are posting higher save percentages.
Toronto will still find ways to break through, particularly in transition. It's what they do. But Kris Letang has kept the Penguins' offense afloat in recent weeks, so when combined with their collective defensive performance, it's time to treat them as one of the NHL's foremost heavyweights.
OSB Prediction: Pittsburgh Penguins (+132)
The Rangers Have Officially Arrived, As Well
Speaking of strong defense: Holy New York Rangers.
The Rangers are currently second in goals allowed per game and save percentage, no small feat given how tight things are in their division at the moment. More recently, they have also done a bang-up job killing penalties and capitalizing on power plays.
At this rate, it won't be long before we're talking about New York as the newest Stanley Cup contender.
OSB Prediction: New York Rangers (-190)
Oilers Rebound vs. Ducks
Look, we're not going to sit here and pretend the Oilers are the safest bet in hockey. They have been all over the place this season and bordered on maddening.
Edmonton's chaotic year most recently culminated in the firing of head coach Dave Tippet following back-to-back losses to the Chicago Blackhawks and Vegas Golden Knights. Making changes to the sideline this late into the season is never a good sign.
Then again, the Oilers have since turned in more creative and inspired performances on offense, led by their two MVPs, Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid. We are fairly confident they can stay on track against Anaheim.
OSB Prediction: Edmonton Oilers (-230)
St. Louis is Vulnerable Against Montreal...But May Still Win
Overall, the St. Louis Blues loom as a desperately flawed team. Their offense isn't particularly consistent, they register a lot of thoughtless penalties, and they've incurred some defensive slippage between the posts.
For this matchup specifically, we're unconcerned.
The Montreal Canadiens are not a real threat to anyone at the moment. More than that, St. Louis knows how to mask their largest weaknesses by capitalizing on power plays. Only one team scores on a higher percentage of their plus-one-player minutes than St. Louis.
OSB Prediction: St. Louis Blues (-265)
Canucks Have Slight Advantage Over San Jose
Kudos to the San Jose Sharks for continuing to top the league in penalty killing percentage. That's great. Truly. But scoring is also imperative to winning hockey games, and the Sharks, frankly, don't do much of it.
To be fair, the Vancouver Canucks aren't chock full of superstar scorers themselves. They do, however, tally goals on a much higher percentage of their power plays and have even been known to scrap together shorthanded scores, as well.
OSB Prediction: Vancouver Canucks (-115)
Take a look at this list of the top online sportsbooks so you can decide which one to use for all of your NHL betting:
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