Not Surprisingly, Oddsmakers Don’t See Sharks In Playoffs

The NHL Playoff race will be stacked this season, but the San Jose Sharks aren’t expected to be part of the fun as they continue their rebuild.

Reputable betting sites in Canada are showing as many as 26 teams with a legitimate shot of making the NHL playoffs, leaving the San Jose Sharks, Montreal Canadiens, Anaheim Ducks, Philadelphia Flyers, Arizona Coyotes, and Columbus Blue Jackets on the outside looking in.

But what’s even more interesting has to be the conference breakdowns and how the competition will vary in the East and West this season.

Let’s take a look:

The Colorado Avalanche, Edmonton Oilers, Vegas Golden Knights, and Dallas Stars are expected to fill out the first four spots in the Western Conference.

Three of the four teams had impressive seasons, with the Golden Knights ultimately winning the Stanley Cup, but a healthy Avalanche squad could also do some damage this season.

Champing at the bit are the Los Angeles Kings, Minnesota Wild, Calgary Flames, Vancouver Canucks, Nashville Predators and Winnipeg Jets.

The Wild have kept their core intact and should have some top prospects pushing for more prominent roles this season, but all eyes will be on Filip Gustavsson to repeat his performance from his breakout season.

With some significant additions to their roster, the L.A. Kings could be the team to take the next step and join the elite of the Western Conference.

So where does that leave teams like the San Jose Sharks?

It leaves them right where they should be, with great betting odds to potentially land the top overall pick at the 2024 NHL Entry Draft. If you’re looking to bet on the Sharks this season, your best bet is the OVER and various prop and future bets, like them picking first overall at the draft or over/under’s on goals, assists, and points totals.