Stars Rising as Legitimate Western Conference Threat
In a season that began with question marks about the Dallas Stars roster, they’ve proved people wrong and emerged as a genuine contender to win the Western Conference. The Stars qualified for the playoffs last year and gave the Calgary Flames all they could handle, but ultimately fell in Game 7 in overtime during the opening round.
With a young squad that continues to improve under a new head coach, the Stars are on a positive trajectory and sit with the most points in the West.
Western Conference Line Movement (Open –> Current)
- Avalanche +175 to –> +320
- Golden Knights +650 –> +450
- Stars +1800 –> +600
With the All-Star break approaching, the Stars sit with a strong 28-13-10 record and many positive trends. Dallas is eighth in the NHL in goals per game and second in goals allowed per game. They are led by one of the NHL’s best and most productive top lines.
The Stars are also blessed with one of the NHL’s top goaltenders, Jake Oettinger. They can not only win a track meet, but they can also survive a tight defensive affair. With their consistency and upside, the Stars have seen a substantial jump in their odds of winning the Western Conference.
Dallas opened the year with +1800 odds to win the West, which has been bet down to +600 thanks to their outstanding first half of the regular season. The Central Division is challenging, but they’ve proven they should be taken seriously, especially in the betting markets.
At +600, the Stars currently have the third-shortest odds to win the West, behind just the Colorado Avalanche (+320) and the Vegas Golden Knights (+450). Despite their odds seeing a significant uptick in the futures market, Dallas has yet to generate much backing.
The Stars have received 8.1% of tickets for a minuscule 2.5% of the handle to win the West. Most of the money has been following the Golden Knights, who’ve compiled 59% of the handle.
