DURHAM, UK – With the profile of the Elite League increasing all the time many sports bookmakers are now compiling markets on most weekend match ups as well as the outcome of the entire campaign. Belfast have been installed as hot favourites to take the Elite League crown this season and with the roster Doug Christiansen had assembled it is not hard to see why.
Belfast do have to contend with the loss of their marque signing as Jon Pelle who was the Elite League’s top points scorer last season when he iced for the Cardiff Devils has unfortunately already picked up an injury. Giants still have a great deal of fire power to call upon with the likes of Rob Dowd, Craig Peacock and Adam Keefe in their ranks so it remains to be seen if Pelle’s absence will severely affect Belfast as a unit.
Cardiff Devils and Nottingham Panthers are currently joint 2nd favourites with the bookies as both teams can be backed at 7/2. Panthers will have many supporters at that price as Corey Neilson’s side look to have quality all over the ice however Cardiff look to have a weaker squad than last season and it is hard to see the Devils fighting for the title at the end of the campaign.
The current Elite League Champions the Sheffield Steelers are surprisingly as big as 4/1 in the betting. It is true that Steelers have a rookie coach in Ryan Finnerty however the South Yorkshire side have been able to retain the services of top class players such as Jeff League, Neil Clark and Rod Sarich as well as adding a number of quality additions to their roster which indicates that Sheffield could well have another successful campaign.
The only other side who the bookies rate as possible Elite League challengers are the Coventry Blaze who can be backed at 6/1. Coventry Coach Paul Thompson will be hoping his squad can get bounce back after an awful season last term when they finished 6th in the final standings. Blaze have a number of talented Brits in their ranks such as Robert Farmer, Greg Owen, Jonathan Weaver and Russ Cowley though it remains to be seen if Coventry’s imports are strong enough to see the side from the Sky Dome mount a realistic challenge at the top of the table.
The other 5 Elite League sides have been priced up at 25/1 or bigger to list the title with the Edinburgh Capitals available at a huge 100/1. Hull look to be a little overpriced at 50/1 though with no each way terms the bookies are operating cautiously in a market they are not familiar with.
Contact the author – chris.mackenzie@prohockeynews.com
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