The 2021-22 NHL season is underway, and the Arizona Coyotes are back to competing in the Central Division. The NHL has had to deal with COVID-19 for two straight seasons, but there is hope that things will be back to normal this time around.
Darcy Kuemper #35 of the Arizona Coyotes Travis Konecny #11 of the Philadelphia Flyers Oliver Ekman-Larsson #23 of the Arizona Coyotes
Unfortunately for Arizona, a return to normalcy also means that the Coyotes might struggle yet again. This franchise has not been one of the best in the NHL for quite some time, and it could be another long year for fans of the Coyotes.
One thing that will be different for fans of the Coyotes is that they are now allowed to place a legal sports bet on their favorite NHL team. Arizona launched sports betting on September 9, which should create more excitement and engagement surrounding the hockey team in the state.
Arizona sports betting apps such as BetMGM have listed Arizona Coyotes at +15000 to win the Stanley Cup this season. Other sportsbook apps in Arizona have similar odds, and there isn’t expected to be much action with these odds.
Even if Arizona is not expected to be a playoff contender this season, the Coyotes still provide betting opportunities throughout the year.
Few teams in the NHL made as many offseason moves as the Arizona Coyotes, which creates some suspense for the season. Arizona said goodbye to several important players from a season ago, but they landed some intriguing players as well.
The goaltending duo of Antti Raanta and Darcy Kuemper is no longer with the team, and that will create some serious questions. Veterans Anton Stralman and Antoine Roussel should provide an offensive boost to the Coyotes, but it’s unclear how much.
Arizona finished the 2020-21 season with a record of 24-26-6, which landed them in fifth place in the very tough West Division. The Coyotes were actually in playoff contention for a majority of the season but ultimately came up short.
Ilya Lyubushkin #46, Goalie Darcy Kuemper #35 of the Arizona Coyotes and Travis Konecny #11 of the Philadelphia Flyers
If Arizona can’t compete for the Stanley Cup title, fans might wonder if they can at least compete in the Central Division. There is a chance that the Coyotes could always go on a surprising run, but the odds are not in their favor.
Arizona has the worst odds to win the Central Division at +10000, and a division title for the Coyotes would result in a massive payout for the bettor. The Colorado Avalanche has odds set at -240 to win the Central Division, making them the clear betting favorites.
There are other paths to make the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs, and the Coyotes don’t have to win the Central Division to get there. Sportsbooks in Arizona don’t like the playoff odds for this team either, as the odds are +800 for them to make the postseason.
Darcy Kuemper #35 of the Arizona Coyotes sprawls out and covers the puck from players from the Philadelphia Flyers
The sport of hockey has started to become more popular over the last few years, but it still trails the other three professional sports. Some big NHL news headlines have been coming through over the past few weeks, but you have to look hard to find these.
The launch of legal sports betting will provide some additional attention to the Arizona Coyotes, and this will be a team that sees betting action on individual games. Arizona will be looking to set the foundation for the future this season, and becoming a playoff contender would be considered a successful season.
The odds make it seem like this will be a long year for Arizona, but surprises always happen in the NHL.
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