Golden Knights’ futures odds soar amid 1-4 start
The season has only just begun, but injuries to key players during a 1-4 start has sent the Golden Knights’ futures odds soaring at Las Vegas sportsbooks.
The Knights are now the +405 second choice at Circa Sports to win the Pacific Division behind the Edmonton Oilers (-160) and they’ve shot up as high as 15-1 at the South Point to win the Stanley Cup.
After opening the season as 5-1 Stanley Cup co-favorites at the Westgate SuperBook with the Avalanche, the Knights are now tied for the 14-1 fourth pick with Toronto to win it all behind Colorado (5-1), Florida (10-1) and Tampa Bay (12-1).
“They’ve just got so many injuries to so many key players right now,” SuperBook vice president of risk Jeff Sherman said. “It will be a tough struggle for them in the short term and they could really put themselves in a poor position if they don’t squeeze out some points in tough situations.
“Things couldn’t have gone much worse since the start of the season.”
Most notably, the Knights have lost left wing Max Pacioretty, captain Mark Stone and defensemen Alec Martinez and Zach Whitecloud to injuries.
“A lot of disgruntled #VGK fans out there,” SuperBook vice president Jay Kornegay posted Monday on Twitter. “A long way to go. I would still make them -150 to make the playoffs. Others that work close to me make them -130.”
The Knights are still +125 division favorites over the Oilers (+140) at BetMGM, where they opened the season at -165.
Losers of four straight games, including three at home, since a season-opening win over Seattle, the Knights are +136 underdogs to the Avalanche (-162) at Boyd Gaming in Tuesday’s game at Colorado.
Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com. Follow @tdewey33 on Twitter.
