Early betting odds on the 2022 NHL Stanley Cup didn't originally view the Pittsburgh Penguins as a contender. They were so 2017 or 2018, not 2022. A little more than halfway through the season, though, it's clear they were wrong. Really, it's clear that everyone was wrong.
The Penguins are a legitimate championship threat, the kind that isn't just expected to win but considered a lock to thrash opponents like the Arizona Coyotes on a random Tuesday night in January because they're just that good.
Is that overstating Pittsburgh''s superiority? We're here to take a look. And we've got our best NHL bets for every other game on Tuesday, January 25, docket as well. But before deciding whether the Penguins have put the Stanley Cup odds on notice, let's take a look at the latest 2022 NHL betting odds:
| Favorite |  | | Underdog |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh Penguins | -550 | +390 | Arizona Coyotes |
| Ottawa Senators | -194 | +160 | Sabres |
| Florida Panthers | -162 | +134 | Winnipeg Jets |
| Nashville Predators | -164 | +136 | Seattle Kraken |
| Edmonton Oilers | -134 | +112 | Vancouver Canucks |
All of our NHL picks, including Penguins vs. Coyotes, will be based on odds that are accurate entering gameday. However, because NHL betting lines are subject to shift right up until the opening faceoff, we strongly recommend double-checking them prior to placing any NHL picks.
Regardless of the bets, you're making, we also suggest perusing our extensive reviews of the top online sportsbooks. By checking them out, you're all but guaranteed to identify the best 2022 NHL betting sites at your disposal.
Yes, the Penguins are a Stanley Cup Threat
Games like Tuesday night's tilt with the lowly Coyotes aren't necessarily a Stanley Cup measuring stick for the Penguins. They're supposed to win. But beating up on inferior NHL opponents during the dog days of the regular season is part of what separates the great teams from merely the good to really good ones.
Do the Penguins have that cachet? We believe they do. Truly.
There may be no better defense in the league at this moment. The Penguins are second in goals allowed per game and save 91.6 percent of the shots fired at their net, and scant few squads do a better job of killing their shorthanded minutes.
Some have expressed concern about Pittsburgh's offense. They're not especially strong when it comes to taking advantage of power plays, and Jake Guentzel is the only player on the roster who has tallied more than 15 scores this season. Still, the Penguins' puck movement is absurdly enviable, and their offense-by-committee model continues to pay dividends. They may want for a ton of strengths, but they hover around the top 10 in goals scored per game.
Don't bother considering the Coyotes here. They rank as the NHL's worst team when weighting their point differential against their strength of schedule.
OSB Prediction: Pittsburgh Penguins (-550)
Sabres Snag a Victory from the Senators
There's a little too much favor being given here to the Ottawa Senators by linemakers. They aren't appreciably better than the Buffalo Sabres on the season.
Both teams are decidedly below average on the offensive and defensive ends. Not one of them is shooting even 9.5 percent from the ice, either. They're pretty even when all things are considered.
Buffalo gains our vote of confidence by a hair. They enjoy better goalie play between the posts, and they're also more adept at creating shots on goal in higher volume.
OSB Prediction: Buffalo Sabres (+160)
Florida Stays Dominant Against the Jets
Though the Winnipeg Jets have cobbled together a respectable season, you won't catch us betting against the NHL-best Florida Panthers in this one.
Florida has lost just two games since December 16. Seriously. That's more than a month, and they've been averaging around six goals per contest during this span.
The latter of these losses just so happened to come in their last game. And knowing the Panthers have dropped back-to-back contests on the road just once all season makes this an easy pick for us.
OSB Prediction: Florida Panthers (-162)
Nashville Wins Third Straight vs. Seattle
It looked like the Nashville Predators might fade from relevance for a minute, but they've rebounded quite nicely of late and enter their matchup with the Seattle Kraken riding a two-game winning streak.
The Predators don't profile as a great pull for the NHL's latest expansion team on a normal night. They don't have the offensive playmaking or efficiency when shooting on goal to crack Nashville's defense. While they should get a nice bump from the home crowd, this feels like a game that could end with them on the wrong side of a shutout.
OSB Prediction: Nashville Predators (-164)
Oilers Stick It to the Canucks
We don't blame you if you're down on the Edmonton Oilers. They just picked up their first victory in more than a month on Saturday. But that win came against the Calgary Flames and, more importantly, when the Oilers were sniffing full strength.
See, Edmonton has been impacted by COVID-19 absences more than most teams over the past few weeks. Now that they're approaching a semblance of healthy, we think their offense will finally stop stinking it up in early periods and return them to playoff contention.
OSB Prediction: Edmonton Oilers (-134)
Take a look at this list of the top online sportsbooks so you can decide which one to use for all your NHL betting:
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