We’ve almost made it through a long summer (you don’t hear that phrase often/ever) and it’s time for some NHL action. Now is also the time to get in on some NHL Futures to ensure that the 2024/25 season is profitable for you. Here are our NHL Futures: Best Bets for 2024 so you know where to invest your money this season.
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NHL Futures: Best Bets for 2024
Igor Shesterkin – Vezina Trophy WInner (+550)
We’ll kick things off with an award prop – the New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin to win the Vezina Trophy as the league’s best goalie. While he hasn’t been as sharp over the past two seasons as he was in 2021/22 when he won the Vezina, he is still one of the league’s best goalies and came fourth in Vezina voting last season.
With no repeat winners of this award since Martin Brodeur in 2008, when he was clearly the best goalie in the world, I think we can eliminate last year’s winner, Connor Hellebuyck. Other top vote-getters from last season have question marks, with Thatcher Demko out injured, and Sergei Bobrovsky up there in age after an aberration (probably) of a season last year. Shesterkin is worth a sprinkle as he’s consistently a top goalie on a top team.
Alex Ovechkin – Under 30.5 Goals (-115)
Maybe I’m playing with fire here, betting against perhaps the greatest goal-scoring machine the sport has ever seen, but I’m playing Alex Ovechkin under 30.5 goals this upcoming season. Wayne Gretzky’s career goal record should be safe for at least another year.
The main reason I’m going with the under is Father Time. Perhaps you’ve heard he’s undefeated. Ovechkin managed 31 goals last season as a 39-year-old, the lowest full-season total of his illustrious career. That makes it three straight seasons where his goals total has decreased. What’s more, only three players in NHL history have scored 31 goals or more in a season – unless he’s somehow better and just as healthy as a 40-year-old as a 39-year-old, I’m betting Ovechkin isn’t joining the club.
Columbus Blue Jackets Under 69.5 Points (-120)
I feel a little guilty making this play, but a winning bet is a winning bet. And I believe that the Columbus Blue Jackets are going to be one of the NHL’s worst teams this season, and will not clear 70 points for the year.
The Blue Jackets only managed 66 points last season, which was actually an improvement over the 59 they registered the year before. However, this season they are reeling from the death of their top scorer from last season, Johnny Gaudreau. And not much is thought of their off-season moves. It’s morbid, but the Blue Jackets under 69.5 points is probably the play to make.
Matt Rempe Over 2.5 Goals (+100)
I’ll end things with a slightly funny prop, yet a very low bar to clear – Matt Rempe over 2.5 goals. The 6-7, 241-pound tough guy has one career NHL goal in 17 games. However, he also scored once in the playoffs last season and managed to stay out of the penalty box long enough to net 17 goals in his final season of junior hockey. Expected to get more ice time this season, I think he can luck his way into three goals for us (as do the Hockey Gambling Podcast boys).
If you’d like even more NHL futures talk, be sure to check out the Hockey Gambling Podcast. The guys are dropping multiple episodes a week to make you the smartest guy at the bar.
