Detroit Red Wings

Duffer’s Dabbles: Olympic Betting Odds All Over The Place

Published

2 years ago

February 3, 2022

Bob Duff

Valtteri Filppula, former Detroit Red Wings

Valterri Filppula is playing for Finland in the Olympic men's hockey tourney in Beijing.

The last-minute change from NHL players to thrown-together rosters has also thrown the Olympic men’s hockey tournament for a loop in terms of the betting odds on the event.

Canada was a clear favorite when NHL players were scheduled to participate. Since the change to lesser rosters, it’s the Russian Olympic Committee squad that sportsbook like across the board as the betting chalk.

Forward Alexander Kadeikin, selected 201st overall by the Detroit Red Wings in the 2014 NHL entry draft, is part of the Russian squad.

Olympic Hockey Odds Fluctuating

After the Russians, sports betting sites are all over the map as to where they rank the teams. At FanDuel, Canada, whose roster includes ex-Red Wings forward Landon Ferraro, is the second betting choice at +340. DraftKings prefers Finland, with former Wings forward Valtteri Filppula, at +400.

BetMGM also likes the Finns second-best at +440. They’ve got Slovakia, with ex-Wing Tomas Jurco at +500, Denmark and former Wing Frans Nielsen at +1000 and China, with ex-Wings defensemen Ryan Sproul and Jake Chelios, is also at +1000.

Down On The Farm

It isn’t just the Red Wings who are struggling to put together wins. Their AHL farm club the Grand Rapids Griffins have also hit the skids.

A 4-3 loss to the Toronto Marlies Wednesday at Van Andel Arena exptended GR’s winless skid to six games (0-5-1). The Griffins squandered a 3-2 third-period lead.

Around The NHL

Detroit: Red Wings assistant GM Pat Verbeek is expected to be named GM of the Anaheim Ducks as early as today.

Pittsburgh: With the arrival of the NHL All-Star Break, the Penguins sent four players to AHL Wilkes-Barre Scranton.

Boston: The Bruins are again being linked to Vancouver’s Conor Garland in trade speculation.

NY Islanders: As the Isles were being shut out 3-0 by the Seattle Kraken, the question had to be asked – should the Islanders have protected Jordan Eberle over Kyle Palmieri in last summer’s NHL expansion draft?