NHL All-Star Game: Which Division Will Claim Bragging Rights?
- Pacific Division +200
- Atlantic Division +250
- Metropolitan Division +350
- Central Division +500
The NHL All-Star Game began in 1947 by pitting the defending Stanley Cup champions against the all-star selections from the other five NHL teams. The six-team league was a competitive outfit and grudges often carried over into the NHL All-Star Game, making NHL All-Star Game map odds worth a play.
October 13, 1947: 1st @NHL All-Star Game, @MapleLeafs against Rocket Richard, Ted Lindsay, Max Bentley and more! pic.twitter.com/sJhhUbT7rG
— LibraryArchivesCanada (@LibraryArchives) October 13, 2017
NHL All-Star Game Format Changes
When the league doubled in size to 12 teams, the format switched to East vs West. There was also plenty of action on the NHL All-Star Game odds in this era, as the upstarts from the West Division sought to take out the establishment of the East.
However, as the league continued to expand, the NHL All-Star Game lost its luster. There was the same passion for Campbell vs Wales matchups. Even North America vs The World contests didn’t catch fire.
Check the ice for the @NHL All-Star game in St. Louis.#uniswag pic.twitter.com/wHxsT5syp3
— UNISWAG (@UNISWAG) January 19, 2020
It wasn’t until the format change in 2017 that pitted the four divisions against each other in a three-on-three tournament that the NHL All-Star Game once again found its mojo. With pride and bragging rights on the line, playing the NHL All-Star Game betting odds is once again a worthwhile investment.
- 1Divisional Format Has Proven To Be A Hit With Fans
- 2Total Wagers Are Entertaining Way to Bet NHL All-Star Game
- 3Skills Competition Offers Wagers Galore
Divisional Format Has Proven To Be A Hit With Fans
Since going to the three-on-three tournament in 2016, the NHL All-Star Game odds have favored the Metropolitan and Pacific Divisions. Each division has won two of the four tournaments played.
The Metro won in 2017 and 2019. The Pacific Division were the winners in 2016 and 2018 and lost the 2017 final. The Atlantic Division is 0-2 in finals, while the Central Division is 0-1.
Considering that trend and with it being an even-numbered year, the Pacific again looks to be a solid play. It doesn’t hurt that the NHL’s top two scorers, Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl of the Edmonton Oilers, will be in the Pacific lineup.
Another positive development in terms of the NHL All-Star Game betting odds is that with the tournament format, there are three games, so the new format has created three times the wagering opportunities during the all-star game.
Total Wagers Are Entertaining Way to Bet NHL All-Star Game
At one time, the surest wager in the NHL All-Star Game odds was to play the over. In the old format, there were goals galore. It was a netminder’s nightmare.
The 2015 game saw Team Toews outscore Team Foligno 17-12. In 2009, the East beat the West 12-11. From 1988-2015, of 22 NHL All-Star Games played, 21 produced at least 10 goals.
The first three of the three-on-three finals combined for no more than seven goals a game. The 2016 final was a 1-0 win for the Pacific over the Atlantic.
However, last year’s tourney saw a significant uptick in scoring. There were 40 goals scored in the three games, an average of 13.3 per game.
Skills Competition Offers Wagers Galore
The 2020 NHL All-Star Weekend is slated for Jan. 24-25 in St. Louis. The first night is reserved for the NHL Super Skills Competition. Since 1990, the league has pitted its all-stars against each other in a variety of tests of skill.
Current events include the fastest skater, breakaway challenge, accuracy shooting. skills challenge relay, hardest shot, NHL shootout, four-line challenge, passing challenge, save streak, and puck-control relay.
An added event for this year’s game is a three-on-three game pitting the top female players from Canada and the USA against each other.
This event is both fun to watch and functional in terms of wagering opportunities. Once the participants are named for the events, all of the leading sportsbooks will offer odds on the players involved, as well as on which division will be the overall winner.
It’s just another way to get action on the NHL All-Star Game odds.
See below the top sportsbooks where you can wager online and choose the best one for you:
