It’s all about Bedard’s debut on the opening night of the NHL season. Chicago is in for a tough night against Pittsburgh’s improved squad.
Karlsson found a new home
By far the biggest blockbuster trade of the summer took place between Pittsburgh and San Jose. Erik Karlsson, whose contract was supposed to be impossible to trade, was moved to the Penguins in a three-team deal. The Penguins defense also acquired quality stay-at-home D-man Ryan Graves along with several players on offense, the most interesting of which is recent Stanley Cup winner Reilly Smith. The most notable departures are Jason Zucker and Mikael Granlund on offense and Jeff Petry and Jan Rutta on defense.
As a result, the Pengs are now slightly weaker on defense, but that is compensated by the offensive boost gained from Karlsson’s arrival. For the same reason, last year’s 6.2-goal average in this team’s games is likely to increase this season. However, we may not witness their full offensive potential in the opening night match. Jake Guentzel, the team’s best winger, is ahead of his recovery schedule but still questionable for opening night.
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All eyes on Bedard
For Chicago Blackhawks fans, the season opener is special. Connor Bedard, the cornerstone of the organization’s future, is seen in action for the first time wearing a Blackhawks jersey. Bedard’s junior career is exceptional both at club level and internationally. Expectations are high from his very first professional season.
The Blackhawks have generally improved over the summer with the acquisitions of Taylor Hall and Nick Foligno, to name a few. They also did not lose a single player of their core, which can be seen as a positive heading into 2023/24 season. Obviously, that core is one of the weakest in the league, so team expectations are modest despite adding a generational talent in Bedard.
Defensively, Chicago might be the worst team in the entire NHL. Franchise defenseman SethJones at least provides some offense, but like the rest of their defense, Jones is often a threat to his team defensively. In goal, both Petr Mrazek and Arvid Soderblom would be better suited as backups than starters.
Let’s kick it off with the Penguins
Despite Guentzel’s possible absence, the Penguins head into Tuesday night’s game as huge favorites. Pittsburgh’s win in regulation gets there over six times out of ten, even if the goal-greedy winger is sidelined. Unibet currently has Pittsburgh at -150, which is enough for a small opening round wager.
Our betting tips follow a scale of ten units, where a full 10/10 bet means a suggested 2% share of your bankroll. This time, the recommended bet size is three units, or about .6 percent of your bankroll. It’s time to kick off the 2023/24 NHL season, hopefully with some betting success!
Tip: Pittsburgh Penguins in regulation @ -150
Units: 3/10
The match will be played on 10/10/2023 at 8 PM EDT.
The odds are from the time of publication of the article and are subject to change.
Esa Kostet
X: @konekostet
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Register and Bet $25 on any match (min odds +100). Win or lose, you’ll get $100 in bonus bets!
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