Blackhawks favored to win the West, but not the Stanley Cup

SHARE Blackhawks favored to win the West, but not the Stanley Cup
Screen_Shot_2016_02_02_at_5.33.10_PM.jpg

Embed from Getty Images

Despite entering the All-Star break with a Western Conference-leading 70 points, the Blackhawks aren’t favored to repeat as Stanley Cup champions.

Sportsbook Bovada released its updated Stanley Cup odds Tuesday and put Chicago’s chances at claiming its fourth title in seven seasons at 5-1, slightly behind favorite Washington at 4-1.

Washington’s 74 points lead the NHL, though gamblers might hesitate before placing a bet on the Capitals,  who haven’t advanced past the conference semifinals since 1998.

[nicelink url=”http://chicago.suntimes.com/blackhawks-hockey/7/71/1295237/player-responsible-higher-percentage-teams-points-patrick-kane”]

Chicago has the best odds in the Western Conference, followed by the Kings (+750), Stars (+1100) and Blues (+1600).

Tampa Bay ranks second in the East at +1400.

Back in October, Chicago topped Bovada’s final preseason rankings as a 13-2 favorite. Washington began the regular season as an 18-1 longshot.

The Blackhawks return to action tonight in Colorado, where they’ll be without captain Jonathan Toews. Toews was suspended one game by the NHL for pulling out of NHL All-Star weekend.

Most All-Star game selections as a Blackhawk

The Latest
With Easter around the corner, chocolate makers and food businesses are feeling the impact of soaring global cocoa prices and it’s also hitting consumers.
Despite getting into foul trouble, which limited him to just six minutes in the second half, Shannon finished with 29 points, five rebounds and two assists.
Cowboy hats, bell-bottoms and boots were on full display Thursday night as fans lined up for the first of his three sold-out shows.
The incident occurred about 3:40 p.m. near Minooka. The horse was successfully placed back into the trailer, and the highway reopened about 40 minutes later. No injuries were reported.