Are the New Jersey Devils the team to bet on in 2023-24?
With NHL training camps getting underway this week, fans and talking heads alike are already predicting who they think will hoist Lord Stanley's Mug next May. And you know what that means: Oddsmakers are listing odds for who will come out on top.
The Colorado Avalanche were previously favored at DraftKings to rebound and repeat their 2022 Cup success, although they have been leapfrogged by the Carolina Hurricanes who are the new favorite at 8-1 odds. Is there another favored team that you should be keeping an eye on?
Enter, the New Jersey Devils.
Jack Hughes and company were surprisingly scrappy in 2022 and they flexed some serious muscle last year as they propelled themselves to the Eastern Conference semifinals. (Where they lost to the Hurricanes four games to one.) Then they got busy this offseason, locking in young talent -- trade deadline acquisition Timo Meier, among others -- and added some veterans -- Stanley Cup-winner Tyler Toffoli is one seasoned player who joins the forward assault.
Now, Lindy Ruff's young squad is emerging as a major threat in the East and is the second favorite at DK to win the 2024 Stanley Cup at 9-1 odds.
The spotlight on Prudential Center may be extra bright on Nico Hischier ahead of the season as well, as he is currently the 7-2 favorite to win the Selker Award at the end of the season.
Fans and bettors who aren't quite sold on the Devils just yet will have plenty of opportunities to have their minds changed, too. While this team doesn't usually get a lot of national exposure, the Devils are slated to have 16 games nationally televised this season. That's more than Eastern Conference rivals the Boston Bruins and the Stanley Cup-winning Vegas Golden Knights, who will each play 15 nationally televised games.
The Devils kick off their -- potential Stanley Cup-winning -- 2023-24 campaign at home against the Detroit Red Wings on Oct. 12. By the way, New Jersey is the -230 favorite on the money line at DK for that game.
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