NHL futures: Rangers look good now, but are they worth backing long term?

While the Rangers have won their fair share of games, they aren't always a sure thing when it comes to betting. Action Network points out that New York has gone 7-3-0 over their last 10 games but has only covered the spread four times over that span. In fact, the Rangers failed to cover in six straight games — regardless of being the favorite or the underdog — before defeating the Los Angeles Kings 4-1 on Sunday night as the 1.5-point favorites. They have won as the moneyline favorite six times over that span, but left bettors disappointed after losing to lesser competition like the Buffalo Sabres and the Ottawa Senators.

New York has also been giving up a lot of goals more recently, which further makes them a risky bet. The Blueshirts haven't pitched a shutout since defeating the Pittsburgh Penguins 1-0 on Nov. 22, and have given up two or more goals in seven of the nine games since that shutout. Through five games played in December, New York gave up three-plus goals in four straight games before holding L.A. to just one goal on Sunday night. 

Heck, the Rangers gave up five goals to the San Jose Sharks — who are 1000-1 long shots to win the Stanley Cup — and had to buckle down late to keep Team Teal from tying the game in the final minutes. 

The Rangers will play a variety of teams from now until the end of the year, from the struggling Anaheim Ducks to the dominant Bruins to two games against a Toronto Maple Leafs team that is heating up. So if you're still considering betting on the Rangers as the current favorites to win the Stanley Cup, you may want to hold off and watch how they play through the end of December. How New York plays over these next few games could say a lot about how risky of a bet they are.