Bet These 3 NHL Futures Before the Second Half Begins

The All-Star Weekend is wrapped up and now the second half of the NHL season is about to begin. Tonight's slate is a light one. There's only two games set to take place, with the Hurricanes taking on the Maple Leafs, and the Devils facing the Senators.

That gives us some more time to lock in a few futures bets before most teams return to action. In this article, I'll lay out three that I think are worth sprinkling on sooner rather than later.

All odds listed are via WynnBET Sportsbook.

3 NHL Futures Bets to Place Before Second Half of Season

• Calgary Flames to Win Western Conference +1200
• Carolina Hurricanes to Win Stanley Cup +900
• Leon Draisaitl to Win Hart Trophy +700

Calgary Flames to Win Western Conference +1200

If there's one team that had a rough stretch in the first half of the season, but it poised to make a second half run, it's the Calgary Flames. Over each team's last 25 games, the Flames rank first in the NHL in CORSI% and FENWICK%. They are also third in expected goals for per 60 minutes, and fifth in expected goals against per 60 minutes. If they can find some consistent goaltending, they'll be a force to be reckoned with.

On top of all that, the Flames play in the worst division in the NHL. The Golden knights currently hold a five point lead over the Flames for the top spot in the Pacific, but the Flames have four games in hand and can catch them in a hurry. Their path to the Stanley Cup should be amongst the easiest, but will likely still have to face the Avalanche in the Conference Championship. I love the value at +1200 (bet $100 to profit $1,200).

Carolina Hurricanes to Win the Stanley Cup +900

The Carolina Hurricanes have been my dark horse Stanley Cup pick for a number of years, but they've officially arrived and can no longer be considered a long shot. If you want to bet on the Hurricanes, now is the last time to jump on the train. They're second in the NHL in CORSI% over each team's last 25 games, and they're solid both offensively and defensively.

The Hurricanes also have an easier path to the Stanley Cup compared to other Eastern Conference contenders, like the Lightning, Panthers, and Maple Leafs, who will need to beat each other up before one of them finally makes the Eastern Conference Final.

Leon Draisaitl to Win Hart Trophy +700

The obvious choice (and favorite) to win the Hart Trophy is Connor McDavid, but his teammate Leon Draisaitl is certainly the value pick to make. He has three more points than McDavid at 63, and he's second in the NHL in goals with 32.

There's already a precedence for Draisaitl winning the trophy over McDavid, as this exact thing happened back in 2019-20 when Draisaitl won the award, his first of his career. For him to win his second, +700 is a great bet.