NHL Season Suspension
Due to the COVID-19 crisis, many of the top sporting leagues around the world have subsequently halted their operations. This means that avid NHL sports betting fans are seeing a lack of games to wager on, which is a first since 9/11 that occurred almost 20 years ago.
The NBA was the first to suspend its season on March 11. The NHL, with 189 games remaining, quickly followed suit and paused its season on March 12.
The initial date for reinstatement was April 4, but this has now been extended to April 15 and could be pushed back even further as the situation remains precarious and unpredictable.
President Trump extended U.S. quarantine guidelines until the end of April.
The NHL has said that it’ll re-evaluate its NHL sports quarantine in early May. Teams have been asked for arena availability through to August, which means hockey could continue deep into the summer months.
NHL Top Teams to Win
The St. Louis Blues had a phenomenal run in the 2018-2019 season, where they managed to climb from the last place to Stanley Cup champions. It was the first championship win in the club’s history. The Blues continued to succeed in the opening of the 2019-2020 season, where they held the top spot in the Western Conference before the season was suspended.
Even though this season is on pause, various NHL sports betting sites have future odds available on which team will rise and claim the prestigious Stanley Cup. If you’re one of the many NHL sports betting fans, you can browse recommended sportsbooks at https://canadiansportsbetting.ca/.
The favorites are currently the Boston Bruins with odds of +600, followed closely by Tampa Bay Lightning at +700 as well as the Vegas Golden Knights, who also have odds of +700. The current champions, the St. Louis Blues, have odds of +900. The Toronto Maple Leafs and the Dallas Stars are sitting on +1800.
With almost no major league events taking place, NHL sports betting sites have been forced to make some adjustments to cater to their hardcore gamblers. Everything is shut down, barring Belarusian and Haitian soccer. Luckily, NHL futures are still ripe for the picking, along with video game simulations of the top leagues.
NHL Quarantine Betting Tips
Since the NHL is suspended, now might be the best time to brush up on your hockey betting knowledge. These are the vital factors to focus on during the NHL sports quarantine:
Extended layoff
With many players in quarantine, an often-overlooked aspect is their returning health and form. Hockey is a contact sport, and players incur various injuries throughout the season. The NHL is no child’s play either, and it’s a constant grind for teams and players alike. The extra time off will allow every team to recuperate and come back stronger than before.
For example, goalie Jacob Markstrom of the Vancouver Canucks suffered a lower-body injury that saw him sidelined. With the break in the season, he can heal up and return to form as usual.
Momentum
Another aspect is the loss of momentum for teams like the Bruins. They led the season and had won 16 out of their last 20 games. This break can cause them to lose this momentum. The same goes for the Flyers, who were enjoying one of their best runs in recent seasons, with 19-6-1 in their previous 26 games.
Meta title: The Quarantine’s Effect on NHL Sports Betting
Meta description: Find out what’s the current status of NHL sports betting. Discover when the season will return, which the top teams are, and NHL quarantine betting tips.