The Stanley Cup is up for grabs again and Michael Ryder is not allowed to hold it, even if he does win it again.

It was all about the Boston Bruins last year as they won another championship for Bean-town and this year isn’t much different. They are second in the east only to the New York Rangers. But it’s the Detroit Red Wings atop of all of the NHL at this point in the season in the position they have grown familiar with.

The 2011-2012 season has shown us that both voting for All-Star teams is fun and that whoever hit Sidney Crosby really messed that guy up. He has yet to really make a splash this season because of his January concussion of 2011 that was re-aggrevated on Dec. 5 of 2011. This, of course, is a disappointment to the Pittsburgh Penguins who are missing their captain and still have managed to stay in 3rd in the eastern conference.

Betting lines for the Eastern leading Rangers winning the coveted silver bowl are set at 11 to 2 according to the NHL Futures at Bovada. Behind them are the Red Wings at 6 to 1, the Canucks at 6 to 1, and the Bruins at 7 to 1.

Without Crosby playing at full strength, it will be tough for the Penguins to beat a team like the Red Wings are running on all cylinders at the moment.

Good news for Vancouver is the Canucks are second in the western conference behind the Red Wings in the standings and hold 6/1 odds of winning “La Coupe Stanley”. And if anyone who is anti-Crosby, pro-Ovechkin reading this, the Caps have 30 to 1 odds at this point. If Sid the Kid can return to form and protect his dome, the Penguins would be in a much better spot to compete against the hot teams out of the West, and the east-leading Rangers come playoff time.

February 21st, 2012 Odds To Win The Stanley Cup