I really dislike betting odds, mostly because I’m not a sports bettor–or a believer in the concept that the betting odds are the be-all-end-all predictor of a team’s performance.
That being said, it doesn’t hurt to take a peek at said odds from time to time, and Detroit Hockey Now’s Kevin Allen reports that the Red Wings will enter the 2025-2026 season as significant underdogs:
As of this morning, FanDuel odds of Detroit winning the Stanley Cup are +11000. That’s 110/1 in fractional terms. Only seven teams own worse odds. The Chicago Blackhawks are the biggest longshot at +50000 (500/1).
Detroit’s odds of qualifying for the playoffs are +235. That’s an implied probability of 29.85%. Only seven teams have worse odds for that bet as well.
And by the way, it sure seems like Gibson’s arrival will improve Detroit’s goaltending. But his odds of winning the Vezina Trophy are +25000 (250/1).
Apparently, FanDuel believe Swedish defenseman Axel Sandin-Pellikka has a reasonable chance of playing for the Red Wings this season. His odds for winning the Calder Trophy are +3100. Only 10 players have better odds.
Continued; as I suggested in the previous entry, my hopes for the Red Wings making a trade to bolster their top-six forward group and/or top-four defensive group are waning as the summer progresses.
If the Red Wings run “young and lean” this October (i.e. without making any summertime trades), fans will be treated to a set of prospects coming up from Grand Rapids to play critical roles on this year’s Red Wings team, but they’re also be watching a Detroit team that has to prove a ton of experts wrong.
