Lightning Just +250 to Win 2019 Stanley Cup After Doing Nothing at Deadline

• The Tampa Bay Lightning (48-11-4) lead the NHL by 15 points
• Tampa Bay did not make any moves at the NHL trade deadline
• Nikita Kucherov has 101 points, 18 more than Patrick Kane who sits second in scoring

Don’t fix what ain’t broke. It’s a simple philosophy too many teams ignore, but one that the Tampa Bay Lightning stuck to at the NHL Trade Deadline. They didn’t make a move on a busy day around the league, and that is perfectly fine.

Tampa Bay is now getting +250 odds to win the 2019 Stanley Cup, which is an enticing price for a team that currently holds a 15 point lead in the President’s Trophy race.

2019 NHL Stanley Cup Odds

*Odds taken on 02/26/19. Click on the link in the table to see odds for all teams.

Here’s the case for why the Tampa Bay Lightning should be your pick to win the 2019 Stanley Cup:

1. Tampa Bay Has Elite Stats on Offense and Defense

The Lightning are known as scary good on offense for good reason, leading the league with 3.84 goals per game. The surprising part of their dominance comes on the back end, where despite missing their starting goalie for over a month earlier this year, they rank fourth allowing only 2.62 goals per game.

🗣 If you can play, you can play.@youcanplayteam | #HockeyIsForEveryone pic.twitter.com/163hWyJdT9

— x – Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) February 26, 2019

With Nikita Kucherov, Brayden Point, and Steven Stamkos leading  the way up front, Victor Hedman a Norris Trophy winner on the back end and Andrei Vasilevskiy in goal, the Lightning have elite talent up and down their lineup.

2. Nikita Kucherov is Cruising to MVP

The only thing bigger than the Bolts lead in the President’s Trophy race is Nikita Kucherov’s 18 point cushion in the Art Ross race. The Russian forward has established himself as the league’s most potent threat. He has 31 goals and 70 assists, and is currently on pace to finish with an incredible 131 points. If you look at recent Cup winners, they’ve all had at least one dominant player on offense (Alex Ovechkin, Sidney Crosby, etc.) and Kucherov fits the bill. In a playoff series there are times you need a goal and there isn’t a player any coach would rather have to throw over the boards than Kucherov right now.

Five points in a game? Just Kuch things.

Nikita Kucherov is our Player of the Week for Feb. 18-24! ⚡️

📝: https://t.co/xLLOrcouzV pic.twitter.com/nDtJQ9vfyq

— x – Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) February 26, 2019

3. The Lightning Juggernaut is Without a Weakness

The problem the Lightning pose for teams is, there’s not really a way to attack them. When you look at other contenders there are teams they’d like to face and others they wouldn’t. The Leafs, for example, prefer a skill game and want to avoid the Bruins, while the Flames’ goaltending would put them at a big disadvantage against the Predators.

Tampa Bay, on the other hand, is so much better than everyone at all three areas of the game. There isn’t an opponent they fear. They would be an overwhelming favorite in a seven-game series against any team, so their Stanley Cup odds are actually favorable, if anything.

"I need some pizza. I'm starving."

J.T. is a MOOD! 🍕😂 pic.twitter.com/fjE9vgdftT

— x – Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) February 26, 2019

The Lightning have only 11 regulation losses all year, so imagining anyone would beat them four out of seven isn’t something you should try and do.  This team is the equivalent of the Golden State Warriors, and despite the price tag, they are the clear value play.

Pick: Tampa Bay Lightning (+250)