Odds to Be Top Pointscorer in 2021 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs – McDavid Listed at +1000

• Colorado Avalanche center Nathan Mackinnon (+550) is the favorite to be the top point producer for the 2021 NHL Playoffs
• The Avalanche, Vegas Golden Knights, and Toronto Maple Leafs have two players ranked among the top 10 favorites
• Read the story below for odds and analysis of potential postseason high scorers

Dynamic-skating Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid has wowed the hockey world this season by producing 104 points in 55 games. As the season draws to a close, he is 21 points ahead of his nearest competitor (teammate Leon Draisaitl) in the Art Ross Trophy race. But McDavid isn’t receiving much love from oddsmakers when it comes to the futures bet on the top pointscorer for the 2021 NHL Playoffs. McDavid is healthy and surging, but he is at +1000, ranking him fifth among the favorites

The problem with McDavid is that his team doesn’t project to go far in the playoffs. Even if the Oilers down the Winnipeg Jets in the first round, they are likely to face the Toronto Maple Leafs in the second round. The Maple Leafs were 6-1-2 against the Oilers this season.

2021 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs Top Pointscorer Odds

Odds as of May 13

Not All the Favorites Are Safe Choices

It’s easy to visualize Nathan MacKinnon winning the postseason point race. He’s a marvelous skater and shooter. His ability to slide into gaps of defensive coverage is stealth-like.

But he could be eliminated in the first round by a quality Minnesota team or in the second round by a dominant Vegas team. The Avalanche are exceptional, but the Golden Knights are better.

Most Points since the start of the 2018-19 season:

Connor McDavid: 108-209-317/197 GP
Leon Draisaitl: 124-174-298/208 GP
Patrick Kane: 92-168-260/207 GP
Nathan MacKinnon: 96-161-257/199 GP
Brad Marchand: 93-163-256/202 GP pic.twitter.com/kcNk1TrqSL

— Bob Stauffer (@Bob_Stauffer) May 13, 2021

Wouldn’t fault anyone betting on Auston Matthews or Mitch Marner, because the Maple Leafs have a strong chance of reaching the Stanley Cup Final. But have they solved their defensive problems? Can they overcome their playoff history? Is their goaltending sharp enough?

This season, in particular, it’s difficult to know how teams measure up against teams from other divisions.

Longshots Have Appeal

One of the attractions of making a futures bet on the 2021 NHL top playoff pointscorer is that there is no shortage of good value bets.

Nikita Kucherov led the NHL in playoff scoring last season when his Lightning won the Stanley Cup. The Avalanche have the potential to make a deep run, and their slick puck-moving defenseman Cale Makar is at +1700. Remember how many points Dallas defenseman Miro Heiskanen put up last year?

Alex Ovechkin: “Right now, I’m 100 percent. I didn’t feel any soreness. I feel comfortable. That’s the most important thing. This time of year, you have to be smart and you have to think about the future, not only regular season.”

— Samantha Pell (@SamanthaJPell) May 12, 2021

Boston’s Patrice Bergeron and Washington’s Alex Ovechkin both seem desirable at +2500 because their teams are strong. One caution about Ovechkin is that he dealt with an injury down the stretch. He is back playing again.

But if you believe Boston or Washington will advance to the Stanley Cup Final,  the odds make Bergeron and Ovechkin high-value bets.

NHL Playoffs Top Pointscorer Best Bet

In horse racing, it often makes sense to bet the jockey as much as the horse. Exceptional jockeys draw good rides. In betting on the top playoff point producer, picking the right team first is crucial. The top point getter is almost always a member of one of the teams that advances to the Stanley Cup.

But the NHL is a parity league, making it more difficult to project teams making long runs.  You can make a case that 10 different teams have a legitimate shot at winning the Cup.

What that means for bettors is that it probably makes sense to bet on a player from a good team that offers the chance for a big payoff more than one of the favorites.

Pick: Brayden Point (+1500)