NHL All-Star Game 2020 Betting Preview

The NHL's best are on the ice on Saturday night for a single-elimination tournament between the league's four divisions. How should you bet on the event?

National Hockey League betting boards are relatively bare until Monday night, as NHL All-Star Weekend festivities are underway at Enterprise Center arena in St. Louis, Missouri. Following the Friday night NHL Skills competition, the four divisions will square off in a single-elimination three-game tournament on Saturday, Jan. 25, 2020. While this NHL action is more for entertainment than anything else, there are a few betting options available so let’s dig in.

2020 NHL All-Star Game Semifinal One: Metropolitan vs Atlantic

Puck Line: Atlantic -1.5 (+170) | Metropolitan +1.5 (-190)

Moneyline: Atlantic (-120) | Metropolitan (+100)

Goal Total 12: OVER -115 | UNDER -105

Betting Pick: Atlantic Division -120 ML

Led by team captain Kris Letang from Pittsburgh, the Metropolitan battles the Atlantic led by David Pastrnak from Boston. While both sides feature some of the best players in the NHL, it is notable that Sidney Crosby (2019 All-Star MVP) and Alex Ovechkin won’t play for team Metropolitan. Another four nominated players are also sitting out on the Metro side. Boston goaltender Tuukka Rask and Toronto forward Auston Mathews won’t play for the Atlantic team.

While exhibition games are difficult to handicap, there are some stats that stand out in this contest. Led by Pastrnak (37 goals) and Jack Eichel (28 goals), Atlantic division skaters have a combined 170 goals, 244 assists and 414 total points. The top scorer for the Metropolitan squad is T.J. Oshie (18 goals) and its combined total is just 113 goals, 209 assists and 322 points. That is a huge difference so Metropolitan goaltenders Braden Holtby and Tristan Jarry will be busy.

Rosters for both teams are below with each player’s All-Star appearances in brackets. As the numbers show, a lot of new faces will hit the ice as 12 of the 22 players are playing in their first-ever All-Star game. Netminders will be busy as the goal total is posted at 12 for this contest. With an overall scoring edge, plus better goaltending numbers, the Atlantic Division is the stronger side here. Expect a big night from Jack Eichel as he is running red-hot recently.

Atlantic Division Roster

· F David Pastrnak - BOS Captain (2)

· F Tyler Bertuzzi - DET (1)

· F Anthony Duclair - OTT (1)

· F Jack Eichel - BUF (3)

· F Jonathan Huberdeau - FLA (1)

· F Mitchell Marner - TOR (1)

· F Brady Tkachuk - OTT (1)

· D Victor Hedman - TBL (3)

· D Shea Weber - MTL (7)

· G Frederik Andersen - TOR (1)

· G Andrei Vasilevskiy - TBL (3)

Metropolitan Division Roster

· D Kris Letang - PIT Captain (6)

· F Mathew Barzal - NYI (2)

· F Nico Hischier - NJD (1)

· F Travis Konecny - PHI (1)

· F Chris Kreider - NYR (1)

· F T.J. Oshie - WSH (1)

· D John Carlson - WSH (2)

· D Seth Jones - CBJ (3)

· D Jaccob Slavin - CAR (1)

· G Braden Holtby - WSH (5)

· G Tristan Jarry - PIT (1)

2020 NHL All-Star Game Semifinal Two: Central vs Pacific

Puck Line: Central -1.5 (+155) | Pacific +1.5 (-175)

Moneyline: Central (-110) | Pacific (-110)

Goal Total 12.5: OVER -115 | UNDER -105

Betting Pick: Central Division -110 ML

Making his fourth All-Star appearance, Nathan MacKinnon from Colorado is the captain of the Central crew for a second straight season. Edmonton superstar Connor McDavid has been the Pacific captain four straight years now. Every player invited from the Central is playing in this contest and they are loaded with scoring power. Central skaters have a combined 166 goals, 280 assists and 446 total points—the most of any team in this year’s tournament.

Four players will sit this one out for the Pacific, including starting goaltenders Marc-Andre Fleury and Darcy Kuemper. Given the recent “Battle of Alberta” hostility, it will be interesting to see how McDavid and Leon Draisaitl from Edmonton get along with Mark Giordano and Matthew Tkachuk from Calgary. We doubt they will play much on the same line but the benches are short here. Pacific skaters have posted 153 goals, 268 assists and 421 total points.

McDavid (76) and Draisaitl (75) continue as the top-two point scorers in the NHL with MacKinnon (72) not far back in third. The Central has a solid home-ice advantage and four players are from the Stanley Cup champion St. Louis Blues. That includes goalie Jordan Binnington who makes his first All-Star appearance following his breakout season last year. Balanced on offense, plus having an edge in net, bet on the Central Division to win the 2020 All-Star title.

Central Division Roster

· F Nathan MacKinnon - COL Captain (4)

· F Patrick Kane - CHI (9)

· F Ryan O'Reilly - STL (3)

· F David Perron - STL (1)

· F Mark Scheifele -WPG (2)

· F Tyler Seguin - DAL (6)

· F Eric Staal - MIN (6)

· D Roman Josi - NSH (3)

· D Alex Pietrangelo - STL (2nd)

· G Jordan Binnington - STL (1)

· G Connor Hellebuyck - WPG (2)

Pacific Division Roster

· F Connor McDavid - EDM Captain (4)

· F Leon Draisaitl - EDM (2)

· F Tomas Hertl - SJS (1)

· F Anze Kopitar - LAK (5)

· F Max Pacioretty - VGK (1)

· F Elias Pettersson - VAN (2)

· F Matthew Tkachuk - CGY (1)

· D Mark Giordano - CGY (3)

· D Quinn Hughes - VAN (1)

· G Jacob Markstrom -VAN (1)

NHL All-Star Game Current Format and Recent Results

While NHL All-Star game format is always being tweaked, this is the fifth season that the four divisions will battle in three 20-minute games. Three-on-three teams from Atlantic and Metropolitan divisions face off in one game and then squads from the Pacific and Central divisions duel in the second contest. The winners of those games then battle each other to decide the All-Star Weekend winner. Goals are usually plentiful during this freewheeling fire on ice action.

2016 NHL All-Star Game Results:

Atlantic 4 vs. Metropolitan 3

Pacific 9 vs. Central 6

Pacific won the title 1-0 against the Atlantic

2017 NHL All-Star Game Results:

Pacific 10 vs. Central 3

Metropolitan 10 vs. Atlantic 6

Metropolitan won the title 4-3 against Pacific

2018 NHL All-Star Game Results:

Pacific 5 vs. Central 2

Atlantic 7 vs. Metropolitan 4

Pacific won the title 5-2 against the Atlantic

2019 NHL All-Star Game Results:

Central 10 - Pacific 4

Metropolitan 7 -Atlantic 4

Metropolitan won the title 10-5 against the Central

NFL Super Bowl 54 Early Betting Update

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