It starts NOW (2011 Stanley Cup odds)

Here's today's line for 2011 Stanley Cup championship odds per Bodog.com - not that I endorse gambling, although I dabbled in it for the first time in Vegas back in March and enjoyed watching the West Viriginia Mountaineers' perpetual failure against the spread.

The entire NHL, with current odds, is listed after the fold.  I've got a few really poorly-informed thoughts as well.

• What are the mechanics of betting against Chicago? (I just don't see that team, post-salary cap explosion, pulling away from the field.)  
• In the same vein, 40/1 still seems like a lousy bet for the Blue Jackets.  I expect a big improvement from this past season to the upcoming one, but going from the number 4 pick to the Stanley Cup champs in one year is a stretch.  
• It looks to me like the Mason-Dixon line between "legit contender" and "pretender" is somewhere between 15/1 and 25/1. (But that doesn't explain Montreal at 30/1.  Maybe Bodog just doesn't see them winning it all after throwing everything out there this year.)  I would think that the big payoffs would come from that group.  

Anyway, enjoy the speculation - and never bet more than you are comfortable losing!  Remember, these things are set up so the house always wins in the end...

Anaheim Ducks 40/1
Atlanta Thrashers 50/1
Boston Bruins 20/1
Buffalo Sabres 18/1
Calgary Flames 25/1
Carolina Hurricanes 50/1
Chicago Blackhawks 11/2
Colorado Avalanche 30/1
Columbus Blue Jackets 40/1
Dallas Stars 40/1
Detroit Red Wings 12/1
Edmonton Oilers 75/1
Florida Panthers 50/1
Los Angeles Kings 25/1
Minnesota Wild 40/1
Montreal Canadiens 30/1
Nashville Predators 28/1
New Jersey Devils 20/1
New York Islanders 75/1
New York Rangers 28/1
Ottawa Senators 22/1
Philadelphia Flyers 15/1
Phoenix Coyotes 25/1
Pittsburgh Penguins 6/1
San Jose Sharks 9/1
St. Louis Blues 45/1
Tampa Bay Lightning 60/1
Toronto Maple Leafs 75/1
Vancouver Canucks 15/1
Washington Capitals 13/2