Bruins still at odds with another Stanley Cup title

The Bruins didnt change the composition of their roster much aside from the bizarre departure of goalie Tim Thomas, and their chances of winning the Stanley Cup havent changed all that much according to the odds-makers in Las Vegas.

Per the good people at Bovada (www.Bovada.lv) the Pittsburgh Penguins hold the best 8-to-1 odds of winning the Stanley Cup next season despite no major upgrades on their roster aside from the expected good health of Sidney Crosby. The New York Rangers are just behind with 9-to-1 odds after trading a few non-essential players and parts in exchange for Rick Nash after falling in the Eastern Conference Finals last season.

The Philadelphia Flyers are 14-to-1 as the next East team most likely to win the Stanley Cup, and the Boston Bruins still sit as the fourth-most favorite team in the East with 16-to-1 odds to capture their second Stanley Cup in the last three years.

The Bs and Flyers both sat with 14-to-1 odds of winning the Cup at the beginning of June, and the Tim Thomas exodus is the most logical reason for Bostons odds of winning it all dropping ever so slightly. Its interesting to note how little change theres been among the Eastern teams from June to August as most of the best available free agentstrade pieces have moved to Western Conference teams aside from Nash moving to Madison Square Garden.

Also of interest on the other end of things the Columbus Blue Jackets have gone from 75-to-1 odds to win the Stanley Cup to an NHL-worst 100-to-1 odds after dealing away their franchise player in Nash.

Here are the odds team-by-team with no adjustments made for a potential work stoppage thats creeping up on the league if theres not a CBA in place by the Sept. 15 deadline:

Pittsburgh Penguins 81