Put Your Money Down: New York Islanders Odds for 2011-12

Predicting the 2011-12 standings has come up before and it will come up again before the season starts. But below are some odds from Bodog for everyone in the league, as well as on who's likely to win the Atlantic Division.

Would you bet the over or the under on the Islanders' final point total of 81.5 -- good for 27th overall and 14th in the East (ahead of only Ottawa)? And looking at the odds for the division title, which Atlantic team's odds are convincing enough for you to put your money down?

Note: These are for entertainment purposes only, and not for the exchange of money. You can exchange me holy cards if you wish, but not money. 'Cause that's immoral or something. Unless you're in Vegas, in which case you can exchange your soul, while Celine Dion provides the Hades-themed soundtrack.

Odds to win the 2012 Atlantic Division            

Philadelphia Flyers                    6/5
Pittsburgh Penguins                 13/10
New Jersey Devils                    15/2
New York Rangers                     9/1
New York Islanders                    25/1

Honestly, I'm fine with the Islanders being the least likely to win the division. I don't think they'll finish last, but I'd buy that any of the other four could be more likely to take the division crown. (That doesn't quite make sense, but I can buy scenarios for any of the other four to crash, and any of the other four to have things hit just right.)

Now on to the league as a whole...

Bodog Line for 2011-12 Point Totals

So no one likes Ottawa. And the gamblers have the Islanders, Oilers and Avalanche repeating their appearances in the bottom four.

Personally, while I'm prepared for anything in the range of 7th to 13th in the conference, I can't put both Florida and Atlantapeg above the Islanders.

Anyway, without putting too many of your holy cards on the line, how do you peg the Isles as we head toward October? And what stands out on this list to you?

Islanders Links

• The goalie battle is proceeding as expected, and Anders Nilsson definitely wants to stay in North America. [Late Add: Post on the same topic.]
  
• Looking at some of the Islanders prospects who are in college: The Prospect Park: School Daze
• Please to be welcome an Islanders writer at Puck Buddys. (If you Twitter, you may know him as @LastIslander.)
• The Pro Hockey Talk preview for the Isles. With FanShot talk here.
• Ed Mangano wants state funds for the Coliseum. I want a cheeseburger -- no, I want a hamburger.
• Now this rocks: New York Islanders - Islanders to Honor 1992-93 Team on October 29 [FanShot discussion here]
• On the return of Mottau, MacDonald and Eaton.

An update on the two former Islanders coaches who are now assisting Ron Wilson in Toronto. Salient quote from Scott Gordon: "There’s no doubt in my mind that we’re a fast team," Gordon said. "Our ability to pressure the puck is going to be key for us. That’s going to be an all the time thing. We have to be able to take advantage of our skating and put the opposition on their heels. If we can do that, that’s going to be what’s going to makes it work for us."

Hockey Links

• All the Crosby concussion that's fit to print. (Good read at SI.) Meanwhile: Concussion awareness vital, Bossy says - Brockville Recorder and Time
• This is simply funny: Twitter Feud Sparks Fistfight Between Eagles Beat Writers
• So many suspensions, who can keep up?
• Speaking of which...OHL: Will providing a rationale for suspensions yield more respect? - Buzzing The Ne
• Problem is, Briere thinks Frans Nielsen is a thug, so... Briere rips 'killer' Avery; fan admits to throwing banana | Philadelphia Inquirer
• This tickled me immensely. Very detailed: The Periodic Table of Goaltending
• And here's save percentage trends since the lockout. Dwayne Roloson is about all the Oilers have had.
• Garth Snow is not: Which NHL General Managers Are On The Hot Seat? - SBNation.com
• Shanahan takes pains not to call Colin Campbell out even though he was very, very bad at his job and in two weeks Shanahan has made him look silly.
• Humor from DGB: NHL Discipline Explained - YouTube [DGB]

Meanwhile, this is WHAT I HAVE BEEN WHINING ABOUT FOR YEARS: Shanahan's Implicit Message: Become a Better Hitter - Arctic Ice Hockey Yes, yes! Hitting is a skill, not a right. You have to be good at it. You have to be able to skate. Fighting your way or playing your way to the NHL does not mean you know how to hit and does not mean you can take potshots at any victim you can reach. A good, legal hit is a display of violence, power, and skill. A Matt Cooke hit is a display of violence, entitlement, and carelessness.

Remember that gambling destroys families, I mean keeps the NFL afloat, I mean doesn't really translate to hockey.