If you bet horses, you probably never expected that the name Rachel Alexandra would matter this season. If you bet hockey, you probably haven’t noticed the Los Angeles Kings for over a decade. Sure, they had those brief blips of success with Ziggy Palffy, Matthieu Schneider and Jason Allison, but let’s face — the Kings haven’t been relevant since Wayne Gretzky centered Luc Robitaille and Tomas Sandstrom.

That’s about to change. I may be off by one year, tops – but the Kings are about to ascend back into the playoffs. They pulled a Chicago/Pittsburgh/St. Louis and stockpiled great prospects when no one was looking. Suddenly, their top six forwards turn online sports betting fans’ heads. Check it, yo:

Anze Kopitar

Alexander Frolov

Ryan Smyth

Dustin Brown

Justin Williams

Michael Handzus

Plus Jarret Stoll, Oscar Moller and Wayne Simmonds are in the mix. Then there’s first-rounder Brayden Schenn on the way. Not bad at all.

Defensively, the Kings have the league’s next great rushing defenseman in Drew Doughty, plus Jack Johnson, who still has plenty of potential. Blue chipper Thomas Hickey is on the way, though I’m betting management brings him along slowly.

Goaltending — featuring Jonathan Quick and Erik Ersberg — could be a temporary hindrance. Eventually, though, Jonathan Bernier, a Canadian World Junior champion, will get his shot to start.

Is that not a blue print for a playoff team? Can that not match what St. Louis or Columbus iced last year?

Don’t forget about the Kings when you make your hockey picks this year.

Well, online sports betting fans — here’s a story we probably never thought we’d be discussing a week before the NHL regular season starts. It would be crazy enough simply to witness a comeback attempt from Theoren Fleury. The really insane thing about it is that he has a very good chance to make the team.

If he doesn’t, some hockey brass will say “Good — they can’t just get sentimental and give an old fan favorite a spot that belongs to a good young player.” Normally, I would agree — if Claude Lemieux got a roster spot with the Sharks again this year, it woudl be a joke. But the truth is that, based on what I’ve seen in the preseason, it would be discriminatory for Fleury not to make the team. He seems to legitimately deserve a roster spot.

He’s a small guy who still seems to have speed and may have more space to work with than ever before; remember, he’s never played in the new NHL. As he’s shown on multiple breakaways, he still has soft hands and can juke defenders like Chris Johnson in NFL betting. He’s a hard-nosed guy who would gladly accept a checking role — one played by Todd Bertuzzi and Owen Nolan in recent seasons. They’re gone, so what’s wrong with another vet playing that part?

Fleury seems like a good fit for the Flames right now. If they cut him or send him down, it would seem “small” of them, almost as if they’re “worried that people will make fun of them for signing a 41-year-old.” I’m betting management is feeling that heat right now.

But come on, Sutters! If a guy deserves a spot, he should get it. I’m rooting for Fleury, not because he’s Fleury, but because he’s playing well enough to warrant an NHL roster spot — two-way contract be damned.

Who are you kidding, Calgary? iginla and Kipper aren’t spring chickens any more. Your Stanley Cup odds rely more on winning now than you think. Keep Theo Fleury and don’t worry about every last young guy’s roster spot.

Ugh. If you online betting fans follow my blog, you’ll know that I’m a Leafs fan, though I try not to let that bias leak out or take over all the talk here (that’s what Canadian news media are for, right?). It thus pains me to say that…I think the Senators are a pretty good sleeper to make the playoffs this season.

Blech.

What were the main problems plaguing the Sens during their contending years? Weak goaltending, no scoring depth. While I thought they would’ve gotten a better return for Dany Heatley, I do think the trade makes them a better team. When you include the Kovalev signing, the Sens essentially dealt Dany Heatley for Alex Kovalev, Milan Michalek and Jonathan Cheechoo. That trio joins Daniel Alfredsson, Jason Spezza, Mike Fisher and Nick Foligno. Is it just me or do the Sens have two scoring lines for the first time since before the lockout?

From the goalie standpoint — Pascal Leclaire is still an injury risk but he’s like Jay Cutler to the Bears’ NFL odds — he may be the most naturally talented goalie the Sens have ever had and I’m betting management feels that way in Ottawa. If he stays healthy, who knows what he can do?

They’re not crazy sports picks to win the Cup or anything, but they could bounce back to respectability.

Online betting fans finally saw Allen Iverson sign a contract today, proving that he does not in fact have cooties. However, the jury may still be out on Marc Savard.

Here’s a guy who gets it done year after year in the NHL yet continuously gets shipped out of town. New York sent him to Calgary. The Flames dealt him to Atlanta. He blossomed as a Thrasher, hitting the 97-point mark, yet walked as an unrestricted free agent. Now, after seasons of 96, 78 and 88 points, he enters his final the final year of his contract as a Boston Bruin and I’ve heard no buzz about him re-signing.

Savard is like…hmm…Jeff Garcia in NFL betting? No one wants him even though he consistently plays pretty darned well. The worst snub of all: Team Canada. He’s never sniffed an Olympic invite and wasn’t even considered at the big camp.

Here’s a speedy, feisty, creative offensive player, capable of making noise in international play, yet Canada doesn’t even give him a chance. Though he’d be hard-pressed to make the team, It’s hard to believe he didn’t earn a shot over Andy McDonald, Dan Cleary or even washed-up Ryan Smyth.

Well, Marc, I guess you’ll have to just keep doing what you do best — rack up points on a first-place team and keep boosting its hockey odds.  2009-10 will be kind to you anyways, as you may very well win a Stanley Cup. I’m betting management for Team Canada will look silly if (when?) that happens.

If this was an NFL betting blog and I said something like “Cowboys will go 0-16 this season,” would I risk as much negative backlash as I am with today’s Pucking Bets headline?

It’s too early to truly commit to an Olympic prediciton without rosters fully set, but I have a few growing concerns. Here are a few reason why Canada could disappoint in Vancouver.

BAD, BAD HISTORY AS THE OLYMPIC HOST

Canada hosted the Summer Olympics in 1976 (Montreal) and the Winter Olympics in 1988 (Calgary). Guess how many gold medals it won? ZERO. In both Olympics combined. For whatever reason, Canada has an embarrassing history of totally choking as the host nation. The Canadians are dumping money into their development program this time around, but don’t you think they worked hard the last time they hosted? Now, the hockey team faces more pressure than perhaps any Canadian team since the 1972 Summit Series squad. Would it be that big of an online betting shocker if they crumbled in 2010?

BIG-GAME EXPERIENCE AT FORWARD

Perusing Canada’s list of candidates to make the team, it suddenly seems like the forwards could be  short on Stanley Cup experience. Vinny Lecavalier, Martin St. Louis, Brad Richards, Eric Staal — all are cup winners and all are considered long shots to make the team right now. Aside from Sidney Crosby, many of Canada’s big guns haven’t won the big game yet, including Jarome Iginla, Rick Nash, Mike Richards, Dany Heatley and Joe Thornton. Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry have Cups but weren’t depended upon to be the top stars on the Ducks that season.

QUESTION MARKS IN GOAL

Martin Brodeur is the only “sure thing” between the pipes for Canada but age and injuries are starting to creep up on him, as he missed significant time to injury last season. Roberto Luongo hasn’t gone deep into the Stanley Cup playoffs; Cam Ward is battling back pain; Marc-Andre Fleury has a cup now but has choked in international play before. There’s no shortage of talent, but dont’ you think Sweden (Henrik Lundqvist) and USA (Tim Thomas) seem at least more secure right now?

THE RUSSIANS ARE ATTACKING!

I’m betting management of team Canada is having nightmares about the Russia forwards. There are just…so…many…superstars. It’s hard to imagine Canada stopping all of Ovechkin, Malkin, Datsyuk, Kovalchuk, Semin, Kovalev and so on…someone will find the net.

There you have it — a few reasons why Canada’s hockey odds aren’t so stable for the Olympics just yet. Something to consider.

I know I should be following NFL odds like a good citizen right now, but what can I say? I’m a die-hard hockey guy and I can’t help but notice that teams are starting up their Olympic camps.

Some thoughts on the major contenders…

The Canadians are the obvious online betting favorites at home but, believe it or not, I wonder about their goaltending stability. Pretty much every option has question marks; Martin Brodeur has health and age concerns, Roberto Luongo crumbled when it mattered most in the 2009 playoffs, Steve Mason runs the risk of a sophomore jinx, Carey Price is an enigma, Cam Ward is inconsistent year to year…

Crazily enough, the U.S., a Northbet finals pick, tandem of Tim Thomas and Ryan Miller seems sturdier. Sure, those two have much lower ceilings, but you really know what you’re getting with them.

I don’t expect much from the defending champion Sweden at Vancouver. Many of their key contributors from the 2006 gold medal team — Mats Sundin, Markus Naslund, Nicklas Lidstrom, Daniel Alfredsson — are past their prime or retired. The Swedes will rock again in a few years when guys like Patrick Berglund, Victor Hedman and Sven Karlsson reach their potential, but I think the 2010 team will be a young, raw, rebuilding group.

To me, the Russians are Canada’s greatest threat. Ovechkin, Malkin, Datsyuk — that’s arguably three of the top four forwards in the world and doesn’t even include Ilya Kovalchuk or Alex Kovalev.

Remember when the Czech Republic was a powerhouse? Seems to me like the country’s hockey program has sagged this decade.

So, while I’m not as accurate of a predictor as top-of-the-line betting software, that’s my two cents about Olympic sports picks. 

Hockey betting fans weren’t exactly on the edge of their seats, but Dany Heatley’s press conference today was a topic of interest. After weeks of hockey brass and disgruntled fans putting words/soothers in this mouth, he broke his silence.

Did we learn anything? Hardly. Breaking news! Heatley wanted more choices for trade destinations! What a bombshell!

So he wanted to go to California. What player wouldn’t want that versus Edmonton, by far the northernmost city in the NHL?

What interests me most about Heatley’s situation isn’t his next home. It isn’t his diminished role on the Senators or possibly losing the “A” from his sweater or any of that mumbo-jumbo.

It’s that “between the lines” theory that always hides behind any seemingly out-of-nowhere trade request in hockey. Think about it. Why would Heatley sign a multi-year deal and hit the ejector seat after one year?

I don’t want to make any accusations or claims that what I’ve heard is true. But, based on what I’ve heard through the grapevine, something may have gone down between Heatley and Spezza. Something similar to what may have happened between these players:

- Eric Lindros and Rod Brind’Amour

- Gary Leeman and Al Iafrate

- Tony Amonte and Jeremy Roenick

- Theo Fleury and Doug Gilmour

- Mike Comrie and Tommy Salo

- Shayne Corson and Alexander Mogilny

Reportedly, in each of those cases, one of the players found himself traded, requested a trade, or left the team. Again — I don’t want to drag any names through the mud. But let’s just say the rumors involved a certain biblical commandment about coveting thy neighbour’s wife. And we know Heatley jumped ship on Spezza’s wedding.

Sure would explain why Heatley wants out of town so badly, wouldn’t it?

The American betting community lost one of its beloved figures to retirement today. Well, beloved is probably an overstatement — it’s not like hockey gets the love that NCAA football betting or basketball or even poker gets in the U.S. — but the bottom line is that Jeremy Roenick is one of the best hockey players ever to hail from the Land of the Free.

Here’s hoping he goes into broadcasting. While he sometimes seemed to be an attention hog, Roenick was a great personality for the game. He was honest yet charming and that lends well to a good color commentary guy in the mold of Brett Hull. I’m betting management in Chicago and Philadelphia TV stations try to nab him for color work very soon — maybe even in time for the 2009-10 season.

Congrats, Jeremy. You’ve had a great career and, while you never got that Stanley Cup ring, I’ll make a sports prediction that you make the Hall of Fame. We’ll miss ya, bud.

I suppose I should discuss offshore sportsbook picks, but c’mon, it’s the offseason. Let’s riff a little, have some fun at retired NHLers’ expense.

I’m betting, unless you’re a real dieheard hockey fan of 20-plus years, that you haven’t heard of Chris Nilan. Well, he was one of the more prolific goons of the late 1980s and early 1990s, playing with Montreal and Boston.

Apparently he was just arrested for trying to steal a bathing suit, which he was wearing under his clothes at a retail outlet. He apparently took a swing at a security guard and wrestled with cops on the ground before proclaiming he “just wanted to save a few bucks.”

I can’t begin to process the sadness of this scenario. Former tough guy, beaten down and forced to steal a bathing suit and rumble with cops? I feel bad even writing about it after he made so many hockey games worth the price per head in his career.

Thanks for at least defying any sports predictions I could’ve made this summer, Chris.

Sad day. Not an offshore sportsbook kind of sad, where all the bettors who made money on the Colorado Avalanche over the years cry into their drinks because the Avs are rebuilding.

Sure, Burnaby Joe Sakic helped many of us win those parlays, but the main story of today is how much we’ll miss him as hockey fans. He was a class act — a quiet guy who led by example and was an ambassador for the sport (like Georges St-Pierre on this weekend’s UFC fight card. Hint hint, Canada — you have a gold mine in that kid. Stop ignoring him!). He gave us many memorable clutch moments — playoff overtime winners, winning Gold with Canada in the 2002 Olympics (he was MVP). And of course, there’s the wrist shot — the heaviest, most deceptive, most famous wrister in NHL history.

We’ll miss you, Joe. Let’s hope this ain’t the last of you in hockey. According to my sports predictions, you’ll be back in some capacity. Think of the price per head they’d charge in Denver if you got behind the bench with Pat Roy!