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Teams on the clock in deep NHL draftHockey Betting Lines05/24/2010 - Toronto, Canada (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The NHL Entry Draft, set to take place June 25 in Los Angeles, provides both players and general managers the opportunity to take the next step towards success. While top prospects Taylor Hall and Tyler Seguin have garnered most of the attention among this year's group of prospects, the following three players also offer a unique skill set that will help make for compelling drama among those vying for their services next month. EMERSON ETEM, C, Medicine Hat Tigers The allure of drafting a homegrown athlete is often too tempting to pass up, especially if that talent is a hockey player from the sunny state of California. That is the position the Anaheim Ducks find themselves in heading into the draft. Long Beach native Emerson Etem of the Western Hockey League's (WHL) Medicine Hat Tigers is likely on the radar of the Ducks, who own the 12th and 16th picks of the first round. Aside from his California roots, Etem's ability to play right wing or center will be an attractive ingredient for the Ducks who will need to replenish an aging crop of secondary scorers, with Jason Blake (36), Teemu Selanne (39) and Saku Koivu (35) all in the twilight of their careers. NHL Central Scouting currently ranks Etem eighth among North American skaters, while various mock drafts have him going anywhere from eighth to 18th. At 6'0", 194 pounds, Etem is an explosive skater who handles the puck well at full speed. In his first WHL season, Etem compiled 37 goals and 65 points in 72 games while also chipping in another seven goals in 12 playoff games. Prior to his WHL debut, Etem honed his skills in the U.S. Under-17 National Team Development Program (USNTDP) in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where he racked up 45 (23-22) points in 50 games. JACK CAMPBELL, G - USNTDP Another product of the USNTDP that will have GM's licking their chops is 6'2" goaltender Jack Campbell. Campbell, who has committed to play for the Ontario Hockey League's (OHL) Windsor Spitfires next season, is the definition of a big-game goalie. His golden resume includes a stellar performance at the 2010 World Junior Championship and back-to-back World Under-18 Championships, where he earned the best goalkeeper award last month in Minsk, Belarus, posting a 0.83 GAA and .965 save percentage in six games, including three shutouts. While there is a lot of speculation as to where Campbell will be drafted, a scout at McKeen's Hockey believes that with his international accomplishments and budding athleticism, the Michigan native will be scooped up within the first five picks. If Campbell is indeed taken in the top five, it will make him the first goalie from the USNTDP selected in the first round. One potential suitor for Campbell's services could very well be the New York Islanders (fifth pick), who drafted oft-injured goaltender Rick DiPietro No. 1 overall in the 2000 draft. Although they have DiPietro under contract until 2021, nagging knee and hip injuries have limited the 29-year old to 13 games over the last two seasons. With a solid group of prospects up front and some potential defensive studs in Calvin de Haan and Travis Hamonic coming up through the junior ranks, the Islanders could very well take another shot at securing a franchise goaltender. If the Islanders decide to pass on Campbell, the Tampa Bay Lightning (sixth pick) or the St. Louis Blues (14t) would make an optimal match, as both teams are in desperate need of help in goal. JEFF SKINNER, C, Kitchener Rangers Unlike the state of the global economy, one player who has seen his stock rise at a rapid rate is Kitchener Rangers forward Jeff Skinner. The Markham, Ont. native was the 47th-ranked North American skater by NHL Central Scouting in their mid-term report, but jumped 13 spots by the time they released their final rankings. After his performance in the OHL playoffs this past spring, the skilled sniper has likely put himself in position to land in the top 15. Skinner was an offensive dynamo for the Rangers this past season, netting 50 goals and 90 points in the regular season while torching opposing goalies for another 20 in the postseason. At 5'10" and 187 pounds, Skinner has a solid base and low center of gravity, which makes him difficult to knock off the puck. He also possess a high compete level and tenacity that has made him a fan favorite in Kitchener and an enemy in opposing rinks. Despite being a former nationally-ranked figure skater, his lack of foot speed is considered his biggest downfall. But with an acute hockey sense and a deft touch around the net, Skinner is undeniably one of the most highly skilled forwards in the draft. Every team could use a forward as talented as Skinner, but where he will be drafted is a hotly contested topic. Some mock drafts have him going as high as eighth while others don't even have him ranked in the first round. Based on his skill set, there are several teams sprinkled throughout the draft that would love to acquire Skinner's services. Within the top 10, the Atlanta Thrashers and New York Rangers could be a good fit for Skinner's offensive prowess. With the loss of Ilya Kovalchuk, the Thrashers will be looking to add another scoring forward to complement last year's fourth overall pick, Evander Kane, while the Rangers could use some future insurance with the glass-like Marian Gaborik ranking as their only scoring threat. Where Skinner ends up will be an interesting storyline to follow on draft day, as the underrated 50-goal scorer could be the steal of the draft.
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El Duque expected to throw Tuesday PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- New York Mets pitcher Orlando Hernandez, sidelined at spring training because of arthritis in his neck, is expected to resume throwing on Tuesday. Hernandez received a cortisone shot Thursday after leaving camp and returning to New York to have his neck examined. The 41-year-old right-hander is penciled in as the team's No. 2 starter behind Tom Glavine. El Duque's health is a major issue for the Mets, who won the NL East in 2007 and came within one victory of the World Series. Their aging and unsettled rotation is a big question mark this year. MySportsbook.com has the Mets as -110 favorites to repeat as NL East champions odds. Hernandez went 11-11 with a 4.66 ERA last season, including 9-7 with a 4.09 ERA in 20 starts after the Mets acquired him from Arizona in late May. But he missed the playoffs because of a torn calf muscle. New York already is without Pedro Martinez, out until at least midseason following rotator cuff surgery. Among those competing for starting jobs are prospects Mike Pelfrey, Philip Humber and Jason Vargas, plus veterans Chan Ho Park, Jorge Sosa and Aaron Sele. Notes: Mets manager Willie Randolph is excited about two new utility players he could have on his bench: Damion Easley and David Newhan. ''Their value is really all over the place,'' Randolph said. Easley can play anywhere in the infield and could be used as an emergency outfielder, though Randolph said he would prefer to keep the veteran in the infield. Newhan, meanwhile, can play second base, third or any outfield position for the Mets. ''I love versatility,'' Randolph said. ''I love guys that can give me options when I need them to step in.'' Additional baseball lines and World Series odds can be found at: www.MySportsbook.com To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com - this sportsbook accepts credit cards.
Betting the NFL preseasonRule No. 1 in the gamblers' handbook states, "Avoid sports betting on meaningless games." When you're drowning in a sea of baseball monotony, however, things change. Even a hint of pro football betting can persuade the most disciplined bettor to break a few rules. The NFL preseason is around the corner, with a tempting Hall of Fame match kicking off on Sunday. But bettors must stay vigilant. Wagering on NFL exhibition games is an entirely different beast than the regular season. Most fans don't recognize the players on the field because starters get as much action in August as Warcraft fans get on Prom night. The only certainty about the NFL this time of year is uncertainty – and yet there are some who say betting in August can be a gold mine. “I actually feel the NFL preseason presents solid profit opportunities for sharp bettors and handicappers,” Sports Expert Steve Merril explains. “My experience has been that the sportsbooks fear the preseason, which is evident by lower limits and massive moves.” The line moves are attributed to the limited knowledge available regarding playing-time distribution. One team’s top unit out on the field for one more series has an impact on the pointspread. Setting lines in the preseason often is a shot in the dark. “We base the betting lines mostly on public perception,” Pete Korner, founder of the Sports Club in Las Vegas, says. “It’s very tough to predict, almost a guessing game.” The preseason is all about figuring out who’s in and for how long. “It becomes a race between bettors and oddsmakers to find out how long the quarterbacks are going to stay in,” Korner admits. “If a sharp gets the information first, he could exploit an early line. I’m a full believer in moving the line in the preseason if the books find out something late in the week.” Determining what each team’s motive is can help bettors handicap. To do this you must pay close attention to the philosophies head coaches employ in exhibition play. “You need to know what a coach is trying to accomplish,” says Covers Expert Bryan Leonard. “Sometimes a new coach will want to instill a winning attitude. Others just want to make sure their starters don’t get hurt." So how do you distinguish who’s playing scared and who’s playing for keeps? “Head coaches on the hot seat or new coaches trying to implement a winning attitude usually try harder to win in the preseason,” Merril says. Cleveland Browns head coach Romeo Crennel fits this criteria. He’s entering his third season as the sideline boss and has yet to lead the Browns to more than six wins. Cleveland is an enticing bet as well because of the unresolved quarterback situation. General manager Phil Savage sacrificed the Browns’ first-round pick in next year’s draft for Brady Quinn, but the former Notre Dame quarterback hasn’t signed or reported to training camp yet. Charlie Frye and Derek Anderson split time at QB last season and it looks like either player (or even Quinn) could be the opening-day starter. “If a team has quarterback depth and the pecking order hasn’t been decided, it’s a big advantage,” Leonard says. Even in the third week of the preseason when starters generally play the most, the final outcome of the game is in the hands of fringe players. A team's talent, all the way down to the last man on the roster, is something to consider. The New England Patriots have long been considered one of the deeper teams in the NFL and coach Bill Belichick has said in the past he’s unafraid of stars getting hurt in games with nothing on the line. He shocked his colleagues in 2003 by playing some of his starters on special teams in the preseason. “We want to have the team ready to play a tough, physical game and preparation has to go into that and I imagine a certain amount of injuries go with it,” Belichick told the Providence Journal in August 2003. Bettors can only hope to find more teams that share the Pats' business-like approach to the preseason (New England is 17-9-3 against the spread since 2000) and take advantage of teams who detest the exhibition schedule. To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your bet on football needs. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook accepts Visa and Mastercard credit cards. |
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