NHL futures: Should you bet on a Canadian team to win the Stanley Cup?

There are two Canadian teams with very long odds at DK of winning the Cup, and that could do a lot with each team being down three games to one in their first-round matchups. Although to be fair, one team isn't quite as down and out as the other.

The Winnipeg Jets are +7500 (75-1) long shots to win the Cup and have dropped three straight games to Nathan MacKinnon and the Colorado Avalanche. Vezina Trophy candidate Connor Hellebuyck was uncharacteristically bad between the pipes in Colorado, giving up nine goals over Games 3 and 4 after he won twice at Ball Arena during the regular season. The Jets also played slightly better at home during the regular season, so maybe don't count them out of the running just yet as they get at least one more chance to even the playing field and advance to the next round.

The same can't be said about the Toronto Maple Leafs, who are +9000 (90-1) long shots at winning the Cup and are down three games to one against the rival Boston Bruins. As Yardbarker previously discussed, the Leafs haven't won a playoff series against the B's since before the moon landing, and with Auston Matthews not playing at 100%, it makes sense that their odds of advancing closer to the Stanley Cup Final are long.

Things get a bit more interesting when we look at the two Canadian teams with shorter odds of winning the Stanley Cup. 

The Vancouver Canucks are 17-1 long shots at winning the Stanley Cup and are up 3-1 on the Nashville Predators with a solid chance at advancing to the next round. Rick Tocchet's showed a lot of grit as they won Games 3 and 4 in Nashville, particularly in their 4-3 overtime win their last time out. However, their ongoing success could hinge on who their second-round opponent would be. They could be in trouble if they face the L.A. Kings, who took three out of four in the regular-season series. Then again they could also face the Edmonton Oilers, who the Canucks swept in a four-game set this year.

Which brings up to Connor McDavid's team and their favorable +500 (5-1) of winning the Stanley Cup. While their odds are quite short, this team has only made it to the Western Conference final once in the last decade and hasn't even made it to the Stanley Cup Final since McDavid was in elementary school. The Oilers-Kings matchup has been a high-scoring one and a Quinn Hughes-led defense could change that if there is an Edmonton-Vancouver matchup in the second round.

Still not convinced you should wager on a Canadian team to win the Stanley Cup this year? Perhaps wait until the second round to place your bets. As the first-round series wrap up, we can get a better idea of which team is better than their long odds — or which team could be going home sooner than their odds imply.