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The Las Vegas gambling oddsmaker Bodog has the Edmonton Oilers with the second best betting odds to win the Stanley Cup, but some analytics folks aren’t so bullish on the team.

OnTSN1260 this week, Allan “Lowetide” Mitchell has been interviewing analytics writers such as TSN’s Scott Cullen. Mitchell has asked them all the same question, whether the Oilers — as they are now formulated — are a strong Stanley Cup contender.

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Said Cullen: “If I look at the roster right now, I don’t think they’re Stanley Cup ready. I look at the team and think, yeah, they’ll make the playoffs and maybe they’re a team that wins a round or two in the playoffs, but I don’t look at the current team and think, yes, this is a team that should be matching Pittsburgh, say, blow for blow if they were to go head to head. I don’t think they’ve gotten worse, or at least dramatically worse from last season, but I don’t think they’ve made dramatic improvements either. The way last season ended, I still didn’t have kind of the impression the Oilers were right there, ready to be a Cup contender. I’m still on the position that I think they’re still a player or two away from really feeling like that should be what their expectation is.”