Sean Allen

Brantford

Fantasy Hockey Columnist at ESPN

Content Editor at The Hamilton Spectator (Hamilton, ON)

Adrift and at Peace.

Articles

Stanley Cup playoffs: Bets that stand out for Stars-Oilers Game 4

1 month ago | espn.com | Sean Allen

The storylines headed into Game 4 surround the Dallas Stars' inability to score first, the Edmonton Oilers' dominance at home and goaltender Stuart Skinner's strong play. The sportsbook odds are leaning toward the Oilers defending home turf, but there remains thin margins.
Stanley Cup Playoffs: Bets that stand out for Oilers-Stars tonight

1 month ago | espn.com | Sean Allen

A repeat Western Conference Finals matchup from 2024 between the Edmonton Oilers and Dallas Stars offers plenty of intrigue for bettors. Can Mikko Rantanen change the fortunes of the Stars, who lost here last season? Is Stuart Skinner completely over the shaky performances early in the playoffs? Will Connor McDavid and Evan Bouchard combine for 17 points in just six games like they did against the Stars last year?
Second-round betting guide: Best bets and Conn Smythe predictions

1 month ago | espn.com | Sean Allen |Victoria Matiash

The NHL will drop the puck on the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs on Monday night, when the Toronto Maple Leafs host the defending-champion Florida Panthers. The Maple Leafs are seeking to break the longest championship drought in the NHL, while the Panthers dispatched their in-state rival Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round. A team from Florida has made the Stanley Cup Final in each of the past five seasons.
2025 Stanley Cup first-round betting guide: Best bets and Conn Smythe predictions

2 months ago | espn.com | Sean Allen |Victoria Matiash

The 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs begin Saturday with 16 teams looking to etch their name onto Lord Stanley's Cup. Sergei Bobrovsky and the reigning champion Florida Panthers aim to defend their crown against a crowded Eastern Conference field that includes the Toronto Maple Leafs, Carolina Hurricanes, and Tampa Bay Lightning.
Way-too-early fantasy hockey rankings for 2025-26

2 months ago | espn.com | Sean Allen

Is it ever really "way too early" to start talking about the next fantasy hockey season? A lot is going to change between now and the fall, but let's take an initial pass over how we expect next season to shake out. Playoff Hockey ChallengePick the winners and crown your Stanley Cup champion! Create A BracketObviously, the outcome of the Stanley Cup playoffs, the free-agent offseason and the NHL draft will all push players up and down from this first glance. Where will Mitch Marner sign?
NHL Power Rankings: Predictions for every team's 2025-26 contention status

2 months ago | espn.com | Sean Allen |Victoria Matiash

The 2024-25 NHL season is almost over, with the Stanley Cup playoffs set to begin on April 19. So for this week's edition of the Power Rankings -- the final regular-season edition -- let's look ahead to what fans should expect out of every team in the 2025-26 season. Editor's Picks'That's just Ovi': How a true original set a goal-scoring recordNHL Awards Watch: Final regular-season ballots for seven different trophiesNHL Urgency Index: Which teams need to win the Stanley Cup right now?
2025 Fantasy hockey awards: MVPs, stars and surprises of the season

2 months ago | espn.com | Sean Allen

Another fantasy hockey season in the books, and what a ride it was. From draft-day steals to waiver-wire wonders, it's time to hand out the hardware to the players who made the 2024-25 campaign a thrill to follow, manage and obsess over in our leagues. To keep the games going, sign up for ESPN Playoff Hockey Challenge, where you pick the winning team round-by-round throughout the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
2025 Fantasy hockey awards: MVPs, stars and surprises of the season

2 months ago | espn.co.uk | Sean Allen

Another fantasy hockey season in the books, and what a ride it was. From draft-day steals to waiver-wire wonders, it's time to hand out the hardware to the players who made the 2024-25 campaign a thrill to follow, manage and obsess over in our leagues. To keep the games going, sign up for ESPN Playoff Hockey Challenge, where you pick the winning team round-by-round throughout the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
State of the goalies: Fantasy hockey recap, predictions for 2025

2 months ago | espn.com | Sean Allen

Ten years ago, in the 2014-15 NHL season, goaltenders occupied seven of the top 10 overall rankings in fantasy points and 25 out of the top 100. Even as recently as the 2017-18 season, goalies still accounted for many of the higher fantasy totals. That season, goaltenders took six of the top 10 spots and 16 of the top 100. But the worm turned between then and now.
NHL Betting: When, and how, will Alex Ovechkin break the NHL career goals record?

Mar 27, 2025 | espn.com | Sean Allen

Alex Ovechkin's pursuit of Wayne Gretzky's all-time goal record has been relentless, with the milestone approaching, and now the betting markets are starting to take notice. Sportsbooks have begun offering odds on when Ovechkin will notch the historic goal -- will it happen at home in Washington, against a longtime rival or under the bright lights of a marquee matchup? Or will we have to wait for next season?