Oh Canada!: NHL Fantasy Franchise Bet

            As I made my yearly journey to down Alabama for a Fantasy Football draft, the other owners tried to bring me into a long-term bet on the NFL. The bottom ten teams in the NFL were drafted, with the owner owing $100 each year until one of them wins the Super Bowl. A version had just finished with the Bronco’s victory last season, the winner taking $7,000. The boys wanted me to take the Dolphins, and I gave it serious consideration, before passing.

            The bet intrigued me enough to mention it to a few hockey friends and we set up a similar version with the NHL. We decided on an auction style draft, going up from the bottom of the standings, starting each team at $5. Montreal earned the most competitive bidding, before I won it with $50. Buffalo shocked us all, when the amount jumped straight to $40. I gave a pity $5 offer for Columbus, before reselling them for $10.

            The rules are quite simple:

• The bet continues until one of the teams wins The Stanley Cup.
• If a team loses in the final, the owner is excused from payment for the following season.
• Full payment is due at the start of each season, and the funds are kept in an interest bearing account.
• An owner can opt out at anytime for any team, but may not reenter the bet.
• Teams can be sold for equal or greater value.
• The bet can be dissolved if all the owners agree, and money will be refunded based on contributions.

Because Canada had a miserable 2015-2016 season, every team except Ottawa was available. I ended up with four Canadian teams and hope I can get two “lotto tickets” into the playoffs each season. But, since the last of the teams to win The Cup was Colorado in 2001, this could potentially be the longest term bet I ever embark upon. Let the action begin.

Colorado	Mine	(17) resold 40
Montreal	Mine	50
Buffalo	Player R	40
Arizona	Player R	10
Winnipeg	Player (Jo)	(10) resold 25
Calgary	Mine	10
Columbus	Player (Jo)	(5) resold 10
Vancouver	Mine	(13) resold 15
Edmonton	Mine	16
Toronto	Mine	12

Update: After no winner for first three years, one owner dropped out, and his teams were resold. I added two teams and now have committed $143 every year until the bet concludes. Yikes.

Year	Me	Player R	Player Ja	Player Jo	Total(w Interest)
2017	88	50	40	10	188 (190)
2018	88	50	40	10	376 (380)
2019	88	50	40	10	564 (578)
2020	143	50		35	792 (827)
2021	143	50		35	1,020 (1,060)
2022	93	50		35	1,198 (1,248)

Update: 2021 marked the first time a team made the Stanley Cup Finals, when Montreal fluked their way into a deep Covid year run.