NHL Picks

The Florida Panthers travel to Buffalo to take on the Sabres for the first time this season. Florida is 0-3 on their current road trip and have scored 4 goals in that span. We knew that injuries could catch up to them, but we didn’t expect it to be so soon. The lack og goalscoring is a concern, but the main issue is them keeping the puck out of their own net.

For Buffalo, it’s been a disastrous start to the year. They did manage to lay a beating on Ottawa a few nights ago to the tune of 8-4, so maybe they can keep the momentum rolling today? It’s hard to trust the Sabres to win hockey games, but in terms of goals per game, both teams have scored the same amount. With Florida struggling on the road, this could be a sneaky spot to take Buffalo to come away with the win. We’ll take our chances and hope it works out

Buffalo Sabres Money Line available at the time of publishing. Playable at that number or better.

The New York Islanders travel to Ottawa to take on the Senators for the first time this season. The Islanders are off to a disappointing start, having won just one game out of four. They will always be a team that struggles to score goals, but it’s their goaltending that has been concerning. They are allowing 3.75 goals per game despite limiting their opponents to fewer than 30 shots a night. Once again, their penalty kill just isn’t good. They will continue to be a mediocre team until they find a way to be better when down a man.

For Ottawa, things aren’t much better. They will be without their captain, Brady Tkachuk, for to 6-to-8 weeks due to a wrist injury. Their offence isn’t the concern; it’s their goaltending. As a team, they are allowing 5 goals against per game. To make matters even worse, they are allowing just 27 shots against. When a team is giving up that many goals on so few shots, it’s a goaltending problem. Linus Ullmark has cost his team games, and he needs to figure it out, and quickly. With the Total sitting at 6.0, we will take a stab at the Over. There’s no reason to believe the Senators’ goaltending issues are solved, so we need the Islanders to just score a few, and we’re good.

Over 6.0 available at the time of publishing. Playable at that number or better.

The New Jersey Devils are set to host the Edmonton Oilers in a Saturday afternoon matchup at the Prudential Center in New Jersey. The Oilers are looking to bounce back after a 4-2 loss to the Islanders on Thursday night. Stuart Skinner has rebounded after a brutal season opener to post a 30-save shutout against the Rangers, but they entered Friday ranked 31st in the league scoring a measly 1.83 goals per game so far this season. Skinner was strong against the Islanders in defeat, but Edmonton’s woeful defensive play is worrisome. Evan Bouchard had a rough game that saw several of his miscues lead directly to Grade A chances for the Islanders. Like usual, Edmonton’s defensive structure and inconsistency leaves a lot to be desired. Jack Hughes and a well-rounded New Jersey forward group should be able to take advantage.

Connor McDavid has yet to score a goal this season, but that won’t last long. It’s only a matter of time before McDavid finds the back of the net. Edmonton’s offense is off to a slow start, ranking 28th with 2.50 goals per game through 4 games. Like McDavid, it’s only a matter of time until things start clicking. Heading into their 5th game of the new season, this could be the time where things open up for Edmonton. It’s also worth mentioning that New Jersey’s No. 1 goaltender Jacob Markstrom will be sidelined for a couple weeks and won’t be active in this one. Look to the over in this matchup.

Oilers vs Devils prediction: Over 6 (-110) available at time of publishing. Playable at that number.

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A massive NHL Saturday and there are a plethora of intriguing games. This includes a  Central Division battle between the Dallas Stars and St. Louis Blues. This marks the first of four meetings this season, and will be hard-fought as they are just two points from each other. Can Dallas earn their fourth win in five games, or will the Blues defend home ice? Here are our Stars vs. Blues predictions.

In just four games this season, the Stars have scored an elite 18 goals (4.5 per game), but have given up a concerning 15 goals (3.75 per game). This has resulted in all game totals going over, and I expect that yet again. It is no surprise the Stars are scoring at a high clip, as they have a stacked roster as they have been at least a top-seven team in scoring in each of the past three seasons. In four games, the Blues have given up the third-worst goals against average (4.25 per game), and show no signs of fixing it. I expect the Stars to have many chances with an added effort after losing their most-recent game, burying many. I also think the Blues will have multiple tallies. Dallas has clearly struggled in keeping the puck out of the net, and with an added urgency after an embarrassing 8-3 loss. Combined, I think this game will bring a ton of goals, so take over 5.5 for our Stars vs. Blues prediction.

Stars vs. Blues prediction: Over 5.5 (-105) available at time of publishing. Playable at that number to (-140).

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The Philadelphia Flyers will be hosting the Minnesota Wild on Saturday night. The Flyers have had a very tough schedule to begin their season, with two games against the defending Stanley Cup Champions, one against the Carolina Hurricanes and Winnipeg Jets. It doesn’t get much easier with the offensively gifted Wild coming to town. We know the Wild can score their share of goals as they are led by Kirill Kprizov and Matt Boldy, but their defensive ply has been extremely shaky. They are averaging 4.00 goals against through their first five games of the season. They are also coming in to this game on the second half of a back-to-back, so I expect their defensive play to continue to be sloppy. Their powerplay is extremely lethal right now, operating at a very impressive 43.5%. Expect them to capitalize on most of their man advantage opportunities.

The Flyers have been spinning their tires a bit offensively out of the gate, averaging only 2.75 goals per game to begin the year. The poor defensive play of the Wild will allow them to find their scoring touch and get things back on track. The Flyers offense poses a lot of skill and has the potential to produce goals in bunches. I think we are in for a high-scoring game on Saturday given the back-to-back situation for the Wild and their backup netminder getting the start. I will be taking the over in this one.

Wild vs. Flyers prediction: Over 6.0 (-110) available at time of publishing. Playable at that number.

The Nashville Predators travel to Winnipeg to take on the Predators for the first time this season. Nashville has given up 10 goals in the last 2 games and are trying to get back to playing well defensively. Juuse Saros is likely to start this game, and his numbers are very good, posting a 1.94 GAA and a .935 SV%. Their shot volume is a little low, but this team is built from the back end out, so they’ll need to take advantage of the chances they get.

The Jets are 3-1-0 to start the season, but their underlying numbers are a little concerning. They are scoring 4.25 goals per game, but averaging just over 23 shots. They continue to win games because their penalty kill is elite and their power play is operating at over 25%. Connor Hellebuyck is 2-1-0 on the year, but his 3.02 GAA and .895 SV% speak a different tale. They are winning games, but need 5 goals a night to do so. Luck will run out at some point, but it might not happen tonight. We’ll take the Jets to cover the Money Line in regulation.

Winnipeg Jets 3-Way Money Line available at the time of publishing. Playable at that number or better.

The New York Rangers and Montreal Canadiens meet for a Saturday night matchup at the Bell Centre. This is a classic Original Six rivalry that renews for another season, for the first of three meetings this season. Montreal is on fire with four-straight wins, while New York is struggling with an 0-2-1 record in their last three with just 1 goal scored. Will trends continue, or will they change? Here are some Rangers vs Canadiens predictions.

The vibes in Montreal are immaculate right now. Not only are they one of the youngest teams in the league, but they are one of the most-dominant. After losing their season opener, Montreal has rapped or four-straight wins. It looks like they are finally doming into themselves. Meanwhile, things are tough in New York as they are tied for the most games played in the league, and are tied for third-last in goals for. A mediocre record of 2-3-1 has the organization shaking, especially after seeing the disasters within the organization the last few seasons. Until Montreal falls back to Earth, it is tough to say they will drop this. Especially after seeing stud Cole Caufield bury 2 straight overtime winners. With what should be an incredible loud building, I am siding with the Canadiens for these Rangers vs Canadiens predictions.

Rangers vs Canadiens prediction: Montreal 3-way ML (+135) available at time of publishing. Playable to (+110).

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The Seattle Kraken make their first, and only, trip to Toronto this season to take on the Maple Leafs. The Kraken are a team built from the back end out, but over the last couple of games, they’ve been giving up more goals than usual. Their offence is middle-of-the-pack, averaging 3 goals a night, so if they can keep this game within reach, they have a chance to win.

That being said, the Maple Leafs are 3-1-0 on home ice and have no problem scoring goals. They are scoring 3.80 goals per game despite their power play clicking at just 10%. At some point, the man advantage is going to click, and even more goals are going to be scored. It might not come easy for them in this one, but they are the better team on paper, and they have players on the roster that can be counted on when a goal is needed. We’ll take a chance on the Puck Line and hope an empty net goal goes our way

Toronto Maple Leafs Puck Line available at the time of publishing. Playable at that number or better.

The Tampa Bay Lightning are off to a relatively underwhelming 1-2-2 start this season. But, they’ve lost 4 games by a combined 5 goals, with their last 2 losses coming in overtime to the Red Wings and Capitals. The good news is that the Blue Jackets are also off to a slow start. Columbus enters this matchup with a 1-3-0 record on the young campaign. Aside from a 7-goal eruption against the Wild, the Blue Jackets have struggled to get going offensively. Kirill Marchenko is carrying the load right now, as he already has 4 goals in 4 games. But, other scorers like Adam Fantilli, Kent Johnson, and Sean Monahan have yet to get going.

This is a series that Tampa Bay has dominated in recent seasons. The Lightning won both meetings last season by a combined score of 11-5, and have won 7 of the last 10 meetings going back to 2022. Despite playing on the road, Tampa Bay has better forward depth which could prove to be the difference in this one. The Lightning have had some close losses up to this point, and despite their struggles, they should enter this game with confidence. They’ve controlled the Blue Jackets in recent memory, and are in a good spot to find the win column in this one.

Lightning vs Blue Jackets prediction: Lightning ML (-110) available at time of publishing. Playable at that number.

The Boston Bruins travel to Colorado to take on the Avalanche for the first time this season. The Bruins have gotten off to a strong start this season, much better than most people expected. For a team that lacks offensive depth, they are averaging 3.60 goals per game and just over 28 shots on goal. Their goaltending is average, but it hasn’t cost them games so far.

For all the talk about how elite Colroado’s offence is, it’s their defensive game that has been exceptional. They are giving up just 26 shots per game, and their penalty kill is at 86%. That may explain why, as a team, they are allowing just 1.60 goals against. Most of that is due to Scott Wedgewood, who has been forced into the starter’s role with Mackenzie Blackwood on the shelf. He’s been fantastic, and we should expect that trend to continue. It’s always a challenge for opposing teams to come into Colorado, at altitude, and have success. We’ll look for the Avalanche to come out strong and maintain that pace for 60 minutes.

Colorado Avalanche 3-Way Money Line available at the time of publishing. Playable at that number or better.

The Carolina Hurricanes and Los Angeles Kings hit the ice for a Saturday night tilt. This continues what has so far been an very successful Western Conference road trip for the Hurricanes, who are 2-0-0 with 9 goals for and 2 against. They are now a perfect 4-0-0 overall, and likely have their toughest task so far this season against the Kings. To get you set for the action, here are our Hurricanes vs. Kings predictions.

Momentum is an extremely important thing in the NHL, and this matchup brings two teams who are on the complete opposite side of it. Carolina has truly looked elite, and remain the only team in the NHL without a loss. Los Angeles meanwhile is 1-3-1, and while it is early, there is already a sense of urgency from a team who had high expectations heading into the season. It is not for a lack of trying, as they aren’t necessarily being blown out, but their depth is really struggling with minimal contributions, and their goaltending has quite frankly been awful. While I expect them to be prepared for the powerhouse that is coming, I don’t see them pulling themselves out of the hole just yet. Expect the good times in Carolina to continue, and take them on the money line for our Hurricanes vs. Kings prediction.

Hurricanes vs. Kings prediction: Carolina Hurricanes money line (-140) available at time of publishing. Playable to (-160).

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The Calgary Flames and Vegas Golden Knights help close out a busy Saturday in the NHL with a Pacific Division matchup. These two just faced off four days ago, where Vegas won 4-2 on the road. Calgary will be looking to return the favor, but will be in tough against a team who has earned points in 5/5 games this season. To get you set for the action, here are some Flames vs. Golden Knights predictions.

When these two met on October 14th in Calgary, the Flames held a solid 2-0 lead after the first. However, the wheels fell off, and Vegas scored four unanswered goals to cruise to a win. Calgary isn’t necessarily expected to beat a strong team like Vegas, but falling apart like that can’t leave a good taste in Calgary’s mouth. I expect the team to show up and really give Vegas a good test here in their home building. Currently within a rebuilding phase, Calgary still has a solid mix of young and old players who can make a difference in any game. At 1-4-0, they should also be extremely hungry to get back to the in column. While Vegas has secured 8/10 possible points, four of those games finished within one goal, and they’ve lost two in overtime. Vegas is deemed as a major favorite, but I think Calgary can keep things close. Take the Flames +1.5 for our Flames vs. Golden Knights prediction.

Flames vs. Golden Knights prediction: Calgary Flames +1.5 (-130) available at time of publishing. Playable to (-145).

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