NHL Picks

Free Expert NHL picks throughout the 2025/26 NHL season. We crunch the numbers, analyze the data, and provide free NHL picks every day of the regular season and throughout the NHL Playoffs and Stanley Cup Finals.

Read More
Filter Picks
Filter Picks
Bet Type
Experts
Confidence Rating
5:07 PM ET
Today
ESPN+
Montreal Canadiens
Tampa Bay Lightning
Canadiens
Lightning
Money Line Pick
TB Lightning Win(-150)

The Montreal Canadiens and Tampa Bay Lightning kick off NHL Sunday with an Atlantic Division battle. This is Montreal’s first game post-Christmas, and Tampa Bay’s second half of a back to back after a 4-2 win over the Florida Panthers. Who will come out on top on Sunday? Let’s get into it. 

Montreal may be coming into this game well-rested with their last game being December 23rd, but my pick for the game is Tampa Bay. Light travel was required after yesterday’s contest as they took on their state rival, and they looked sharp. The Lightning have now won three-straight games while outscoring opponents 14-7, and look like a well-oiled machine. Montreal has been excellent as well at 3-0-1 in their last four games, but I don’t love their chances on the road against a strong opponent who is already back in game shape after the break. Tampa Bay looks determined to make up for a sluggish run in December that saw them go 2-6-1, and I don’t see them stopping here. Take Tampa Bay on the money line on Sunday.

Canadiens vs. Lightning prediction: Lightning ML (-150) available at time of publishing. Playable to (-160).

If you’re looking for a new sportsbook, check out Bet365, the world’s #1 sportsbook. They have an amazing sign-up offer where you can INSTANTLY receive $150 in bonus bets from a $5 wager, regardless of whether that bet wins or loses! There’s no catch, it’s really that simple. Join Bet365 right now ⏰ in time to fade or follow our experts’ Canadiens vs Lightning predictions

5:07 PM ET
Today
FDSNOH, MSGSN
New York Islanders
Columbus Blue Jackets
Islanders
Blue Jackets
Game Totals PickBest Bet
Over 5.5(-130)

The Islanders defeated the Rangers by a score of 2-0 on Saturday night, and are now set for a Sunday night tilt in Columbus against the Blue Jackets. David Rittich posted a 27-save shutout against the Rangers, but it seems unlikely that he is between the pipes for this one. Ilya Sorokin was placed on IR with a lower body injury on Saturday, which means New York’s goaltending situation is a bit up in the air. Marcus Hogberg was recalled from AHL Bridgeport on Saturday, and could be in line for his first start of the season on Sunday. He’s posted an .881 save percentage with Bridgeport this season, and owns an .890 save percentage across 57 games in his NHL career. Columbus should come out firing and should be able to find success offensively in this one.

The Islanders have scored 2 goals or fewer in 5 straight games, but they could be in a solid position to end that trend against the Blue Jackets. Columbus is allowing 3.44 goals per game this season, which is the 3rd-worst mark in the NHL. Jet Greaves has been impressive between the pipes, but he’s still allowed 3+ goals in 4 of his last 6 starts. All in all, both offenses could be in line for plenty of opportunities in this matchup. Look to the over on Sunday.

Islanders vs Blue Jackets prediction: Over 5.5 (-130) available at time of publishing. Playable to -140.

Bet like a Caesar with this AMAZING new customer offer from Caesars Sportsbook. If you bet just $1, you’ll receive DOUBLE YOUR WINNINGS on your next 20 bets! 👥 using the Caesars promo code PWCONTENT20X, where you can bet on our Islanders vs Blue Jackets picks.

Vote on who will win!

7:07 PM ET
Today
Pittsburgh Penguins
Chicago Blackhawks
Penguins
Blackhawks
Game Totals Pick
Under 6.0(-115)

The Pittsburgh Penguins are heading to Chicago to face the Blackhawks for the first time this season. Recently, the Penguins have lost four of their last five games, including a 6-3 defeat against the Toronto Maple Leafs just before the break. Their offensive performance has struggled during this period, likely due to several players being injured and out of the lineup. Additionally, their scoring on the road has been problematic, ranking 26th in goals, making it a concern even when the team is healthy.

The Blackhawks are playing their second game in consecutive nights and are looking to build on their recent success. They secured a surprising 4-3 victory over the Stars in a shootout. Now, they return home with Spencer Knight in goal, who boasts a 2.21 goals-against average and a .920 save percentage when playing in front of the home crowd. However, Chicago is missing some key forwards, including Connor Bedard, which may make scoring difficult. Both teams are proficient at killing penalties and tend to generate fewer shots on goal. Therefore, we can anticipate a low-scoring game, so betting on the under is my preferred choice in this one.

Penguins vs Blackhawks Prediction: Under 6.0 (-115) available at the time of publishing. Playable at that number or better.

If you’re looking for a new sportsbook, check out Bet365, the world’s #1 sportsbook. They have an amazing sign-up offer where you can INSTANTLY receive $150 in bonus bets from a $5 wager, regardless of whether that bet wins or loses! There’s no catch, it’s really that simple. Join Bet365 right now ⏰ in time to fade or follow our experts’ Penguins vs Blackhawks predictions

Vote on who will win!

8:07 PM ET
Today
Philadelphia Flyers
Seattle Kraken
Flyers
Kraken
Money Line Pick
SEA Kraken Win(+115)

The Philadelphia Flyers are heading to Seattle to face the Kraken in their final matchup of the season. The teams met in October, when the Flyers won decisively, 5-2. This season, the Flyers have been a pleasant surprise in the Metropolitan Division, although they still rank as a below-average offensive team, relying heavily on strong goaltending. Historically, it has been challenging for East Coast teams to travel west and achieve success, and tonight’s game could follow that trend.

The Kraken rank among the league’s lowest in terms of offense, and the reasons for this are evident. After all, they average just under 26 shots per game, leading to only 2.53 goals scored. Their goaltending has been reliable, which helps on certain nights. Additionally, they have a solid power play, operating at 21%. Before the holiday break, they achieved three consecutive road wins, outscoring their opponents 10-5. While their performance hasn’t been extraordinary, it’s a positive sign for a team in desperate need of offensive production. The question remains: can they maintain this momentum tonight? We certainly hope so. The game is anticipated to be a tight, defensive battle—precisely the style Seattle prefers. As long as they keep the game close, the Kraken have a good chance of securing a victory on Sunday.

Flyers vs Kraken Prediction: Kraken ML (+115) available at the time of publishing. Playable at that number or better.

If you’re looking for a new sportsbook, check out Bet365, the world’s #1 sportsbook. They have an amazing sign-up offer where you can INSTANTLY receive $150 in bonus bets from a $5 wager, regardless of whether that bet wins or loses! There’s no catch, it’s really that simple. Join Bet365 right now ⏰ in time to fade or follow our experts’ Flyers vs Kraken predictions

Your Home For Free NHL Expert Picks For The 2025/26 Season

At Pickswise we have expert NHL picks for all of the top NHL action throughout the 2025/26 season. We crunch the numbers, analyze the data, and provide the best free NHL expert picks every day. The NHL is an exciting sport to wager on and there are plenty of opportunities for wins during the bumper 2025/26 NHL season. 

Lots of hockey is to be played before we find out who the next Stanley Cup champions will be. Check out all things hockey, every day of the season with our free NHL picks and analysis.

How Do I Get NHL Picks For Today’s Games?

NHL Picks are most similar to MLB Picks, in that the most popular NHL wagering is done via the Money line (ML) where a bettor simply picks a winner or loser of the game finding value in the price. Just like an MLB pitcher, NHL game lines are determined largely by the goaltender matchup. You’re going to pay a premium price (-180 or more) for putting in an NHL free pick on a solid goaltender – but it’s one position that can win or lose the bet for you. Fatigue is also a factor in finding the best NHL picks as Team A may be playing their first game in a week while Team B is in their 3rd contest in 5 nights.

We try to post our NHL picks for today at least 24 hours in advance. However, due to the huge volume of games, this can sometimes be impossible if teams are playing back-to-back games. We want to get our picks up as close as possible to the opening lines so we can get on the early line value, but team news and research is always key to making the best possible NHL Picks.

NHL Picks Against the Spread

NHL betting has a 1.5-goal spread known as the puck line (PL). Again just like baseball betting has the run line (-1.5). NHL wagers are exciting until the very last second of the game as teams often pull their goaltender near the end to get an extra skater on the ice. All of a sudden an empty-net goal pushes your NHL free pick to victory – or defeat. Betting on the puck line provides better payout odds and NHL picks against the spread can also be pushed to higher numbers such as -2.5 or 3.5 goals for an even better return on investment.

Free NHL Over / Under Picks

Most games are listed right around 5.5 goals in the NHL. The total number of goals is the total of combined goals by both teams and you can either select over or under the total. If the line is 5.5 and you wish to wager on the over then the total combined goals for the game must be 6 or more for you to cash your ticket.

NHL over/under betting is an interesting wager. A huge factor to take into consideration is the goaltenders as they have a huge part to play in influencing the number of goals in the game. A goaltender’s Goals Against Average (GAA) is a key stat to measure the effectiveness of a goaltender.

NHL Consensus Picks

NHL Consensus Picks is a way of saying the popular pick or often referred to as a public pick. What this actually means is where the majority of the bets are being placed. If we’re looking at Money Line markets, for example, if 70% of the tickets are on the Pittsburgh Penguins to beat the New York Islanders, then the Penguins are the consensus pick for that game. Bettors can use this in their research or check possible line moves in the lead-up to a game. 

Ice Hockey Betting Picks

Our ice hockey betting picks will typically follow and feature on the NHL season with picks and Predictions available all season long. Our experts will be primed and ready in times of Olympic years and select other competitions throughout the year too. Our ice hockey picks, as expected will include picks on the money line, puck line, totals, and several player and team Hockey Prop Bets

Hockey Computer Picks

With so many hockey games played each season, analytics, lineups, and small changes can make a huge difference in a matchup. These are just some of the reasons why bettors may opt to use or consider hockey computer picks, as a metric that can be rid of human bias, and offer a solely data-driven analytical look at a matchup, betting markets, and projections. 

Free Hockey Picks Today

Here at Pickswise, our hockey handicappers bring you all of the top action, picks, and previews of today’s best NHL matches today. We offer free hockey picks all season, right through until the Stanley Cup Finals themselves. Each match will have an expert hockey pick on the Puck Line, Money Line, and Goals totals, accompanied with detailed analysis and stats. Check out all of our free hockey picks today.

More Than Just NHL Picks 

We also specialize in every major North American sport including the following throughout their respective seasons so check out the links below for our top plays right now.

Check out our site every single day for some of the best bets in every major athletic contest and make sure to follow us on social media as well.