The 2026 calendar year is off to a great start for the NHL. There have already been exciting games, surprising results, movement in the standings and — of course — the NHL’s flagship outdoor game, the Winter Classic. The action continues with an excellent 13-game slate on Saturday beginning at noon Eastern and going all through the afternoon and night.
If you will be tuning in and want to have some action, here are a few betting markets that may be worth considering — with lines and odds courtesy of DraftKings at the time of writing. Also be sure to check out all of our NHL predictions for every game throughout the season, including all 10 matchups tonight.
NHL best bet: Canadiens ML (-120) over Blues
This one is a true tale of 2 teams. The Canadiens are right in the thick of a crowded and ultra-competitive Eastern Conference playoff race, and the Blues have the fourth-worst point percentage in hockey. Montreal scores the third-most goals per game in the NHL and boasts the seventh-best power play. St. Louis scores the fewest goals per game in the league, allows the fourth most and its penalty kill ranks 23rd. Recent results have reinforced the advantages the Canadiens own in this matchup.
Entering this game, the Canadiens are 7-1-3 in their last 11. They have 5 wins and points in their last 7 games. Montreal’s last 3 outings were especially strong, as they took Tampa Bay beyond regulation and then beat Florida and Carolina. They have scored 4.43 goals per game during that 7-game span. If the Canadiens hold even close to that average, it will be tough for the Blues and their NHL-worst 2.46 goals scored per game to keep up.
Read our full Canadiens vs Blues prediction
NHL best bet: Avalanche 3-way ML (+110) over Hurricanes
The Hurricanes are very good; the Avalanche are that much better. Even a regulation win for the Avalanche would not be plus money against most teams in the league. They are getting plus money here because they are playing another top team in the league. But Carolina finds itself in a bit of a slump, which gives even better value and appeal to a Colorado regulation win than it otherwise would. The Hurricanes enter this one having lost consecutive games; they have 2 wins in their last 7.
During Carolina’s current 2-4-1 stretch, it has allowed a total of 27 goals across those 5 losses. That is an average of 5.4 goals allowed in games Carolina is not winning. That is far from an ideal trend facing an Avalanche team that leads the NHL in goals scored per game and has won 9 straight. Colorado has scored 17 goals in itse last 3 games as part of 41 goals scored during its 9-game winning streak. The Avalanche have been an ultra-reliable play this year and they get plus money for a regulation win in this one. Even against a good team like Carolina, this is solid value.
Get our NHL picks for every matchup tonight and throughout the entire season!
NHL best bet: Maple Leafs vs Islanders Over 5.5 (-125)
The Maple Leafs just may have figured something out. Following a just plain bad second half of the 2025 calendar year, Toronto now enters this game 4-0-1 in its last 5. The success has unsurprisingly come with an uptick in offensive production. The Maple Leafs have scored 25 goals in their last 5 games. Granted, a 5-goal per game average is not sustainable. But it is a good sign for a team that has spent the season searching for answers.
The defensive end of the ice has been a challenge for the Maple Leafs all season. Their recent strong stretch has not been an exception. In 2 of their wins in the last 4 games, the Leafs allowed 5 goals. Fortunately for them, they were able to overcome the weak goal prevention. The door will be open for the Islanders to score a few and contribute to the over. With a total of just 5.5, they won’t need to do much to carry this game over the total if the Leafs continue their strong production.
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