NHL Best Bets Today: October 13 Picks & Predictions, including Golden Knights vs Predators

After a couple of light slates on the ice - just three games the past days - we’re back in full force to make up for no NFL action tonight. We’re talking about the first Frozen Frenzy of the season, which means that the entire league is playing! That also means that our NHL best bets today are a must. We’ve got plenty of options to choose from, and we’ve broken down the entire slate so that you get the best of the best!

Along with our NHL best bets today, be sure to check out all of our NHL picks for today’s action.

NHL Best Bets Today: Panthers vs Blue Jackets Over 5.5 (-130)

We led off saying that we just had two light slates of NHL action, but one of the teams that were just on the ice yesterday was the Florida Panthers. They’re already starting their season without Sergei Bobrovsky in net, and now on the second leg of a back-to-back, they’re leading off our NHL best bets today.

Even if they have an elite goaltender performance tonight, they can cover this total themselves against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Florida has been known for offensive firepower since before either of the Tkachuk brothers were there, and even with a couple of key injuries, they can capitalize. The Jackets have also been known for something for quite some time, and that is allowing both pressure on net and that pressure converting to goals allowed.

That’s why we most recently saw the St. Louis Blues put up five on Columbus after having scored five goals across their THREE games prior. In other words, both teams can do some damage to cash the first of our NHL best bets today.

Be sure to also check out our overall Panthers vs Blue Jackets prediction for tonight

NHL Best Bets Today: Golden Knights ML (-125) Over Predators

The Vegas Golden Knights are coming off their Stanley Cup Final loss with a vengeance, surging to the top of the Pacific Division with a 5-1-0 record (10 points). So, right from the rip, seeing them with a very reasonable money line price, even on the road, feels a bit off. Therefore, it’s an obvious addition to our NHL best bets today.

The Nashville Predators have some big names like Roman Josi and Filip Forsberg, but the consistency of goaltender Juuse Saros just isn’t back to what we expect. Even if it was, the Golden Knights lead all 32 teams in terms of expected goals per 60 minutes. In fact, their expected goal differential is incredible as well; at nearly a +1.5 differential, it just further supports our NHL best bets today.

Even the Toronto Maple Leafs and all of their issues took down the Preds, and in three of Nashville’s first five games, they’ve scored two or fewer goals. Being on the road isn’t going to keep us off Vegas, so we’re on the perennial Stanley Cup threat.

NHL Best Bets Today: Maple Leafs vs Mammoth Over 6.5 (-105)

Well, we just mentioned the Maple Leafs above, so why not get them in the mix? Their aforementioned win over the Preds was in 5-4 fashion, and we’re going to be rooting for goals again here. Given that their opponent is the Utah Mammoth, it’s the top approach for our NHL best bets today.

Don’t look now, but the Mammoth are looking to steal the Central Division from the Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars or any of the other teams expected to win it. They’ve been doing so by finding the back of the net at will more often than not. Even more than what we’ve seen should be on the horizon, as their expected goal percentage isn’t far behind the Golden Knights (fourth overall). That’s great news when facing Toronto, as their expected goals against per 60 is just a tick under four per game, hence adding this to our NHL best bets today.

Utah should be able to do most of the damage here (like their 6-0 season opener), and when they aren’t perfect against a Connor Bedard-less Chicago Blackhawks team, they win games with finals scores like 5-3 over the New Jersey Devils. A healthy Auston Matthews can help the Leafs contribute just enough for another high-scoring game.

Be sure to also check out our overall Maple Leafs vs Mammoth prediction for tonight