NHL Picks

The much-anticipated return of Mitch Marner to Toronto will happen on Friday night, when the Vegas Golden Knights visit the Toronto Maple Leafs. These teams met just over a week ago in what was an absolute thriller of a game. The Leafs carried a lead into the third period but ended up losing in overtime 6-5. The Golden Knights were in Boston on Thursday night, so they will be on the second half of a back-to-back — while the Maple Leafs were sitting idle. The Leafs have been playing some good hockey of late, but the injury bug seems to have found their team. They will be without William Nylander up front, and it is unlikely that we will see Brandon Carlo and Oliver Ekman-Larsson on the back end. However, I expect Toronto to show up and deliver a solid performance against its former teammate. The crowd will be all over Marner every time he touches the puck.

The Golden Knights have now lost consecutive games on the heels of a 7-game winning streak. This will be no easy game for the Leafs, and they will need to grind for these 2 points. They are the more rested team, and that will play to their advantage. Give me Toronto in this one.

Golden Knights vs Maple Leafs prediction: Toronto ML (-105) available at time of publishing. Playable at that number.

You can bet on our Golden Knights vs Maple Leafs pick at DraftKings Sportsbook, which has thousands of betting options available and a great new customer offer where you can get $300 in bonus bets instantly if your first $5 wager is a winner! Click here 👈🏼 to sign up for a DraftKings account now.

The Dallas Stars are looking to avenge their 3-1 loss to the St. Louis Blues on October 18 when they host the Blues on Friday night. The good news for the Stars is that a lot has changed since that meeting. The Stars have been one of the top teams in the Western Conference all season, as their 65 points trail only the Avalanche and Wild in the conference. Dallas has plenty of scoring depth, as Jason Robertson, Mikko Rantanen and Wyatt Johnston have all already reached the 50-point mark this season. The Stars aren’t too reliant on one individual scorer, which gives the Blues a lot to worry about in this matchup.

On the other side, it has been a long season for the Blues. They enter this contest with the fewest points in the Central Division, and there isn’t much to suggest things will turn around in a major way in the second half of the season. The Blues are playing their third and final game of their current road trip. They have dropped the first 2 games to the Oilers and Jets by a combined score of 8-1. That follows a common theme for St. Louis this season, as the road has not been kind to head coach Jim Montgomery’s squad. The Blues are just 7-14-3 on the road so far this season, and their 2.42 goals per game on the road ranks 31st in the NHL. Playing at home, look for the Stars to take care of business in regulation.

Blues vs Stars prediction: Dallas 3-Way ML (-110) available at time of publishing. Playable to -115.

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 $200 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’ Blues vs Stars predictions.

The Philadelphia Flyers are traveling to Colorado to face the Avalanche for the second and final time this season. The Flyers have lost 4 of their last 5 games and are eager to turn things around quickly. They are still in contention for a playoff spot, but they need to string together some wins to keep pace with the rest of the field. Curretly the Flyers average fewer than 3 goals per game — but they also don’t give up many scoring chances. Recently, their goaltending has been an issue; they have allowed 5 or more goals in all 4 of their losses. They will need to improve this aspect of their game if they hope to win tonight.

On the other hand, the Avalanche are starting to encounter some adversity. They have a record of 1-1-2 in their last 4 games, including a 2-1 overtime loss to the Ducks. Every strong team faces challenges during the season; it’s a natural part of the journey. While Colorado might feel it deserved to win against Anaheim, sometimes the best team on paper does not come out on top. The Avalanche remain the highest-scoring team in the league, averaging well over 30 shots on goal at home. If they keep pushing and getting pucks on net, good things are likely to happen. I expect them to cover the puck line in this matchup.

Flyers vs Avalanche prediction: Colorado -1.5 (-115) available at time of publishing. Playable at that number.

If you’re looking for a new sportsbook for the NFL playoffs, we recommend checking out Fanatics Sportsbook. New users can get $100 FanCash bet matches on their first 10 wagers! Join Fanatics Sportsbook, where you can bet on our Flyers vs Avalanche predictions.

The Washington Capitals will face the Calgary Flames on Friday night. The Capitals come into this one on a 4-game losing streak. The issue for them has been their defense and goaltending. Through its last 4 games, Washington has given up 17 goals. Luckily, the Caps will be going up against a Calgary eam that has lost 7 of its last 10 games. Additionally, the Flames have only scored 2 goals over their last 2 games. Calgary’s offense ranks 31st at 2.52 goals per game. The Flames also hold the lowest powerplay percentage in the NHL (14.8%). This should be just what the Capitals need to right the ship.

On the offensive end, the Capitals are averaging 3.18 goals per game and 29.2 shots on target. These are great offensive numbers. The Capitals’ offense should be able to find their groove against a Flames team that has given up 17 goals over their last 5 home games, which includes losses in 4 of them. The Capitals have also scored 15 goals over their last 5 away games. Overall, I suspect we see the Caps dominate both sides of the puck in this one. I’m taking Washington on the money line.

Capitals vs Flames prediction: Washington ML (-150) available at time of publishing. Playable at that number.

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! Become a Caesars member 👥 using the Caesars promo code PWCONTENT20X, where you can bet on our Capitals vs Flames picks.

The Anaheim Ducks have had a tremendous, resurgent season, posting 55 points while going a respectable 11-13-2 record on the road. However, Seattle has been the kryptonite of Anaheim — with the Kraken winning 8 of the past 10 games in the series since March 30, 2023. The good news if you’re a Ducks fan is that Anaheim has won 2 games in Seattle (Nov. 27, 2024 and Jan. 28, 2025) in the past 3 trips. However, Seattle prevailed 3-1 at home on Oct. 9 and 3-1 in Anaheim on Dec. 22 — winning both matchups to date this season.

The Kraken won 4-1 over the surprising New York Islanders on Wednesday, snapping an 0-3-1 skid behind Philipp Grubauer. Prior to that, Seattle allowed 16 goals — or 5.3 per game — in the previous 3 outings. That’s a bit of a concern. Have the Kraken turned things around with the win over the Isles? Perhaps. I will back Seattle to get the job done on home ice based on its dominance in the series over the past couple of seasons.

Ducks vs Kraken prediction: Seattle ML (-115) available at time of publishing. Playable to -125.

Now you can bet any of our Ducks vs Kraken predictions at FanDuel Sportsbook, which has a great new-customer offer to take advantage of. If you sign up for FanDuel right now, you earn a welcome bonus worth up to $300 if your first $5 bet wins! Use this link 🔗 to join FanDuel right now and learn more.

The New Jersey Devils are continuing their West Coast trip with a stop in Vancouver to face the Canucks. So far the Devils are 2-0 and hope to secure a few more victories. Despite having top talent on their roster, they are one of the lowest-scoring teams in the league. Their offense has been inconsistent, and there have been times when goaltending has let them down. Although the odds of making the playoffs are against them, they remain in the hunt until it’s mathematically impossible.

On the other hand, the Canucks recently ended their losing streak with a 4-3 win over the Washington Capitals. The players are likely feeling good after that victory, but future wins may be hard to come by. Like the Devils, the Canucks are also a low-scoring team — and their goaltending has been unreliable. Injuries have plagued their season, and management has already begun selling off players ahead of the trade deadline. At home, Vancouver has recorded just 5 wins — the fewest in the NHL. This matchup is expected to be a low-scoring game, but the Devils have the advantage.

Devils vs Canucks prediction: New Jersey 3-Way ML (-105) available at time of publishing. Playable at that number.

You can bet on our Devils vs Canucks pick at DraftKings Sportsbook, which has thousands of betting options available and a great new customer offer where you can get $300 in bonus bets instantly if your first $5 wager is a winner! Click here 👈🏼 to sign up for a DraftKings account now.