The National Hockey League (NHL) has four games on the schedule for Friday night, including the San Jose Sharks and Utah Mammoth squaring off at 9:00 p.m. ET from Salt Lake City.
We'll put together a few different parlay opportunities, and perhaps even a player prop or two. Let's get started.
Top up your bankroll thanks to sportsbook promos like this BetMGM bonus code offering $1,500 in bonus bets.
NHL Friday Night: Expert Betting Picks & Parlay Tips for Four Games
For the latest NHL Odds, including NHL Futures and NHL player props, visit RotoWire's NHL Betting page. For up-to-date NHL player news and NHL Injury Report info, head to RotoWire's NHL Lineups page. You can find more picks at Bookies.com/picks. Here are our NHL Best Bets today, featuring expert NHL picks for an action-packed slate of games.
Expert NHL Betting Picks and Parlay Tips for Friday Night
Tampa Bay Lightning 
at Detroit Red Wings 
The Lightning (1-2-1) and the Red Wings (3-1-0) square off at Little Caesars Arena at 7:00 p.m. ET, and that game can be viewed or streamed on ESPN+.
These Atlantic Division rivals met four times last season, with the home-road team splitting 2-2, while the Over went 2-1-1. There isn't a ton to glean from that, but the Red Wings have won five of the past seven matchups in this series since Oct. 14, 2023, and they tend to be a thorn in the side of the Lightning more often than not.
Detroit has fired out of the chute with three wins in four tries, including a home-and-home sweep of the Maple Leafs last weekend, as well as a convincing 4-1 win over the two-time defending champion Panthers on Wednesday. Cam Talbot has been a godsend for the Red Wings, going 3-0-0 with a 1.78 goals-against average (GAA) and .932 save percentage in his first three starts. There haven't been many easy opportunities for Tampa Bay.
Mason Appleton was strong against the Panthers, going for two goals and a plus-2 rating, while Alex DeBrincat and Dylan Larkin each posted a pair of assists with a plus-1.
Meanwhile, Tampa Bay is coming off a 3-2 overtime loss in Washington on Tuesday, and the Lightning have allowed at least three goals in all four outings. Andrei Vasilevskiy hasn't been very crisp, going 0-2-1 with a 4.08 GAA and .870 save percentage. Look for the Red Wings to take advantage and catch him while he is ice-cold. As moderate underdogs at home, despite a much better overall record, Detroit is too hard to pass on. We'll also lean low on the total.
- Red Wings ML (+130 at Bet365, Caesars and DraftKings Sportsbooks)
- Under 6.5 Goals (-124 at FanDuel Sportsbook)
Don't make any bets on your favorite sports betting apps without first consulting the latest NHL odds.
Minnesota Wild 
at Washington Capitals 
The Wild (2-2-0) and the Capitals (3-1-0) meet at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. at 7:00 p.m. ET on ESPN+.
Minnesota swept the regular-season series in 2024-25, winning 4-3 in a shootout in D.C. on Jan. 2 as moderate underdogs (+150) as the Over (5.5) cashed. The Wild have won seven of the past eight games in the series, while the Over is 4-1-1 in the past six meetings.
The Wild have alternated wins and losses in four games this season, splitting two games on the road. The constant has been the Over, cashing in each of the past three matchups, and Minnesota has allowed 15 goals, or 5.0 goals per game (GPG) in that span.
Wild LW Matt Boldy has scored a goal in each of his first four games this season, totaling eight points despite a minus-3 rating. That's because three of the goals, and five of the points, have come on the power play. Back Boldy for the chance to nearly double up as an Anytime Goal Scorer as well.
The Capitals have won three consecutive games while cashing the Under in three of the past four matchups, so that's probably why the total is so low here. However, given the series trends, and those by Minnesota, let's also lean high.
- Wild ML (+114 at BetRivers Sportsbook)
- Over 5.5 Total Goals (-125 at Bet365, Caesars and DraftKings Sportsbooks)
- Matt Boldy Anytime Goal Scorer (+195 at FanDuel Sportsbook)
San Jose Sharks 
at Utah Mammoth 
The Sharks (0-1-2) and Mammoth (2-2-0) meet at Delta Center in Salt Lake City.
While San Jose hasn't tasted victory so far, it does have a pair of overtime losses, including an eventful 7-6 loss to the Ducks on Saturday, so this team can score plenty. It has also allowed 16 goals in three games, or 5.4 GPG, so until the Sharks shore up that end of the ice, they will continue to struggle.
These teams met three times last season, and Utah won two of three meetings. San Jose won 5-4 in overtime in the first meeting in Salt Lake City on Oct. 28 as a big underdog (+230), and all three games were decided by a single goal.
Utah has scored just eight goals in four games in 2025-26, splitting those matchups, while allowing just eight goals. The Under is a perfect 4-0 to begin the season. The goaltender duo of Karel Vejmelka and Vitek Vanecek has done a good job so far.
Let's back the Sharks on the puck line catching a goal and a half, and we'll go low based on Utah's start this year.
- Sharks +1.5 Goals (-115 at FanDuel Sportsbook)
- Under 6.5 Goals (-124 at FanDuel Sportsbook)
Best NHL Parlay Opportunities for Friday Night
7-Leg NHL Super Parlay (+6880 at FanDuel Sportsbook)
- Wild ML (+105) at Capitals
- Over 5.5 (-134) - Wild at Capitals
- Matt Boldy (+195) - Anytime Goal Scorer
- Under 6.5 (-124) - Red Wings vs. Lightning
- Red Wings ML (+125) vs. Lightning
- Sharks +1.5 (-115) at Mammoth
- Under 6.5 (-124) - Sharks at Mammoth
3-Leg NHL Total Parlay (+469 at FanDuel Sportsbook)
- Over 5.5 (-134) - Wild at Capitals
- Under 6.5 (-124) - Red Wings vs. Lightning
- Under 6.5 (-124) - Sharks at Mammoth
3-Leg NHL Same-Game Parlay (+502 at FanDuel Sportsbook)
- Wild ML (+105), Over 5.5 (-134) and Matt Boldy Anytime Goal (+195)
2-Leg NHL Underdog Parlay (+361 at FanDuel Sportsbook)
- Wild ML (+105) at Capitals
- Red Wings ML (+125) vs. Lightning
