NHL Best Bets & Picks: Avalanche vs Jets and Ducks vs Stars – Expert Game Previews
The National Hockey League (NHL) has five games on the schedule for Friday, including the Vancouver Canucks and New York Islanders facing each other at 7 p.m. EST on NHL Network. We're going to focus on the latter window, however.
We'll provide single plays and parlay opportunities you could potentially pair with Friday's college football bowls or the playoff game, NBA and/or NCAA basketball action. Good luck with all of your plays! Let's get started.
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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.
Winnipeg Jets 
at Colorado Avalanche 
The Jets (15-16-2) and the Avalanche (24-2-7) square off at Ball Arena in Denver at 9 p.m. EST, and the game can be viewed or streamed on ESPN+.
Winnipeg won the season series 3-1 during the 2024-25 campaign, en route to the Presidents' Trophy. Things haven't gone as swimmingly this season, as the Jets enter play a game under .500. The Jets were on the short end of a 1-0 score in St. Louis, as Connor Hellebuyck did his part, but the offense couldn't generate any support.
The Jets are just 1-4-1 in the past six games, while going 3-9-2 across the previous 14 outings. The Under has cashed in the past two games, as Hellebuyck has helped stabilize the goaltending position. Now, the offense has to be its part, as Winnipeg has generated just 34 goals in the past 14 outings, or 2.4 goals per game (GPG).
The Avalanche have won three in a row since a stunning 4-3 shootout loss in Nashville on Dec. 9. The offense has scored three or more goals in nine straight outings, averaging 4.4 GPG in the span. It's no surprise that the Over is 3-1 in the previous four outings, with Colorado averaging 5.0 GPG in the past three contests.
The Jets figure to start Hellebuyck (9-7-1, 2.36 GAA, .918 save percentage), while the Avalanche are expected to counter with Mackenzie Blackwood (10-1-1, 2.26 GAA, .920 save percentage, 2 SO).
Colorado has won the past three games by an average of 2.7 GPG, so we'll take the home team on the puck line laying the goal and a half. And, let's roll with the Over.
- Avalanche -1.5 Goals (+110 at Caesars and DraftKings Sportsbooks)
- Over 6 Goals (-115 at Bet365 and Caesars Sportsbooks)
Dallas Stars 
at Anaheim Ducks 
The Stars (23-7-5) meet the Ducks (20-12-2) at Honda Center on Friday in the marquee matchup of the night. Puck drop is set for 10 p.m. ET, and this game is also available on ESPN+.
Dallas outlasted the San Jose Sharks Thursday night in the Bay Area, winning 5-3 behind Jake Oettinger. In the past two games, Dallas has outscored two California teams 9-4, also besting the Los Angeles Kings 4-1 in the Metroplex on Monday night behind Casey DeSmith.
In games with no rest, Dallas is 4-0-0 this season, with three wins behind DeSmith, and the Under has cashed in all four of those outings.
DeSmith (8-1-3, 2.13 GAA, .923 save percentage, 1 SO) is expected to go, as it's extremely unlikely Otter would be tasked with starting back-to-back nights, especially on the road. The last time we saw DeSmith was in that win over the Kings, as he made 27 saves on 28 shots. He last in regulation on Oct. 16 in his first start of the season at home against the Vancouver Canucks, his former team, and he hasn't lost in regulation since.
These teams in Dallas back on Nov. 6, with the Ducks skating away with a 7-5 win as moderate underdogs (+155) as the Over (6.5) easily connected.
It was a fantasy fiesta when these teams last met. Dallas' Wyatt Johnston had a pair of power-play goals, and Mikko Rantanen also had a PPG. Rearguard Miro Heiskanen chipped in with four assists, while Rantanen ended up with two assists, too. He and Johnston each recorded three points in the loss.
For the Ducks, Lukas Dostal allowed five goals on 26 shots, but he earned the win. Chris Kreider lit the lamp twice, while Leo Carlsson and Cutter Gauthier each had a goal and an assist. Alex Killorn, Beckett Sennecke and Troy Terry also chimed in with a pair of assists each.
Anaheim has been a thorn in the side of Dallas in the past couple of seasons, winning three of the past four meetings, including a 2-1 win last season on Feb. 4 in the only meeting in Southern California.
The Ducks aren't as good a value this time around, and the Stars have been money playing the second end of a back-to-back situation. We'll back Dallas, and we'll take the Under, too.
- Stars ML (-110 at BetRivers and FanDuel Sportsbooks)
- Under 6.5 Goals (-110 at Caesars Sportsbook)
Don't make any bets on your favorite sports betting apps without first consulting the latest NHL odds.
Parlay Strategy and Super Parlay Picks for NHL Betting Slates
4-Leg NHL Super Parlay (+1068 at Caesars Sportsbook)
- Avalanche -1.5 Goals vs. Jets - and Over 6 - SGP (+265)
- Stars ML at Ducks - and Under 6.5 - SGP (+220)
2-Leg NHL Totals Parlay (+257 at Caesars Sportsbook)
- Over 6 (-115) - Avalanche vs. Jets
- Under 6.5 (-110) - Stars at Ducks
2-Leg NHL Sides Parlay (+293 at Caesars Sportsbook)
- Avalanche -1.5 (-110) vs. Jets
- Stars ML (-115) at Ducks
