NHL Best Bets Today: Expert Picks for Monday, December 30

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Published on December 30, 2024

NHL Best Bets Tonight: Expert NHL Picks for
Monday, Dec. 30

There are just three games on the National Hockey League slate Monday. We'll do a brief analysis on all three games, and try and cobble together a couple of winning parlay opportunities as we head into the new year. Let's get started.

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New York Rangers at Florida Panthers

The Rangers (16-18-1) travel to Amerant Bank Arena to meet the Panthers (22-13-2) in Sunrise, and the puck drops at 7 p.m. ET with the game available on NHL Network.

The Rangers were punished 6-2 at Tampa Bay on Saturday, and they're skidding hard. New York has not only lost three in a row, but it has been outscored 14-3. Morale is at an all-time low following the trades of Jacob Trouba and Kaapo Kakko, and more could be on the way to shake things up. The big-name players are playing tentatively, and the big-money guys, particularly Igor Shesterkin, are not playing to their capabilities.

The Panthers have been inexplicably blanked 4-0 in back-to-back games, including by a rookie goaltender Jakub Dobes, who was making his first start for Montreal over the weekend. Ouch.

Florida hasn't scored a goal since a 4-2 win at Tampa Bay on Dec. 22. Still, the Panthers are 4-2-0 in the past six games, but they've also been shut out four times in the past eight games. How does that happen?

Based on New York's disinterest lately, and Florida's strange offensive issues at times, we'll go low. We'll take a chance on Florida on the puck line, too, as the moneyline costs you two times your potential return, representing zero value, even as part of a multi-team parlay or SGP.

Panthers -1.5 (+130 at DraftKings Sportsbook)
Under 6 Goals (-120 at DraftKings Sportsbook)

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Nashville Predators at Winnipeg Jets

The Predators (11-18-7) and Jets (26-10-1) lock horns at Canada Life Centre on Monday, with a puck drop of 7:30 p.m. ET. That game can be viewed or streamed on ESPN+.

These teams met in the Music City on Nov. 23, with the Predators winning 4-1 as a moderate favorite (-143) as the Under (6.5) comfortably came in. Roman Josi has two goals, Steven Stamkos had a power-play goal, and that's what Nashville management envisioned when cobbling this roster together. Of course, the Preds were facing backup tendy Eric Comrie, too, as the Jets were on the second end of a back-to-back after Connor Hellebuyck had topped Pittsburgh 4-1 the night before.

Hellebuyck (23-5-1, 2.06, .928 SV%, 4 SO) is expected to go for the Jets in this one, and that's bad news for the Predators. Back the home side as moderate favorites.

Jets ML (-150 BetMGM Sportsbook)
Under 6.5 Goals (-132 at FanDuel Sportsbook)

Utah Hockey Club at Seattle Kraken

Looking to the latest puck drop, the Utah Hockey Club (16-13-6) face the Kraken (16-19-2) at Climate Pledge Arena, with a weird 8 p.m. ET start in Seattle, also on ESPN+.

Utah enters 0-2-1 in the past three games, including a 4-1 loss last time out against the Colorado Avalanche, as the offense provided Karel Vejmelka very little support. Vejmelka (8-9-2, 2.32 GAA, .918 SV%) is confirmed to start this one, and he is looking to get back to .500.

Philipp Grubauer (4-10-0, 3.66 GAA, .873 SV%) was in net for a 5-4 OTW against the Vancouver Canucks last time out, so he figures to draw another start here. That win halted a five-game losing skid, and it was the best offensive production since Dec. 12 for the Kraken.

The best play is to back the visitors, as Utah has been a little more competitive, but let's go low on the total.