This article is part of our NHL Picks series.
NHL Best Bets Tonight: Expert NHL Picks for
Wednesday, Nov. 27
The National Hockey League has a total of 15 games on the slate for Wednesday, with no games scheduled for Thursday, the Thanksgiving holiday in the United States. If you were wondering, the two teams not playing on Thursday will be the Edmonton Oilers and the Utah Hockey Club.
Speaking of which, I am very thankful for your readership, and appreciate each and every one of you. I am a huge fan of hockey, whether it's betting, attending games, watching on TV or playing.
As we head into the Thanksgiving one-day break, we'll attack all 15 games with a brief reasoning for each pick. We won't provide any parlay opportunities here, but you can cobble together your favorites, or mix and match with college football, college basketball and/or the NFL games on Thursday, Friday, etc.
All games can be viewed or streamed on ESPN+, with the exception of the Washington Capitals-Tampa Bay Lightning, and the Vegas Golden Knights-Colorado Avalanche. Those two games are part of the TNT/Max doubleheader. Let's get started.
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Best NHL Picks Tonight
Minnesota Wild 
at Buffalo Sabres 
The Wild (13-4-4) travel to KeyBank Center to battle the Sabres (11-9-1) at 7 p.m. ET. Surprisingly, the Sabres have won five of the past six meetings, including a season sweep in 2023-24.
The Wild are just 2-2-1 in the past five games, while cashing the Over in three of the past four. Kirill Kaprizov might be a player bettors consider for player props, either as Anytime Goal Scorer (AGS) or points. He has 12 goals and 30 points with a plus-13 rating in the past 17 games.
The Sabres have won three in a row, allowing a total of just four goals. The Under is 3-0-1 in the past four contests. We'll back the Sabres straight up as short 'dogs at home.
- Sabres ML (+114 at DraftKings Sportsbook)
New York Rangers 
at Carolina Hurricanes 
The past few years around the Thanksgiving holiday, I usually take in a Canes game with one of my sons. This year, though, I'll be putting together a smoker, getting ready for the holiday.
The Rangers (12-7-1) and Hurricanes (15-5-1) hook up at the newly renamed Lenovo Center. The Rangers won in a playoff matchup last season in six games, while taking two of three meetings in the regular season.
However, New York is skidding hard lately, losing three in a row, while getting outscored 14-6. The Over is 3-1 in the past four outings.
For Carolina, though, Spencer Martin is the No. 1 goaltender, normally third-string, as Pyotr Kochetkov is in concussion protocol, while Frederik Andersen (surprise!) is also injured again.
Even though the Blueshirts have been cold lately, against Martin, the offense should warm up. And the Canes have 10 goals scored in the two games, with 13 goals allowed. Let's go high on the total.
- Over 6.5 (-105 at BetMGM Sportsbook)
St. Louis Blues 
at New Jersey Devils 
The Blues (10-12-1) and the Devils (15-7-2) meet at Prudential Center at 7 p.m. ET. The Blues have won three of the past four meetings, and the underdog is 6-1 in the past seven in this series.
The Blues surprised the Rangers 5-2 at Madison Square Garden as a big underdog (+184) as the Over (6) cashed. That was behind Joel Hofer, although Jordan Binnington (6-9-1, 3.04 GAA, .891 SV%) is expected to get the nod against Jacob Markstrom (10-5-1, 2.51 GAA, .907 SV%, 1 SO) for the Devils.
The Devils have won three in a row, and five of the past six games, while going 10-3-0 in the past 13 outings. We're going to lean Under on this one, as Devils is too expensive on the moneyline, and Blues can't be trusted straight up.
- Under 6.5 (-140 at FanDuel Sportsbook)
Before placing a wager on your go-to sports betting apps consult our NHL odds page for the latest and most up-to-date odds.
Montreal Canadiens 
at Columbus Blue Jackets 
The Canadiens (7-11-3) and Blue Jackets (9-9-2) meet at Nationwide Arena. Montreal lost 3-2 at home against Utah, so it plays on no rest. The Habs are 1-1-0 this season when playing on no rest, while Montreal was a dismal 1-11-1 in the second end of a back-to-back with a terrible minus-30 goal differential.
Montreal just belted Columbus 5-1 at Bell Center on Nov. 16, as Sam Montembeault made 25 saves on 26 shots, while Mike Matheson, Nick Suzuki, Lucas Condotta, Jake Evans and Josh Anderson were the goal scorers.
That loss to the Habs served as a wake-up call, as the Jackets have won three in a row against Boston, Tampa Bay and Carolina, totaling 17 goals, while the Over is 2-0-1 in the span.
Let's back the Jackets as moderate favorites, especially due to Montreal's terrible B2B numbers in the past two seasons.
- Blue Jackets ML (-150 at BetMGM Sportsbook)
Toronto Maple Leafs 
at Florida Panthers 
The Maple Leafs (13-6-2) and Panthers (12-9-1) tangle at Amerant Bank Arena at 7:30 p.m. ET in a key Atlantic Division battle between the top two teams.
Toronto enters on a four-game win streak, although three of the victories are by a single goal. Joseph Woll (5-2-0, 2.00 GAA, .922 SV%, 1 SO) is projected to start, and he has won four straight outings.
The Panthers are skidding hard, losing four in a row, and six of the past seven outings. They've been outscored 20-9 in the four-game losing streak. Until Florida can get well, back Toronto to get the job done.
- Maple Leafs ML (-130 at BetMGM Sportsbook)
Boston Bruins 
at New York Islanders 
The Bruins (10-10-3) and Islanders (8-9-5) meet at UBS Arena with a 7:30 p.m. ET puck drop.
Boston has dominated this series lately with six wins in the past seven meetings, although New York won 5-1 in the most recent battle March 2, 2024. The Over is 3-0-1 in the past four in the series, and 5-1-1 in the previous seven.
However, the B's have managed just three goals in three games since replacing Jim Montgomery with Joe Sacco. Of course, they've allowed just three goals, too. Jeremy Swayman started Tuesday, so it is expected we'll see Joonas Korpisalo. Based on the offensive struggles for Boston, let's go low.
- Under 5.5 (-110 at Caesars Sportsbook)
Calgary Flames 
at Detroit Red Wings 
The Flames (12-7-3) and Red Wings (9-10-2) meet up at Little Caesars Arena at 7:30 p.m. ET. Detroit has won four in a row in this series since Feb. 9, 2023, outscoring Calgary 18-5.
The Flames were tripped up 4-3 in Ottawa Sunday, snapping a four-game win streak. The Over has cashed in two in a row, halting a 6-0 Under run. The total has gone low in 11 of the past 14 games, too.
For the Red Wings, they doubled up the Islanders 4-2 on the road. They're a respectable 2-1-1 in the past four games, and Detroit is the play straight up here due to its recent mastery of Calgary.
- Red Wings ML (-112 at DraftKings Sportsbook)
Washington Capitals 
at Tampa Bay Lightning 
The Capitals (14-6-1) and Lightning (11-7-2) meet at Amalie Arena at 7:30 p.m. ET.
Washington won 4-1 in Florida on Monday night, it's first game in three tries without Alex Ovechkin, who is out for least a month due to a broken fibula, likely much longer. The Under is still 3-0 in three games without Ovie.
The Lightning paddled the Colorado Avalanche 8-2, and we hit that three-way SGP with Tampa ML, Over 6.5 and a Jake Guentzel AGS prop at +485.
The Under is 3-1-1 in the past five in this series, and 3-0 in the past three for the Caps, so that's what we shall do.
- Under 6.5 (-120 at FanDuel Sportsbook)
Vancouver Canucks 
at Pittsburgh Penguins 
The Canucks (11-6-3) and Penguins (7-12-4) meet in the Steel City. Vancouver looks to carry over momentum from a 2-0 win in Boston on Tuesday behind Kevin Lankinen. It is expected to use Arturs Silovs (1-3-1, 3.91 GAA, .857 SV%), while Pittsburgh should counter with Tristan Jarry (1-3-1, 4.41 GAA, .869 SV%).
The goaltenders are too shaky to rely upon either way, if that is, indeed, the matchup. Let's go Over instead.
- Over 6.5 (-105 at Caesars Sportsbook)
Philadelphia Flyers 
at Nashville Predators 
In our first 8 p.m. puck drop, the Flyers (9-10-3) and Predators (7-12-3) meet in the Music City.
The Predators have won three in a row in this series, including a season sweep in 2023-24. While Nashville has won three in a row in the series, two of the wins are in overtime.
The Preds are 4-7-3 in the past 14 games, although they're 3-1 in the past four games at home. Back Nashville one home ice.
- Predators ML (-175 at BetMGM Sportsbook)
Dallas Stars 
at Chicago Blackhawks 
The Stars (13-7-0) and Blackhawks (7-12-2) tangle at United Center. Dallas has dominated this series lately, winning sevne of the past eight in the series, outscoring Chicago 34-15 in the span, while the Under is 3-0-1 in the past four meetings.
Dallas lost 6-4 in a wild game at Carolina last time out Monday as the Over cashed, improving to 2-0-1 in the past three outings. The Stars are average 4.33 GPG in the past three outings.
The Stars beat the Blackhawks 3-1 on Nov. 7 in the Metroplex, and 4-2 on Oct. 26, also at home. Let's back Dallas on the puck line for a third consecutive win this season against Chicago.
- Stars PL (-1.5, +105 at DraftKings Sportsbook)
Winnipeg Jets 
at Los Angeles Kings 
In the first puck drop at 10 p.m. ET, the Jets (18-4-0) and Kings (11-8-3) meet up at Crypto.com Arena.
Winnipeg bounced back from a 4-1 loss in Nashville as a moderate favorite with the backup tendy Eric Comrie in between the pipes. Connor Hellebuyck kicked aside 43 of the 44 shots he faced in a 4-1 win in the Twin Cities against the Wild.
The Kings were embarrassed 7-2 in San Jose on Monday, and they've dropped two of the past three outings, and four of the previous four contests.
The Jets are a solid play as slight favorites on the road.
- Jets ML (-120 at DraftKings Sportsbook)
Vegas Golden Knights 
at Colorado Avalanche 
The Golden Knights (14-6-2) and Avalanche (12-10-0) square off in the Mile High City in the second end of the TNT/Max double dip.
VGK is on a three-game win streak since getting blanked in Toronto on Nov. 20. The Over has hit in back-to-back games, too.
Colorado was throttled 8-2 in Tampa, halting a three-game win streak. The Over is also 2-0 in the past two games.
These teams met in Las Vegas on Oct. 9, with the Knights winning 8-4 as the Over (6.5) easily cashed. That's the way to go here, too.
- Over 6.5 (-115 at BetMGM Sportsbook)
Anaheim Ducks 
at Seattle Kraken 
The Ducks (8-9-3) and Kraken (11-10-1) meet at Climate Pledge Arena with the 10 p.m. ET puck drop.
Anaheim lost on home ice 3-2 on Tuesday in the front end of a home-and-home. Seattle has won eight straight in this series, with the Under going 5-1. We'll play a SGP, backing the home side while going low.
*** - Brandon Montour has three goals and four points in the past three games, if you really want to get crazy and toss in an AGS prop play, too.
- Kraken ML (-200 at FanDuel Sportsbook)
- Under 5.5 (+102 at FanDuel Sportsbook)
- SGP - Kraken ML and Under 5.5 (+203 at FanDuel Sportsbook)
- ***SGP - Kraken, ML, Under 5.5 and Brandon Montour AGS (+1635)
Ottawa Senators 
at San Jose Sharks 
The Senators (9-11-1) and the Sharks (7-12-5) meet up at SAP Center in the final game of the slate.
Ottawa halted a four-game skid, and 0-4-1 run, with a 4-3 win over the Flames last time out. The Over is 3-1 in the past four games.
For the Sharks, they paddled the Kings 7-2 last time out as a big-time underdog (+206) as the Over (5.5) easily cashed. Macklin Celebrini scored two goals, including a power-play goal, backing Yaroslav Askarov with more than enough offensive support.
The Over is 4-1-1 in the past six games for the Sharks, while cashing in two of the past three in this series. Let's go high!
- Over 6 (-110 at Caesars Sportsbook)
