This article is part of our NHL Picks series.
Alright, yesterday was my first indisputable "bad day" of sports betting this calendar year. To be honest, I felt wonky heading into the slate. It was a tough board to sift through, and the results proved it. My picks could've been winners if it weren't for 2 shootouts, 4 blown leads, and the Winnipeg Jets somehow gifting 7 goals to the Red Wings despite being one of the Top 5 team defenses. But that's gambling for you. And because last week was such a big winner (and the entire month before it) we can live to fight another day! We've got just 4 games on the NHL slate tonight, and you already know I'm coming back with a pick for every single one of 'em.
Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.
NHL Best Bets Tonight
Capitals vs Flyers
The Flyers are 6-4 in their last 10 but have been winners in 5 of their last 6. And I don't care. They blanked the Sabres 4-0 on Monday, and while that may seem impressive considering the Sabres are statistically the highest-scoring team in the NHL, the Sabres still wouldn't make the playoffs if the season ended today. The Flyers' other wins in this stretch are all against likely non-playoff teams in the Coyotes, Sharks, and Ducks - save for their 12/31 win over the Kings - and they got trounced 6-2 by the Leafs in that span. The Capitals have been one of the best teams in the league since Thanksgiving, and are 7-1-2 in their last 10. They've beaten the Flyers in both games they've played against them this season, with a 3-2 win on 11/23 and 4-1 win on 12/7. The Caps just got leaders Nicklas Backstrom and Tom Wilson back in the lineup too, so I expect Peter Laviolette's club to be firing on all cylinders in Philadelphia tonight after a sluggish 1-0 win over the Blue Jackets on Monday. Seems like tonight is a great night for the Flyers to cool off.
- Capitals ML -170
Predators vs Maple Leafs
I gotta admit, the Predators might be the hardest team to bet on in the NHL for me this season (with a team in the next matchup as a close competitor for that banner). They've got depth and experience up front, a sturdy defensive core, and solid goaltending, yet they are smack-dab in the middle of the pack standings-wise. They've been inconsistent for most of the season, but not lately. They're on a 4-game winning streak and have gone 7-1-2 in their last 10. They're 5-0-1 in their last 6 road games with wins over the Caps, Hurricanes, and Oilers and pushed the Golden Knights to overtime in their only loss of that stretch. They face a tough test in Toronto tonight against a Leafs team that has been as steady as it gets this season, consistently winning hockey games en route to being tied for the number 2 spot in the league standings as of this writing. They're tied with the Hurricanes right now, the same team that the Predators bested in Raleigh just 6 days ago (despite giving up 67 shots). Do they have more road magic in them tonight in TO?
- Maple Leafs ML -190
Oilers vs Ducks
The Oilers. They're the other team along with the aforementioned Predators that are my hardest bet of the campaign so far. They're clinging to the final Wild Card spot in the West, and I feel for the Edmonton faithful at this point. Connor McDavid AND Leon Draisaitl are both having seasons that could go down in history when all is said and done, and they might not even make the playoffs… Tonight is a perfect example of a game that makes them tough to bet on too. They should beat the Ducks. They should crush the Ducks. Yet, they're only -110 on the -1.5 puck line while the underdog Ducks are also -110 on the +1.5 puck line. So basically the bookmaker doesn't really know what to do with this team against a clearly inferior opponent (and knows that we sure as hell might not either). These teams met one other time this season on 12/17. The Ducks ducking won that game 4-3… in Edmonton! The Oilers peppered 49 shots on net and held the Ducks to 17… and still lost! But if that same tempo happens again tonight, no way the Ducks steal it again.
- Oilers PL -110
Sharks vs Kings
I am hammering the Kings in this one. They're 7-2-1 in their last 10 and have won 3 of their last 4 against the Stars, Golden Knights, and Oilers with their only loss coming to the best team in the NHL the Bruins. They've already seen tonight's opponent, the Sharks, twice this year and won both contests. They most recently got a 3-2 shootout win on 12/17, and a 5-2 win on 11/25. The Sharks played 24 hours ago in Tempe and bested the Coyotes 4-2. But beating the Yotes is nothing to write home about, and the Sharks come into tonight's matchup 2-6-6 against Pacific Division opponents and 2-5 on the second half of a back-to-back. Give me the home team.
- Kings PL +105
Happy hunting y'all!
