This article is part of our NHL Picks series.
11 games in the NHL tonight, and I've got a bet for every single one of 'em!
Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook. Try out the NHL betting offerings at DraftKings Sportsbook with the DraftKings promo code for $200 in bonus bets.
NHL Best Bets
Bruins vs Canadiens
At this point, there's almost no sense in analyzing a game that the Bruins are playing, especially if it's against one of the worst teams in the league. Especially when the B's come in on a 5-game win streak, where all but 1 of those wins came by 2+ goals. Especially when the Habs' best offensive player Cole Caufield just went on season-ending IR. Don't overthink this one.
Bruins PL -130
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Kings vs Flyers
The Kings started the 2023 side of the calendar 4-1, but are just 1-4 since. The Flyers have been one of the bigger surprises since the new year rung in, starting 6-1 and boasting an 8-4 mark in their 12 January games. Not bad for a team not expected to make much noise this season. The Kings need to find their stride in an increasingly competitive Pacific Divison, with Edmonton nipping at their heels after 6-straight wins and the Flames not too far behind them either. I think this is a great chance for them to get a confidence-boosting win.
Kings ML -145
Wild vs Lightning
The Bolts had won 5-straight games before dropping their last 2 games on the road to the Oilers and Flames. They return home tonight where they are 17-4-1 overall this season, not having lost a home game since 12/6. That's an incredibly impressive run by any standard. The Wild present a tricky matchup though. The only other time these teams met it was in Minnesota earlier this month, just 24 hours after the Lightning played in Chicago, and the Wild walked away with a 5-1 victory. This should be a much closer contest, but I fully expect the Wild to give the Lightning a run for their own money.
Wild PL -190
Sharks vs Red Wings
The Red Wings actually impressed some people in the 2022 part of the calendar, but the vibe has definitely changed since the page turned to 2023. They come into tonight's tilt 3-6-1 in the month of January. The Sharks haven't exactly fared much better though, only posting a 3-5-2 record in their last 10 too, winning 2 of their 6 road games in that span. The Red Wings have knocked off the Jets and Maple Leafs in Detroit this month, so I like them on home ice tonight.
Red Wings ML -150
Panthers vs Penguins
The Panthers finally seem to be surging after a mediocre end to 2022 despite high expectations for the club coming off its Presidents' Trophy a season ago. They're 6-3-1 in their last 10 and have won 3 of 5. They lost to the Rangers last night in Madison Square Garden, and have a tall order coming into Pittsburgh for the second game of a back-to-back with a rested Penguins squad. The Pens need to find their surge and they need to do it fast, as their paltry 4-4-2 mark over their last 10 has allowed several teams, including the Panthers, to get within striking distance of their hold on the final playoff spot in the East. The Panthers faced another tough back-to-back on the road last week, winning on 1/16 in Buffalo only to go into Toronto the next night and lose in overtime. Can they push the struggling Penguins to the brink tonight too, or will Mike Sullivan's club come out too determined to earn two much-needed points?
Penguins ML -155
Golden Knights vs Devils
These teams are anomalies. The Golden Knights are the 7th-ranked team in the NHL, but they're only 14-13 at home. That's because they're exceptional on the road, posting a 15-4-2 record away from home ice. The Devils are basically the inverse of that. They're the 4th-ranked team in the league, but they're only 12-10-2 at home. Well, their 18-2-2 road record is how they got there. The Devils are 6-0-1 in their last 7, which includes a 4-0-1 mark on their recent road trip. Well, in tonight's matchup, the edge in that anomaly goes to the Knights. Vegas though has only played 2 games on the road in 2023, going 1-1 with a 3-2 win over the Avalanche on the 2nd and a 4-1 loss to the Coyotes on Sunday. They dropped their last 2 road games of 2022 as well, to the Kings and Ducks respectively. To throw more wrenches into the operation here, the Knights have also lost 4 of their last 5 overall. The Devils are clearly the hotter hand, but I think the Knights are too good of a club to not come in and at least make it interesting.
Golden Knights PL -175
Sabres vs Blues
The Sabres surprised a lot of people by besting the Stars in Dallas last night for their 3rd straight win. The Sabres have played pretty well of late, and have put themselves within 3 points of the final playoff spot in the East. The Blues also surprised a lot of people, especially their own fan base, by losing to the last-place Blackhawks at home on Sunday. Despite that loss and some early season woes, the Blues believe it or not have the 6th-most wins in the NHL since mid-November. These teams met one other time this season, back on 11/23 in Buffalo where the Sabres scored 5 unanswered goals to win 6-2. Historically though, the Blues have won 9-straight home games against the Sabres, and have a good chance to extend that streak with the Sabres on the second night of a back-to-back.
Blues ML -140
Jets vs Predators
I've openly admitted that it's been hard for me betting on the Jets this year. While I have won 3 of my last 5 bets on the Jets here in January, they just seem to trouble my confidence even though basically any time I look at their last 10-game stretches they post roughly a 7-3 record just about every time. And that would make logical sense since they are 31-16-1 overall this season, and they are in fact 7-3 in their last 10 with 2-straight wins. I don't know what it is though, but I kind of like the Predators tonight. And maybe that's because I literally do like the Predators, even though I have no actual reason to other than the fact that I think they are one of the coolest franchises in hockey and I'd be tempted to sign there if I were a free agent. They've won 4 of their 5 home games this month, and I think they'll be up to the task tonight against a division rival.
Predators ML +100
Capitals vs Avalanche
You know the Caps are struggling when you look at their top-point scorer over their last 5 games and see Dmitry Orlov holding that post with 4 points. They've won just 2 of their last 6, and just got smoked 6-2 by the Golden Knights in Vegas. They'll have a tough hill to climb as they head into Denver tonight to take on an Avalanche team that's won 5-straight. The Avs took the only other matchup between these two squads way back on 11/19, winning 4-0 in DC. Colorado was just 1-4 before rattling off these 5 victories, and with the Caps needing a bounceback, I think this is a tight contest.
Capitals PL -190
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Ducks vs Coyotes
The Ducks are now officially the worst team in the NHL! Not by much though. Their 31 points are tied with the Blue Jackets, one shy of the Blackhawks, and then 4 shy of the Coyotes. I don't really want to bet on the worst team in the league though, and I like taking the Coyotes when they're at home since they hold a 9-7-2 record at Mullett Arena.
Coyotes ML -140
Blackhawks vs Canucks
I am going to bet the Blackhawks out of principle. If you followed the recent coaching transition for the Canucks, you'd see that now-canned Bruce Boudreau was dragged through the mud while the organization publicly acknowledged the search for his inevitable replacement. Rick Tocchet takes over as bench boss, and while I think he'll spark new life into a struggling franchise, I don't think that spark happens right away. So I'm betting on one of the worst teams in the NHL to spoil his arrival. But, the Hawks are 6-4 in their last 10, so, YOLO.
Blackhawks PL -135
