NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Here are today’s NHL predictions and best bets.
New York Rangers (-115, 6) at Buffalo Sabres
7 p.m. ET
The Rangers are coming off an embarrassing loss Tuesday night at home to kick off the Mike Sullivan era. They were blanked at home by Pittsburgh, 3-0. The shutout loss triggers one of my favorite props from last season, where you play “goal in the first ten minutes (GIFT),” first period Over 1.5 and full game Over the total when a team comes off being shutout. Last season, when the Rangers were in this spot, they were 3-1 in each of the categories.
The Over has cashed in four of the last five meetings in Buffalo. Three of the last four meetings overall have had a combined seven goals or more. Buffalo starting goalie, Alex Lyon, has struggled in his career versus the Rangers, with just five wins in 11 games. Rangers’ defenseman Adam Fox has 22 assists in 21 games against Buffalo. Forward Alexis Lafreniere has three goals in the five games (on 9 shots) where he has faced Buffalo goalie Alex Lyon. Buffalo’s Ryan McLeod has four goals and five assists in eight games against the Rangers. Justin Danforth has four goals in seven games against the Blueshirts.
NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Goal in First 10 Minutes (-160) – .25 units
First period Over 1.5 (-138) – .25 units
Full game Over 6 (-120) – .25 units
Rangers Money Line (-115) – .25 units
Adam Fox Over ½ assist (+100) – .10 units
Alexis Lafreniere anytime goal (+330) – .10 units
Alexis Lafreniere Over 1.5 shots on goal (-130) – .25 units
Montreal Canadiens at Detroit Red Wings (-130, 6)
7 p.m. ET
The Detroit Red Wings enter their 100th season with the goal of making the playoffs for the first time in 10 years. Detroit hopes they have solved their goaltending issues with the acquisition of John Gibson from the Anaheim Ducks. Gibson will get the start tonight. He is 7-2-1 lifetime vs. Montreal (2.29 GAA, .927 SV%). With Samuel Montembeault getting the start last night in Toronto, the Habs will turn to Jakub Dobes tonight. Last season, Dobes surrendered the first goal of the game in 15 of his 17 starts.
The Canadiens have won three of the last four meetings, but the Red Wings have won seven of the last 10 contests at home. Six of the last seven meetings have gone Over the total, but one concern on playing the Over is that the last five Detroit home openers have gone under the total, as well as the last three head-to-head meetings. If you want to play the total, as always, shop around, as there are both 6’s and 6.5 available
NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Detroit Red Wings to score the first goal in regulation (-125) – .25 units
Detroit Red Wings ML (-130) – .50 units
Ottawa Senators at Tampa Bay Lightning (-170, 6)
7 p.m. ET
The Lightning have won two of the last three meetings and seven of the last 10 at home. Ottawa has won seven of the last 10 overall. The Over has gone 6-2-1 in the last 9 matchups. Here’s the 411 on player props for tonight’s game. The Sens have four players that I am focusing on. Claude Giroux has 41 assists in 52 games versus the Lightning. Jake Sanderson has 10 assists in 11 games, and Tim Stutzle has 10 assists in 14 games.
Brady Tkachuk has 14 goals in 23 games against the Bolts. Matthew Tkachuk has only beaten Andrei Vasilevskiy three times in 11 games, but he does have 40 shots on goal in those games, making his shots on goal prop a wager to target. On the Tampa side, Brayden Point has 18 goals in 28 games against the Senators and eight goals in 14 games against Sens starting goalie Linus Ullmark.
NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Brayden Point anytime goal (+140) – .10 units
Claude Giroux Over ½ assist (+200) – .10 units
Jake Sanderson Over ½ assist (+108) – .10 units
Tim Stutzle Over ½ assist (+126) – .10 units
Brady Tkachuk anytime goal (+180) – .10 units
Brady Tkachuk Over 3.5 shots (+100) – .25 units
Ottawa/Tampa Over 6 (-110) – .25 units
Philadelphia Flyers at Florida Panthers (-200, 5.5)
7 p.m. ET
The Panthers “cruised” to a 3-2 win over Chicago to kick off the 2025-26 season. Florida was not overly impressive in the victory but did enough against a Blackhawks team that is still one of the league’s bottom feeders. Tonight, they face a Flyers team with a new head coach in Rick Tocchet. Tocchet, who won coach of the year in 2024 with Vancouver, returns to the Flyers, where he played for 11 seasons.
On the ice, Florida has won three of the last four meetings, but the Flyers have won the prior four contests. All three meetings last season had seven or more goals, and the Over has cashed in six of the last nine overall. Goaltending has been an issue for the Flyers of late, finishing dead last in save percentage the past two seasons. The Flyers signed Dan Vladar, hoping he can stabilize the position. Vladar, a career backup, had an .898 save percentage for the Flames last season.
NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Philadelphia/Florida Over 5.5 (-120) – .25 units
Dallas Stars (-120, 5.5) at Winnipeg Jets
8 p.m. ET
The last time these two teams met, the Dallas Stars sent the Winnipeg Jets home in round two of the Western Conference playoffs. The Jets will be minus some key players to start the season, with captain Adam Lowry, Cole Perfetti and Dylan Samberg all out with injuries. Tonight will mark the return to the NHL for Jonathan Toews. The former Chicago Blackhawk and Manitoba native will be playing his first NHL game in two years after dealing with COVID-related issues. I will be attacking Jonathan Toews player props. Another Jets player that is on my radar is Kyle Connor, who just signed an eight-year, $96 million contract extension. Connor scored five goals in the four games against the Stars last season.
On the Dallas side, Tyler Seguin has enjoyed success against Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck, scoring 15 goals in 25 games with Hellebuyck between the pipes. Sam Steel has earned a spot on the Stars’ top line, and at (+500) to score a goal, there is tremendous value. The price is also right on props involving both Thomas Harley and Roope Hintz. The last eight meetings between the two teams have all gone Under the total with a combined five goals or less.
NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Dallas/Winnipeg Under 5.5 (-105) – .50 units
Sam Steel anytime goal (+500) – .10 units
Kyle Connor anytime goal (+125) – .10 units
Jonathan Toews anytime goal (+460) – .10 units
Thomas Harley Over ½ assist (+135) and anytime goal (+650) – each at .10 units
Roope Hintz Over ½ assist (+235) and anytime goal (+180) – each at .10 unit
