NHL Predictions and Best Bets:

NHL action is back! Here are tonight’s NHL predictions and best bets.

Florida Panthers at Carolina Hurricanes

Florida (+105) at Carolina (-130) – Total 6 (Over, -118)

5 p.m.  ET

The NHL schedule maker gets an A+ for giving us the defending Stanley Cup champs, the Carolina Hurricanes, against one of their biggest rivals, the Florida Panthers, to kick off the 2026-27 season. Carolina returns essentially the entire roster that won the Cup, minus goalie Freddie Andersen (not re-signed) and Seth Jarvis, who will miss the first couple of months following shoulder surgery. On the Florida side, tonight marks the regular-season debut of the Tkachuk brothers following an off-season trade that saw the Panthers acquire Brady from Ottawa. The game also marks the return of Florida captain Sasha Barkov, who missed all of last season after being injured in training camp.  Barkov will have Brady Tkachuk on his wing, and I will parlay the two to record a point.

I will grab the “plus money” with the Panthers (+105) and sprinkle on the game going Over 6 goals.  A couple of player props for me. With Seth Jarvis injured, Eric Robinson (normally a fourth-liner) gets a bump to the top line with Andrei Svechnikov and Sebastian Aho. Robinson has three goals on nine shots versus Panthers’ goalie Jacob Markstrom. Markstrom was acquired in a trade with the New Jersey Devils and returns to the team that originally drafted the netminder. 

NHL Predictions and Best Bets: 
Florida Panthers (+105) – ½ unit
Over 6 (-118) – ½ unit
B.Tkachuk/Barkov point parlay (+118) – ½ unit
Eric Robinson anytime goal (+440) – ¼ unit
Eric Robinson Over ½ assist (+320) – ¼ unit

Montreal Canadiens at Toronto Maple Leafs

Montreal (-110) at Toronto (-110) – Total 6.5 (Over, +100)

7 p.m. ET

The Maple Leafs made a blockbuster, multi-player trade with the Columbus Blue Jackets on Monday. The key pieces in the trade were Matthew Knies to Columbus and Kirill Marchenko to Toronto. If the Leafs and Marchenko can complete the immigration paperwork in time, he’ll be in the lineup. It’s been a busy off-season for new Leafs General Manager John Chayka, who has overhauled the team’s roster after Toronto finished 28th overall in the standings. Two of the key acquisitions were two-time Stanley Cup-winning goalie Sergei Bobrovsky, who was let go by Florida, and defenseman Darren Raddysh, who was acquired from the Tampa Bay Lightning. Raddysh (10 power play goals) should bolster the Leafs power play, which had just one goal from a defenseman (Morgan Rielly) last season. Never shy to shoot, I will be on his shots-on-goal prop (Over 2.5) and his anytime goal prop. As a member of the Lightning, Raddysh registered at least three shots on goal in nine of his last 11 games against the Canadiens. Forward William Nylander has enjoyed success against the Habs, scoring a goal in five of the last seven meetings. 

Habs defenseman Lane Hutson was third in the NHL last season with 66 assists, and while he hasn’t had the greatest numbers in his brief NHL career, getting him at (-115) to earn an assist is excellent value in my opinion. Veteran Chris Kreider, who had his contract terminated in Anaheim in the summer, signed as a free agent with Montreal and will play on the top line with Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki, along with getting power play time. His anytime goal prop (+340) has tremendous value. Tonight’s game will also mark the NHL debut of Gavin McKenna, the 1st overall pick in this year’s NHL Draft. I am on his assist prop. 

NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Montreal Canadiens Team Total Over 3 (-125) – ½ unit
Lane Hutson Over ½ assist (-115) – ½ unit
Chris Kreider anytime goal (+340) – ¼ unit
Chris Kreider Over ½ assist (+250) – ¼ unit
William Nylander anytime goal (+185) – ¼ unit
Gavin McKenna assist (+260) – ¼ unit
Darren Raddysh Over 2.5 shots on goal (+104) – 1 unit
Darren Raddysh anytime goal (+460) – ¼ unit

New York Rangers at Boston Bruins

New York Rangers (-110) at Boston (-110) – Total 6 (Over, -110)

8 p.m. ET

First off, if you are targeting the total in this game, shop around depending on whether you are looking at the Over or the Under, as 5.5s are available for those looking at the Over. I am sticking with player props for this game. Rangers fans will get their first regular-season look at their new $11 million man, Pavel Dorofeyev, who comes over from the Vegas Golden Knights in a sign-and-trade deal. Dorofeyev has good numbers against the B’s and goalie Jeremy Swayman. Look for the Rangers to feed their new sniper all night. He has five goals in four career games versus Swayman and has had three shots on goal or more in four straight versus Boston. Dorofeyev is slated to play on a line with JT Miller and the two will be joined by Alexis Lafreniere on the power play. Lafreniere closed out last season with 28 points (14 goals and 14 assists) in his final 29 games.

On the Boston side, new Bruins captain David Pastrnak has never been shy about shooting the puck. He has had four shots on goal or more in six of his last eight head-to-head matchups with the Rangers. JJ Peterka comes over from Utah and will play alongside Pasta on the top line. Peterka has nine points in 11 career games against the Rangers.

NHL Predictions and Best Bets:
Pavel Dorofeyev Over 2.5 shots on goal (-125) – 1 unit
Pavel Dorofeyev anytime goal (+175) – ¼ unit
Miller/Lafreniere point parlay (+158) – ½ unit
David Pastrnak Over 3.5 shots on goal (+135) – 1 unit
JJ Peterka Over ½ point (-110) – ½ unit

Best of the Rest:

Vegas/Edmonton ML parlay (-115) – 2 units
McDavid/Draisaitl Over 1.5 points parlay (+155) – 1 unit
Leon Draisaitl anytime goal (+106) – ½ unit
Eichel/Stone/Marner point parlay (+150) – ½ unit
Carter Hart Over 20.5 saves (-107) – ½ unit

Stanley Cup Future Bets Tip

If you’re looking for a team to bet on to win the Stanley Cup, consider this little nugget. Since 2009, the St. Louis Blues are the only team to win the Stanley Cup without a player on their roster drafted first or second overall. The Vegas Golden Knights would be the only other team not to have a player on their Stanley Cup-winning roster who was drafted first or second overall, but they did have Jack Eichel, who was drafted second overall by the Buffalo Sabres.

Currently, 13 teams in the NHL don’t have a player on their roster that they or another team drafted with either the 1st or 2nd overall pick. Those teams are Vancouver, Winnipeg, Nashville, St. Louis, Calgary, Utah, Minnesota, New York Rangers, Philadelphia, Boston, Ottawa, Detroit and Columbus.

YearCup WinnerPlayerPick 1 or 2Year Drafted
2026CarolinaTaylor Hall1 (by Edmonton)2010
Andrei Svechnikov22018
Jordan Staal2 (by Pittsburgh)2006
2025FloridaAaron Ekblad12014
FloridaAleksander Barkov22013
2024FloridaAaron Ekblad12014
Aleksander Barkov22013
2023VegasXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Note: Jack Eichel2 (Buffalo)2015

2022		ColoradoNathan Mackinnon12013
Gabriel Landeskog22011
2021TampaVictor Hedman22009
2020TampaVictor Hedman22009
2019St. LouisXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
2018WashingtonAlex Ovechkin12004
2017PittsburghSidney Crosby12005
Geno Malkin22004
Marc-Andre Fleury12003
2016PittsburghSidney Crosby12005
Geno Malkin22004
Marc-Andre Fleury12003
2015ChicagoPatrick Kane12007
2014LA KingsDrew Doughty22008
2013ChicagoPatrick Kane12007
2012LA KingsDrew Doughty22008
2011BostonTyler Seguin22010
2010ChicagoPatrick Kane12007
2009PittsburghSidney Crosby12005
Geno Malkin22004
Marc-Andre Fleury12003

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR