We have a busy 12-game NHL schedule on tap Tuesday evening. Let’s dive in and see which bets are going to make the money, including backing a couple of pre-season Stanley Cup contenders in need of wins in a hurry moving forward. For more NHL odds, best bets and parlays be sure to check out the OddsShopper tool.
Best NHL Bets Tonight and NHL Odds
Odds via FanDuel
Florida Panthers Puck Line vs. Columbus Blue Jackets (-124)
If the Florida Panthers are serious about getting back into the Atlantic Division race then this is a must-have game against a weak Columbus Blue Jackets club.
The Panthers have been a disappointment this season at just 13-14-4 through 29 games, but the Blue Jackets’ 10-15-2 record on the season is good for 29th league-wide. It’s been a struggle across the board for a Blue Jackets team that ranks 31st in overall defense, 30th on the power play, and 20th on the penalty kill.
At the same time, the Panthers might sit 11th in overall offense, but also second in the league in terms of expected goals per game at five-on-five.
Both the Blue Jackets’ Elvis Merzlikins and the Panthers’ Sergei Bobrovsky have struggled mightily this season, but the Panthers are 13th in expected goals against per 60 minutes at five-on-five while the Blue Jackets sit 26th in that same category. For what it’s worth, Merzlikins’ -16.06 goals saved above average ranks dead last among 70 qualified netminders, as per Hockey Reference. With the Panthers pacing the NHL with 37.8 shots per game on the season it would appear Merzlikins is in danger of yielding more offense in this one tonight.
With Aleksander Barkov now back in the lineup after missing time with an illness, now is the time for the Panthers to get on a run they desperately need to get back into contention in a tough Atlantic Division. Tonight’s home matchup with a Blue Jackets team that sits in the Eastern Conference’s basement is a must-win and one they should capture by multiple goals.
Philadelphia Flyers vs. Colorado Avalanche over 6 goals (+100)
Both the Philadelphia Flyers and Colorado Avalanche have been decimated with injuries this season and it shows in the standings with the Flyers sitting 27th in points percentage and the reigning Stanley Cup champion Avalanche at just 14th. The Avs are heavy favorites at home for this one but I’m targeting a six-goal total that’s tied for the lowest on the slate at plus money.
There’s little doubt the Flyers have struggled defensively. Sure, they sit 20th overall which isn’t the end of the world, but also rank 23rd on the penalty kill, 23rd in expected goals against per 60 minutes at five-on-five, and 29th in shot attempts per game in the same scenario. Carter Hart’s early-season goaltending has been the difference (in October), but tonight’s starting nod actually goes to backup Felix Sandstrom who has struggled.
Sandstrom enters this one sporting a 3.40 GAA and .889 Sv% in eight starts, yielding five goals in two of his last three starts. The 25-year-old has just 13 NHL appearances under his belt but owns a suspect 3.33 GAA and .898 Sv% in that time.
While Nathan MacKinnon is out for the home side, the Avs’ offense is getting healthier with the returns of Valeri Nichushkin and Artturi Lehkonen. The club’s offense has skipped to 16th overall due to injuries, but they still sit second in the league on the power play, a group that should handle a weak Flyers penalty kill.
The Avs will also start a backup tonight in the form of Pavel Francouz. Francouz has been quite reliable in his injury-plagued NHL career, but has been closer to pedestrian this season with a 2.90 GAA and .911 Sv% on the season. He’s yielded 11 goals over his last three contests.
In a cross-conference matchup, don’t be surprised to see this one open up a bit. The Avs might be missing one of the NHL’s very best offensive players, but should still find plenty of opportunities against a Flyers team surrendering more than their fair share. I’m looking for something like a 6-4 victory for the Avs in this one.
Edmonton Oilers Moneyline vs. Nashville Predators (-137)
Both of these clubs are playing their second game in as many nights after each was edged in one-goal affairs on the road Monday night. Both also traveled ahead of this one but I’m simply riding with the team I believe to be the superior hockey club.
The Oilers currently have the points percentage advantage over the Predators by a .552 versus .519 count, but one key item I’m banking on here is the return of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl to dominance.
McDavid did register a helper on the Oilers’ lone tally in Minnesota last night, but it was a rare one-point combination for the duo. Their current point paces are likely bound to cool at least a little bit as teams begin to play better defense as the season moves along, but my money is on the league’s best duo to do much more damage than they did 24 hours earlier.
After signing a five-year, $25M contract will the Oilers this summer, Jack Campbell has been brutalized to the tune of a 4.12 GAA and .872 Sv% in 13 starts. He last started on Dec. 1 and has been given a significant opportunity to reset with Stuart Skinner starting seven of the team’s last eight games. For a goaltender with a career 2.67 GAA and .912 Sv% it should only be a matter of time before the regression to the mean takes place, even if the Oilers can play some porous defense at times.
At the same time, it’s backup Kevin Lankinen going for the home side. The former Blackhawks has been stellar in playing to a 2.27 GAA and .934 Sv% in seven appearances, but keep in mind this is a netminder owning a career 3.15 GAA and .904 SV% in 76 career NHL outings. He will surely be put to the test against the NHL’s best power play (30.2%) and sixth-ranked offense with 3.55 goals per game.
The Oilers are slipping in the Pacific division standings of late and find themselves in need of a run in short order. Look for the big boys to lead them to victory in this one with Campbell starting to find his game in the process.
