The 2022-23 NHL regular season is upon us as the San Jose Sharks and Nashville Predators get an early start across the pond in Prague, Czech Republic as part of the NHL Global Series.
Let’s dive right in and get into some of the best bets we can capitalize on to get the season started on the right note!
To find the best odds on the NHL slate, check out our odds page here. Get DFS advice for the slate over at Stokastic here.
Sharks vs. Predators Best NHL Bets
Predators 3-Way Moneyline (-125)
The Preds are steep -181 moneyline favorites to nab the first win of the season, but if we move over to the 3-way moneyline we get more value in their bid to win this one in regulation time.
Nashville snuck into the postseason with a 97-point campaign a season ago, finishing a clean 20 points ahead of the Sharks who completed their campaign with 77 points, finishing sixth in a relatively weak Pacific Division in the process. While I don’t exactly expect the Predators to fill the net with the best of ’em this season (they tied for 12th in overall offense last season), I expect them to win this one on the back end.
Overall, the Preds finished 17th with 3.05 goals against per game on the season, but they also tied for sixth in terms of expected goals against/60 at 5v5 and fourth in terms of high-danger chances against/60 at 5v5, according to Natural Stat Trick. Once known for their defensive prowess, we witnessed the Preds’ return to stingy defense a season ago.
They also have one of the better and perhaps most underrated goaltenders in the entire league in Juuse Saros. Saros’ slipped down the stretch last season and missed the team’s first-round playoff exit due to injury, but still posted a 2.64 GAA and .918 Sv% while appearing in a league-high 67 contests. Furthermore, he ranked fifth with 22.96 goals saved above average, as per Hockey Reference.
Look for the Preds to take care of business in regulation today.
Under 6.5 goals (-145)
I went to an alternate total for this one.
Play tends to be sloppy early in the season and last season’s first month was littered with high-scoring affairs, but I do not trust this San Jose offense against a solid Preds back end and Saros between the pipes.
The Sharks’ 2.57 goals per game last season ranked them 30th in the league, besting only the Arizona Coyotes and Philadelphia Flyers in the process. Their 19% clip on the man advantage ranked 22nd league-wide. It’s a group that didn’t approve in the offseason from a personnel standpoint as Timo Meier, Tomas Hertl and Logan Couture remain the lone bonafide offense threats on the roster.
Remember, offense-first blueliner Brent Burns was traded to the Carolina Hurricanes this summer, removing one of the team’s most dangerous offensive players from the club while his absence could hurt the power play in particular.
Let’s continue to put our faith into the Preds’ back end and keep this one under 6.5 total goals.
Logan Couture Under 0.5 points (-108)
Sticking with the theme noted above, we’re getting a solid price to keep Couture off the scoresheet in this one today.
A talented offensive player, Couture lines up as the team’s second-line center which is problem No. 1 for me. While Meier and Hertl form a nice one-two punch at the top, Couture is set to skate alongside newcomer Oskar Lindblom and Kevin Labanc on the second line. Labanc is a proven producer in this league, but that second line falls below average when compared to other units across the league. Labanc recorded just six points in an injury-shortened 21-game season a year ago while Lindblom notched 26 points in 79 games on another low-octane offense in Philadelphia a season ago.
Burns’ absence on the power play hurts and while Couture remains on the top unit with the likes of Meier, Hertl, and Erik Karlsson, I’m not sure that’s a fruitful group despite going up against a sub-80% penalty kill with the Predators from last season.
Goals should be at a premium for the Sharks in this one, so let’s see if we can keep Couture pointless in the process.
