El Niño's NHL Thread

[El Nino]

Shouldn't have gotten greedy and taken the 1 1/2 for Detroit, NHL kicking my ass so far... So much for all the overs tonight as well.

Yeah, NHL is like everything else. One day there may be 3 games and every favorite wins and everyone thinks it's easy sailing. Best to be selective especially with Puck Line wagers. A little over 6% of my plays last season were Puck Line plays. Went 9-3 on them being ultra selective. Playing teams like the Penguins, Blackhawks, and other high power scoring teams when they are streaking or against favorable matchups. Just like with a Run Line in baseball, you need scoring combined with solid goaltending and sometimes a little luck with the empty netter. The regulation bets are nice for the heavier favorites (especially at home). They are listed differently at different books. Sometimes they are listed as 3-Way bets or -1/2 in the first 60 min. In a game like tonight, they are the optimal bet. The Puck Line doesn't cover and you don't risk the (-185) or whatever the Red Wings Money Line was. It can get frustrating on games where your team wins in OT or a SO, but it's the risk you take.

[boeing power]

Way to get on the board niño.

Good luck this season man.

[El Nino]

Cha-Ching. Thanks for the play El. Will be tailing this year as everyone says your one the guys to listen too in this area and your performance last year proves it. Hope to learn a thing or two about hockey and how to handicap the sport as well. Keep those winners coming.

No prob, pal.

[El Nino]

Way to get on the board niño.

Good luck this season man.

Thanks, boeing.

[Russian Rocket]

Yeah, NHL is like everything else. One day there may be 3 games and every favorite wins and everyone thinks it's easy sailing. Best to be selective especially with Puck Line wagers. A little over 6% of my plays last season were Puck Line plays. Went 9-3 on them being ultra selective. Playing teams like the Penguins, Blackhawks, and other high power scoring teams when they are streaking or against favorable matchups. Just like with a Run Line in baseball, you need scoring combined with solid goaltending and sometimes a little luck with the empty netter. The regulation bets are nice for the heavier favorites (especially at home). They are listed differently at different books. Sometimes they are listed as 3-Way bets or -1/2 in the first 60 min. In a game like tonight, they are the optimal bet. The Puck Line doesn't cover and you don't risk the (-185) or whatever the Red Wings Money Line was. It can get frustrating on games where your team wins in OT or a SO, but it's the risk you take.

on the road
will read it when get back home

[Vegas39]

on the road
will read it when get back home

so your English translators not with you.

[Russian Rocket]

so your English translators not with you.

that's what JJ posts most of the time in AM

[Vegas39]

that's what JJ posts most of the time in AM

Carry on

[Russian Rocket]

Carry on

[El Nino]

10/3

Minnesota Wild (-110) 1.1u BookMaker
Phoenix Coyotes (-110) 1.1u BookMaker

YTD
1-1 +/-0u

Like I said earlier, semi-shameless homer plays here, but I expected both teams to be favored. At a pick 'em, I will roll with both. The X will be jumping and the Wild always play well in their home opener. They lost a few players, Cal Clutterbuck (Best name in hockey, best mustache in hockey, and my favorite player), Setoguchi, P-MB, Cullen, Matt Cullen, and Tom Gilbert. Pierre Marc-Bouchard and Setoguchi always seemed to be injured. I liked Cullen's play last year and wish he was there to center the 2nd line. Been hearing promising stuff about Coyle (the projected 2nd line Center). Other than that, not a whole lot lost. They gained Matt Cooke (basically a bigger type of Clutterbuck player but a little more of an asshole), Keith Ballard (solid defensemen, native Minnesotan), and a NY Islanders prospect named Nino Niederreiter. Other than having a fukkin' solid name, I don't know alot about Nino.

The Wild were 14-8-2 last season and home and dealt with a lot of injuries down the stretch. There was little chance that they were going to beat the Blackhawks in the playoffs last year, but they limped in and Backstrom didn't even play. When the Wild were healthy, they looked good. Parise and Suter the $100 million dollar men have had time to get in sync with the rest of the team as well as late acquisition last season Jason Pominville. The #1 line of Koivu, Parise, and Pominville can stack up as one of the sickest lines in the league. The power play needs to improve from last season. Health is the main key for this team. The word is that Dany Heatley is healthy...he's another guy that always seems to be nursing an injury, but I will bite. The Wild went 2-1 against the Kings last season going 2-0 at the Xcel Energy Center. The Kings are very much a home team and struggle when they leave Staples Center. The Kings were 8-12-4 last season on the road and 1-8 in road playoff games. Wild here as a homer play, but with some reasoning.

The Coyotes can finally just worry about playing hockey, no sale talk, no new owner talk. From everything I've heard, the players all love Dave Tippett and Captain Shane Doan has the locker room's respect. The guy could have went to about half a dozen other teams last year before the season started and resigned with the Coyotes despite the uncertainty of the team. A lot of it had to do with the players on that team and Coach Tippett. In a recent interview Doan stated that if the front office asked him one player to get in free agency it would have been Mike Ribeiro. The guy is an assist machine, even in the short season last year, Ribeiro had 36 assists in 48 games. He will get Boedker and Doan the puck and the offensive aspect of the Coyotes should improve. Mike Smith dealt with injuries last season and the lack of a full pre-season looked like it affected his play as well. The Coyotes have always been a gritty, defensively minded team and if the offensive can pick up a little without the defense taking a step back, they could be really good and make a run this season. I'm taking them over the Rangers as the Rangers are a little banged up to start the year. Captain Ryan Callahan is ruled out already and 1st line Center Derek Stepan held out for a contract and missed all of the preseason. Throw in a new coach, travel, and the start of a 9 game road trip to kick off the season and I'm rolling with the Yotes here.

[El Nino]

on the road
will read it when get back home

Rocket, don't SBR and drive on the road! You will feel like a prikk when the KGB pulls you over and gives you a ticket!

[Vegas39]

Make wild a video lock

[El Nino]

Make wild a video lock

I just may...

Remember this one?

Quick no look so good on the road.

[Vegas39]

New season their D should be better with a healthy Willie Mitchell back. Both doing homer plays on it

[El Nino]

New season their D should be better with a healthy Willie Mitchell back. Both doing homer plays on it

Yeah, you know your boys blow on the road though. Wild have never lost in a home opener at the X.

[Vegas39]

Yeah, you know your boys blow on the road though. Wild have never lost in a home opener at the X.

So law of averages in my favor

[El Nino]

So law of averages in my favor

The "Due" Theory...

[Vegas39]

More so optimistic as Kopitar and others seem healthy. Plus quick not needing to adjust to smaller pads. Now more room behind net when he handles puck scares me

[speedracer122]

Nice write-up Nino. I see both those games as a pick'em and couldn't figure out a lean for either game but you made some good points, the Kings always look like a different team on the road. BOL tomorrow

[El Nino]

More so optimistic as Kopitar and others seem healthy. Plus quick not needing to adjust to smaller pads. Now more room behind net when he handles puck scares me

Yes, you know my feelings on that. He should be fined by the Kings every time he leaves the net area and shouldn't be allowed to touch the puck. This game, I give him permission though. I hope he thinks he's Marty Brodeur and stick handles every chance he gets!

[El Nino]

Nice write-up Nino. I see both those games as a pick'em and couldn't figure out a lean for either game but you made some good points, the Kings always look like a different team on the road. BOL tomorrow

Thanks, pal. BOL to you as well.

[Jackie Moon]

Nino, I just got wild +100 on 5dimes. Love the picks though, I added Rangers/Coyotes over 5 and Washington -1.5. BOL!

[Huckleberry Pig]

GL tonight nino. didnt play either one. don't like being on games starting that late, cant stay up for'em with work in the morning.

hope ya cash

[El Nino]

1-1 -0.10u

YTD
2-2 -0.10u

Wild coasted instead of looking to go up 3-1, caught on a long shift and got caught looking at the puck for the Kings' tying goal. Terrible effort by Backstrom in the shootout. Yotes rolled, lost the juice.

[Vegas39]

1-1 -0.10u

YTD
2-2 -0.10u

Wild coasted instead of looking to go up 3-1, caught on a long shift and got caught looking at the puck for the Kings' tying goal. Terrible effort by Backstrom in the shootout. Yotes rolled, lost the juice.

Ny good fade early that teams a mess. Refs gifted your wild first goal

[El Nino]

Ny good fade early that teams a mess. Refs gifted your wild first goal

Turning your skate is not a distinct kicking motion . Cooke was clearly opening his hips.

Ugly game, congrats on the win. 2nd and 3rd periods were a snore fest. Surprised LA still a PK tomorrow.

[El Nino]

Leaning Ottawa, NY Islanders, and Carolina tomorrow...someone talk me out of it.

[Jackie Moon]

Leaning Ottawa, NY Islanders, and Carolina tomorrow...someone talk me out of it.

I'm not sold on Carolina. They're pretty banged up, Skinner and Semin will play it sounds like but not be 100%. I love the Ottawa play though. Either way BOL!

[El Nino]

I'm not sold on Carolina. They're pretty banged up, Skinner and Semin will play it sounds like but not be 100%. I love the Ottawa play though. Either way BOL!

Yeah, when the Canes are healthy, they can score with anyone. Was more of a knee jerk reaction to seeing Detroit as a road fav. Very dependent on how Ward plays. I think the Isles team is poised for a big year...again dependent on Nabokov's play. I look at the Devils' lineup and wonder how they are going to score goals. Team is old. Sabres play better at home but again, not seeing how they score 3 or 4, banged up as well.

[El Nino]

10/4

Ottawa Senators (-123) 1.23u 5Dimes
New York Islanders (+103) 5Dimes

YTD
2-2 -0.10u

[geezir]

I`m on Ottawa, too
My gut says LA (-101) is quite tempting..

[negerkost]

me2

[Vegas39]

Turning your skate is not a distinct kicking motion . Cooke was clearly opening his hips.

Ugly game, congrats on the win. 2nd and 3rd periods were a snore fest. Surprised LA still a PK tomorrow.

Yes I really hoped to see LA about +120 on B2B

[El Nino]

Yes I really hoped to see LA about +120 on B2B

Right? Winnipeg plays very well at home. I don't see your boys winning B2B on the road.

[Vegas39]

Right? Winnipeg plays very well at home. I don't see your boys winning B2B on the road.

Pu up away your LA hatred