Canadiens vs. Rangers Odds, Picks, Predictions: Blueshirts to Hammer Slumping Habs

The puck drops on an Original Six matchup Sunday when the Montreal Canadiens visit the New York Rangers. Read on for our best Canadiens vs. Rangers NHL pick based on top odds.

While there have been some ups and downs for the New York Rangers, they have 13 wins in the past 17 games and sit comfortably in third place in the Metropolitan Division.

The Montreal Canadiens were surprisingly competitive early in the season and in early December had a 14-12-2 record. Since then, Montreal has won just three of 15 games, dropping to the bottom of the Atlantic Division.

Montreal ranks 29th in the league with a goal differential of minus-47.

Here is our best Canadiens vs. Rangers NHL pick (odds via DraftKings Sportsbook; pick confidence based on a 1-to-5-star scale).

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Canadiens vs. Rangers Game Info

• Date: Sunday, Jan. 15, 5 p.m. ET
• TV: ESPN+, MSG, TSN2, RDS
• Location: Madison Square Garden, New York, NY

Canadiens vs. Rangers Odds

Check out our complete list of NHL odds!

Canadiens vs. Rangers Odds Analysis

The money line opened at FanDuel with the Rangers as heavy favorites, priced at -275. The Canadiens were underdogs at +220. With 84% of the moneyline wagers on the Rangers, the odds have moved towards New York.

A Rangers win is now priced at -330 on the moneyline compared to the Habs at +260.

The total opened at 6, with the Over at even money and the Under at priced at -122. With 57% of the consensus wagers on the Under, the price has shifted. The Over is now at -112, with the Under priced at -110 at FanDuel.

Canadiens vs. Rangers Pick

Rangers -1.5 (-120) ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Although the Rangers have improved their puck possession game since last season, they are still getting 50.8% of the score-and-venue-adjusted expected goals during five-on-five play. That ranks 19th, so the Blueshirts are still mediocre in terms of carrying play.

That is still notably better than a Canadiens squad that ranks 29th, with just 43.1% of five-on-five score-and-venue-adjusted expected goals.

Where the Rangers should have a decided edge is when it comes to goaltending. Igor Shesterkin is not quite at the same level as he was last season, when he won the Vezina Trophy, but he has a .917 save percentage and 10.71 goals saved above expected.

That compares favorably with whomever ends up tending goal for the Habs.

After Sam Montembeault played in Saturday’s loss at the New York Islanders, the Canadiens could turn to Jake Allen on Sunday. Allen has been out for the past week due to an upper-body injury so if he still can’t go, AHL call-up Cayden Primeau could get the start for Montreal.

Montreal also brings a league-worst power play into this matchup, scoring 4.53 goals per 60 minutes of five-on-four play.

The Rangers have an edge on Montreal in virtually every facet of the game and are the rested home team against a Canadiens team that played, and lost, on Saturday. That's the recipe for the Rangers to earn a big win.

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Canadiens vs. Rangers Best Odds

DraftKings, BetMGM, Caesars (-120)

Pricing is consistent across most of the top sportsbooks, with the Rangers -1.5 costing between -120 and -122.

DraftKings was still offering the Rangers on the puck line at -115 on Sunday morning. That edge not only shows the value in shopping for the best available price, but also the value of getting your bet in early.

These are two teams moving in different directions, so the odds to take the favored Rangers are likely to get even more expensive leading up to puck drop.

Canadiens-Rangers pick made 1/15/2023 at 10 a.m. ET.

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