Monday's Top Expert NHL Picks: Elite Goaltenders Stay Hot in Calgary

Check out our top NHL expert picks for Monday's four-game schedule.

Our hockey experts select their top moneyline and Over/Under picks for Monday's schedule of NHL games (Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook and FanDuel Sportsbook; pick confidence based on a 1-to-5 star scale).

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SEE ALSO: Top NHL Prop Picks for Monday

Top Expert NHL ML Picks

Kraken (-152)

The Seattle Kraken had a terrible start to the season but most of that was due to poor goaltending. As the goaltending has turned around, the Kraken have become a more dangerous team. Not only have they won three of their past four games, but the three wins have come against Washington, Carolina, and Florida, teams that rank among the top four in points percentage. The Kraken are just 2-8 against the moneyline on the road.

Buffalo has one win in its past six games and has the underlying numbers to back its downward trend, going 3-9-2 since starting the season with a 5-1-1 record. The Sabres are 5-6 against the moneyline at home but four of those wins came in October. - Cullen

Jets -1.5 (-105)

The Arizona Coyotes are one of the worst teams in the league in nearly all metrics. They had a decent stretch but have now lost back-to-back games. Arizona scores a league-worst 1.9 goals per game and Winnipeg should take full advantage of a poor opponent.

The Jets finally broke their five-game losing streak Saturday in Calgary. Now they're back in Winnipeg, where they're 7-2-1 this season. Four of those seven wins were by at least two goals. They should get another one against a bad Coyotes team. - Gilbert

Canadiens (-125)

In an epic battle between Canadian teams struggling to win seven games before December, the team that blew up its front office first shall emerge victorious.

The Montreal Canadiens haven't been good, but they've been better than the putrid Vancouver Canucks over their past 10 games, posting a 3-5-2 record while scoring 2.8 goals per game and allowing a dangerously high 3.7 goals per game.

Does that seem bad? Yes, it does. Fortunately for the Bleu, Blanc, et Rouge, the Canucks are a pathetic 1-8-1 in their last 10 games, finding the back of the net just 1.8 times per game, while allowing 3.6 goals per game. - Smith

Top Expert NHL O/U Picks

Canucks-Canadiens Over 5.5 (-115)

The Canadiens have fired general manager Marc Bergevin but the personnel is still in place for a team that has allowed 3.59 goals against per 60 minutes this season, the second-highest rate in the league. Five of Montreal's past six home games have hit a total of six or higher.

The Canucks aren't much better defensively, as they rank sixth-worst in the league allowing 3.23 goals against per 60 minutes. They have one win in the past 10 games and their inability to play sound defensively has played a big part in that record. Two shaky defenses should allow these teams to find their way to at least six goals. - Cullen

Penguins-Flames Under 5.5 (-120)

The Pittsburgh Penguins and Calgary Flames are two of the best defensive teams in the league. Calgary allows a league-low two goals per game and Pittsburgh is sixth-lowest at 2.67. This is partially due to their goaltenders. Tristan Jarry has a 1.91 goals-against average and .936 save percentage, with Jacob Markstrom at a slightly better 1.81 goals-against average and .937 save percentage.

Four of Pittsburgh's last five games went Under 5.5 goals and so did five of Calgary's last eight contests. These teams can score goals, but I see goaltending reigning supreme in Calgary. - Gilbert

Canucks-Canadiens Under 6 (-108)

Although neither of these struggling teams can keep the puck out of their own net, they also aren't adept at putting the puck into the opponent's net.

As I mentioned earlier, the Canucks have averaged a dreadful 1.8 goals per game over their last 10 games, while the Canadiens haven't fared much better, potting 2.8 goals per game over the same span.

Quite simply, these two teams can't score, and that'll lead to less than six goals combined on Monday night. - Smith

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