NHL Best Bets, Odds Today: Matchups, Picks, Predictions for Monday
A new week of NHL action begins with six games on Monday, including the team with the best home record hosting the team with the second-best road record. Read on as we offer up our best bets and NHL picks based on the top odds.
The Boston Bruins have won 14 straight games at home to open the season. In the most compelling game of the night, they are at home Monday against the Vegas Golden Knights, a team that has an 11-2-1 record on the road this season.
Here are our best bets for Monday’s NHL slate (odds via DraftKings Sportsbook, FanDuel Sportsbook, and Caesars Sportsbook; pick confidence based on a 1-to-5-star scale).
Monday’s NHL Schedule and Odds
(odds via DraftKings)
- Colorado Avalanche (-205) vs. Philadelphia Flyers (+175)
- Vegas Golden Knights (+150) vs. Boston Bruins (-175)
- St. Louis Blues (+150) vs. New York Rangers (-175)
- Washington Capitals (+140) vs. Edmonton Oilers (-165)
- Arizona Coyotes (+275) vs. Calgary Flames (-330)
- Montreal Canadiens (+170) vs. Vancouver Canucks (-200)
Monday’s NHL Best Bets
- Moneyline: Rangers (-170 via Caesars)
- Spread: Flames -1.5 (-120 via DraftKings)
- Upset: Canadiens (+176 via FanDuel)
- Prop bet: Leon Draisaitl Over 0.5 goals (+113 via Caesars)
NHL Top Picks for Monday
Moneyline: Rangers (-170) ★★★★
This season has been a roller-coaster ride for the Blues, and they're currently in a valley. They have dropped five of six after winning seven in a row. The Blues are 6-7 on the road and, overall, are controlling 47.7% of five-on-five score-and-venue-adjusted expected goals.
The Rangers have not been playing well, either. The Blueshirts have lost five of their past six games and are just 4-6-4 on home ice. However, the Rangers do have solid underlying numbers, earning 53.2% of five-on-five score-and-venue-adjusted expected goals. That ranks eighth in the league.
Last season, the Rangers banked on exceptional goaltending, but Igor Shesterkin has not played to that level this season. However, he still gives the Rangers an edge over Jordan Binnington and the Blues.
Caesars has the Rangers priced at -170 on the Moneyline. DraftKings has the Blueshirts at -175 and FanDuel has the Rangers -192.
Spread: Flames -1.5 (-120) ★★★★
The Coyotes have just one win in the past nine games. In those nine games, though, the Coyotes have lost by more than one goal only three times. Nevertheless, Arizona is managing just 40.1% of five-on-five score-and-venue-adjusted expected goals, which ranks 30th.
Consistency has been elusive for the Flames. They have controlled 53.3% of five-on-five score-and-venue-adjusted expected goals, which ranks seventh, and they are 8-5-1 on home ice. But Calgary also has just six wins in the past 18 games.
Though the Coyotes have been surprisingly competitive, they are the inferior team in this matchup. The Flames on the puck line is most favorable at DraftKings and BetMGM, priced at -120. That is slightly better than Caesars and PointsBet, both priced at -125, and FanDuel at -130.
Upset: Canadiens (+176) ★★★★
The Canadiens have been mostly mediocre this season, and that is a notable step up for the team that had the worst record in the league last season. Montreal is 6-5-1 on the road this season. The underlying numbers are not so kind, as the Habs are pulling just 45.3% of five-on-five score-and-venue-adjusted expected goals.
That possession deficit might not be the end of the world for Montreal, though. The Vancouver Canucks have been even worse, controlling 45.0% of five-on-five score-and-venue-adjusted expected goals. They are also just 4-6-1 on home ice. With Thatcher Demko injured, the Canucks will have Spencer Martin in net.
Two mediocre teams with no glaring goaltending advantage makes Montreal quite appealing as a sizeable underdog. The Habs are priced at +176 at FanDuel, better than +165 at DraftKings and +170 at other top sportsbooks.
Prop bet: Draisaitl Over 0.5 goals (+113) ★★★★★
Oilers center Leon Draisaitl has scored six goals during a five-game point streak. He ranks fourth in the NHL with 17 goals in 25 games. Draisaitl has recorded at least one goal in nine of 13 home games.
Draisaitl goes against a Washington Capitals team that is allowing 3.32 goals per 60 minutes on the road, which ranks 18th. Washington starting goaltender Darcy Kuemper has been dealing with an upper-body injury, so backup Charlie Lindgren is likely to get the start against the Oilers.
Caesars is offering a Draisaitl anytime goal at +113, which brings with it an implied probability of less than 47%. Draisaitl’s track record, both recently and on home ice, combined with an opponent that is below average defensively makes this an appealing play.
DraftKings and BetMGM have a Draisatil goal priced at -105 while FanDuel is offering it at +106.
Where to Bet on NHL Picks
Here are our top-rated sportsbooks:
NHL odds and best bets from 12/5/2022 at 11:00 a.m. ET.
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