Saturday’s Top Expert NHL Picks: Colorado To Continue Winning Ways

Check out our top NHL expert picks for Saturday's nine-game hockey night.

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

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Top Expert NHL ML Picks

Red Wings (-200)

Detroit has the rest advantage, as they were off Friday and Buffalo played at home versus Montreal. The Sabres are extremely shorthanded as it is due to injury, including top netminder Craig Anderson. Thus, it should be third-string goaltender Aaron Dell in the second of a back-to-back. He’s winless with a 3.72 GAA and .862 save percentage.

Detroit has won four of its past five at home and that lone loss was close to an excellent Washington team. Detroit's starter Alex Nedeljkovic is 5-3-3 with a 2.76 GAA and .917 save percentage. The Wings are 1-0 vs. the Sabres this year, winning 4-3 in OT in New York on Nov. 6. The Sabres have fallen off after a hot start, and the Red Wings should take care of business. - Jordan

Avalanche -1.5 (+115)

The Avalanche are coming off a rare loss as they return home to host the Predators. Colorado lost 3-1 in Dallas despite outshooting the Stars 37-22. They had a whopping 20-1 shots advantage in the third period alone.

Colorado is going to come out hot against the Predators. Nashville beat the Devils last night but has recently lost 5-2 to Vegas, 6-3 to Montreal, and 3-0 to Toronto. Colorado has the firepower to put up a similar win, just as it did during its six-game win streak. All six wins were by two or more goals as the Avs outscored their opponents 36-15 in the six games.

The moneyline is safer, but also juicier. The puck line gives us plus odds in a good spot. - Gilbert

Flames (-165)

The Calgary Flames have been good on both ends of the ice thus far this season, finding themselves in the top ten in the NHL in both goals scored (seventh) and goals allowed (first) per game. They are putting 3.4 pucks in the net a game, while only allowing a minuscule 1.9 goals per contest. This steady, balanced play has catapulted the Flames into first place in the Pacific Division with a 12-3-5 record over their first 20 games.

After a hot start to the season, the Winnipeg Jets are starting to freefall. Losers of five in a row heading into Saturday night’s showdown with the Flames, the Jets were absolutely embarrassed by the Minnesota Wild on Friday afternoon, losing 7-1 to their Central Division foe. Things won’t get any easier for the Jets on the road at the Scotiabank Saddledome, and they’ll see their losing streak hit six. - Smith

Top Expert NHL O/U Picks

Stars-Coyotes Under 5.5 (-135)

The Arizona Coyotes are last in the NHL in scoring at 1.85 goals per game and are missing several injured forwards, while Dallas is 22nd at 2.71. On the road, the Stars drop to 2.22 goals per game. The best waiver-wire pickup of the season in the NHL has to be Arizona nabbing former Devils netminder Scott Wedgewood, who has allowed two goals or fewer in five of seven appearances with his new club.

The Under is 5-2 in Arizona’s past seven, and the Under has hit in over 60% of Dallas' games this season. With two teams that can't score with regularity, betting on a low-event game is the play. - Jordan

Stars-Coyotes Under 5.5 (-135)

The Stars have held the Avalanche, Oilers, and Blues to just one goal each in their past three games. Dallas has allowed two goals or fewer in five of its last six games.

Enter the Coyotes. Arizona averages a league-low 1.85 goals per game. The Coyotes have been held to two goals or fewer in 14 of 20 games this season –– three shutouts, seven games with one goal, four games with two goals.

The Stars will try to slow the game down in the second half of a back-to-back and the Coyotes don't have the talent to say otherwise. - Gilbert

Oilers-Golden Knights Over 6 (-125)

The Edmonton Oilers score the third most goals per game (3.79) and boast the best power play in the NHL, operating at a mind-melting 39%. They also happen to have the two top-scoring players in the league, unleashing Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl on poor, overmatched goaltenders on a nightly basis.

After a lethargic start, the Las Vegas Golden Knights have caught fire over their past 10 games, racking up a 7-3 record over that span. During that 10-game stretch, the Golden Knights have averaged 3.8 goals a game and topped four or more goals five times.

With both offenses firing on all cylinders, the teams should combine for more than six goals on Saturday night. - Smith

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