NHL Odds & Best Bets Today: Schedule, Picks for Saturday
Saturday brings a massive 14-game schedule to the National Hockey League. With that many games on the docket, there must be some value on the board. Here are our best hockey bets for Saturday based on the top NHL odds.
There is a compelling Pacific Division battle on the board when the Edmonton Oilers visit the Vegas Golden Knights.
The Oilers are coming off a 7-1 win at San Jose on Friday, but they need to keep earning points as they try to secure a playoff position. They are in fifth place in the Pacific Division.
Meanwhile, the Golden Knights have been dealing with some injuries. Most recently, captain Mark Stone is out of the lineup on a week-to-week basis with an upper-body injury.
Vegas gets the benefit of being rested at home while waiting for an Oilers team that is playing in the second game of a back-to-back scenario.
Here are our NHL Best Bets for Saturday (odds via FanDuel Sportsbook, DraftKings Sportsbook, Caesars Sportsbook, and BetMGM; pick confidence based on a 1-to-5-star scale).
Check out all of our NHL best bets.
Saturday’s NHL Schedule and Odds
(odds via FanDuel)
- Calgary Flames (+100) vs. Dallas Stars (-120)
- Pittsburgh Penguins (-152) vs. Carolina Hurricanes (-184)
- Toronto Maple Leafs (+134) vs. Boston Bruins (-162)
- Ottawa Senators (+146) vs. Colorado Avalanche (-178)
- Columbus Blue Jackets (+184) vs. Detroit Red Wings (-225)
- Vancouver Canucks (+176) vs. Florida Panthers (-215)
- Montreal Canadiens (+190) vs. New York Islanders (-235)
- Philadelphia Flyers (+172) vs. Washington Capitals (-210)
- Arizona Coyotes (+280) vs. Minnesota Wild (-360)
- Buffalo Sabres (+114) vs. Nashville Predators (-137)
- Tampa Bay Lightning (-178) vs. St. Louis Blues (+146)
- Seattle Kraken (-240) vs. Chicago Blackhawks (+195)
- Edmonton Oilers (+125) vs. Vegas Golden Knights (-150)
- New Jersey Devils (+100) vs. Los Angeles Kings (-120)
Saturday’s NHL Best Bets
- Moneyline: Hurricanes (-167 via BetMGM) vs. Penguins
- Spread: Wild -1.5 (-135 via Caesars) vs. Coyotes
- Upset: Sabres (+125 via DraftKings) vs. Predators
- Prop bet: Daniel Sprong Over 0.5 goals (+380 via DraftKings) vs. Blackhawks
NHL Top Picks
Moneyline: Hurricanes ML vs. Penguins (-167 via BetMGM) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Penguins are reeling, and visiting Carolina on the second game of a back-to-back is not the way to better results. Meanwhile, the Hurricanes snapped a four-game slide with Thursday’s 6-2 win over Columbus.
Carolina’s slumps are not a major concern because it's the best puck-possession team in the league. Winning the battles for shots and scoring chances night after night does not guarantee victory, but it improves the odds and tends to put a cap on losing streaks.
After losing at home against Winnipeg on Thursday, the Penguins are 2-5-2 in their past nine games. They are missing starting goaltender Tristan Jarry as well as puck-moving defensemen Kris Letang and Jeff Petry.
This is a steep price, but a rested Carolina team catching Pittsburgh on the second night of a back-to-back is worth the price on the ML.
BetMGM has the most favorable price for Carolina at -167, just ahead of DraftKings and Caesars at -170. FanDuel is hanging -184, so if you want to play the Hurricanes, get in early and make that wager at BetMGM.
Spread: Wild -1.5 vs. Coyotes (-135 via Caesars) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Wild are only 12-8-1 on home ice, and that .595 points percentage ranks 13th in the league. However, seven of those 12 wins have been by more than one goal, and the Wild are a strong enough team to take care of business against an inferior opponent.
Enter the Coyotes, a team that has lost seven in a row overall and has been getting buried on the road. They are winless in their past 12 games away from Mullett Arena, and their past five road losses have all been by more than one goal.
DraftKings and Caesars have the Wild on the puck line at -135, which is a little better than PointsBet at -136 and BetMGM at -139. FanDuel is charging the most among the top sportsbooks for the Wild on the puck line at -142.
Upset: Sabres ML vs. Predators (+125) ⭐⭐⭐
Losers of three straight games, the Sabres head to Nashville as lively ‘dogs. Buffalo is 11-7 in 18 road games, and that .610 points percentage ranks 10th.
The Sabres are still the highest scoring team in the league, averaging 3.79 goals per 60 minutes. They just need to get some saves to pull off the upset.
Nashville has been mediocre on home ice, posting a 9-6-3 record while controlling 47.8% of five-on-five score-and-venue-adjusted expected goals.
Though the Preds' power play has improved recently, it still ranks 31st with 5.07 goals for per 60 minutes of five-on-four play. That lack of offensive punch leaves them vulnerable against the high-scoring Sabres.
Most of the top sportsbooks range from +120 to +125 on the ML for a Buffalo win, but FanDuel is offering a Sabres win at only +114.
Check out our latest Stanley Cup odds.
Prop bet: Daniel Sprong Over 0.5 goals vs. Blackhawks (+380) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Typically, I aim for players with a big role when it comes to player props. Saturday, I’m checking out the most productive fourth-liner in the league.
Kraken right winger Daniel Sprong is playing just over 11 minutes per game but is one of the most efficient scorers in the league. He has 13 goals in 34 games, and his 2.06 goals per 60 minutes rank fifth among players who have played at least 300 minutes.
Sprong has also scored at least one goal in eight of 17 road games.
There is naturally some risk in taking a fourth-line player to score a goal, but anything beyond +300 is worth considering for an anytime Sprong goal.
DraftKings is generously offering a Sprong goal at +380, which is notably more than FanDuel (+310) or Caesars (+320).
NHL best bets made on 1/14/2023 at 8:15 a.m. ET.
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