NHL Odds & Best Bets Today: Schedule, Picks for Thursday
There are 10 NHL games on Thursday, including a couple of compelling conference matchups among teams in playoff spots. Read on for Thursday’s NHL Best Bets.
Two of the 10 games on Thursday’s schedule feature teams currently in a playoff position.
The Seattle Kraken visit the Toronto Maple Leafs for the first of those contests. The Kraken have won two straight matchups to land in third place in the Pacific Division. The Maple Leafs are a distant second in the Atlantic, nine points behind the Boston Bruins.
As for the Bruins, they're in Los Angeles to take on the Kings, who are in second place in the Pacific. Boston winger Jake DeBrusk has landed on long-term injured reserve. But like the Maple Leafs, the Bruins are still favored.
Here are our NHL Best Bets for Thursday (odds via FanDuel Sportsbook, DraftKings Sportsbook, Caesars Sportsbook, BetMGM, and PointsBet; Pick confidence is based on a 1-to-5-star scale).
Check out all of our NHL best bets.
Thursday’s NHL Schedule and Odds
(odds via FanDuel)
- New York Rangers (-220) vs. Montreal Canadiens (+180)
- Arizona Coyotes (+134) vs. Philadelphia Flyers (-162)
- Nashville Predators (+198) vs. Carolina Hurricanes (-245)
- St. Louis Blues (+146) vs. New Jersey Devils (-178)
- Washington Capitals (-205) vs. Columbus Blue Jackets (+168)
- Seattle Kraken (+184) vs. Toronto Maple Leafs (-225)
- New York Islanders (+138) vs. Edmonton Oilers (-166)
- Pittsburgh Penguins (+105) vs. Vegas Golden Knights (-126)
- Colorado Avalanche (-166) vs. Vancouver Canucks (+136)
- Boston Bruins (-154) vs. Los Angeles Kings (+128)
Thursday’s NHL Best Bets
- Moneyline: Flyers (-145 via DraftKings Sportsbook)
- Spread: Rangers -1.5 (+120 via PointsBet)
- Total: Predators-Hurricanes Under 6 (-110 via FanDuel Sportsbook)
- Prop bet: Bo Horvat Over 0.5 Goals (+190 via DraftKings Sportsbook)
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NHL Top Picks for Thursday
Moneyline: Flyers (-145) ⭐⭐⭐
The Philadelphia Flyers are unusual favorites at home against the Arizona Coyotes after winning three straight games.
The Flyers aren't a great team, but the squad is getting healthy. Goaltender Carter Hart is expected to be back in the crease for this game. Hart has posted a .911 save percentage and 9.11 Goals Saved Above Expected.
While the Arizona Coyotes have been more competitive than anticipated, they've been on the road often. Arizona has played 24 of 36 games away from home. After some early wins, the team has recorded just one victory over its past 15 road affairs.
DraftKings, Caesars, and PointsBet are all posting the Flyers at -145 on the moneyline. BetMGM is close behind at -149, while FanDuel reacted quickly to word of Hart likely starting, with Philadelphia favored at -162.
Spread: Rangers -1.5 (+120) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Not only have the New York Rangers posted a strong 12-5-2 road record, but they've been producing the underlying numbers to back it up.
The Rangers are allowing a league-low 2.24 goals against per 60 minutes on the road. With 3.48 goals for per 60 minutes on the road, that gives the Rangers 1.24 net goals per 60 minutes, which ranks second.
The Blueshirts visit a Montreal Canadiens team that's gone 12 straight matchups without a regulation win. They just finished a seven-game road trip, getting outscored 30-10 across the last five outings.
Home ice isn’t a solution for Montreal lately, either. The team has suffered a multi-goal loss in five of its past six home games.
A dominant road team against a club that's falling hard looks like a place to find value at plus money on the puck line.
DraftKings and PointsBet are offering Rangers -1.5 at +120, a slight edge over Caesars at +118. FanDuel is posting the Rangers on the puck line at +116, and BetMGM is trailing behind at +110.
Total: Predators-Hurricanes Under 6 (-110) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Nashville Predators are the fifth-lowest scoring team on the road at 2.63 goals per 60 minutes. Now they're up against a Carolina Hurricanes team that can lock up just about any opponent.
The ‘Canes are allowing a league-low 24.6 shots per 60 minutes at home, and their 2.48 goals against per 60 minutes at home ranks fifth.
Eight of Carolina’s past 10 home games have come with a total under 6. Even with left winger Max Pacioretty set to make his season debut for Carolina, a low-scoring game is still the expectation.
FanDuel, Caesars, BetMGM, and PointsBet all have the Under priced at -110. DraftKings is listing it at -115.
Check out our top sports-betting sites for Tennessee.
Prop bet: Bo Horvat Over 0.5 Goals (+190) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Canucks center Bo Horvat has scored 15 goals in 18 home games, recording at least one in nine of those 18 contests.
He faces a Colorado Avalanche team that's been relatively average defensively, ranking 13th in goals against and 16th in expected goals against per 60 minutes on the road.
There's a wide range of prices on this prop. DraftKings, BetMGM, and PointsBet are posting a Horvat anytime goal at +190. FanDuel is only offering it for +160, and Caesars is even less appealing at +150.
That 40-cent difference between the best and worst prices among the top sportsbooks makes it imperative to shop around to find the best odds.
NHL best bets made 1/5/2023 at 11:30 a.m. ET
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