Hockey is one of the greatest sports ever invented – and highly profitable, if we cash in our NHL picks today. There are only three games for us to work with on Friday’s schedule, but the NHL predictions at OddsTrader show promising edges for all three; let’s see which ones hold up well enough under scrutiny to qualify as our NHL best bets today.
Expert NHL Picks for Today
Here are my top NHL picks today:
| Matchup | Pick | Odds | Confidence Level | Sportsbook |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capitals vs. Blackhawks | Blackhawks +1.5 | -202 | 5/5 | |
| Blues vs. Mammoth | Mammoth ML | -160 | 3/5 |
Best NHL Bets for Today
Chicago Blackhawks +1.5 (-202)
Right off the puck drop, the computers at OddsTrader think very highly of the Blackhawks (18-18-7), who are scuffling along in the very tough Central Division. They’ve got the best record in the league against the puck line at 30-13; not coincidentally, Chicago has the Under at 24-19, keeping enough of a lid on things to play 15 games that were ultimately decided by one goal.
There is one big problem with that 5-star confidence review: The Hawks are projected to beat Washington (22-16-6) by a final score of 4-2, which clearly overstates the difference in quality between these two teams. But in doing so, it draws our attention to how unimpressive the Capitals are playing. According to the advanced stats at Hockey Reference, Washington’s goal differential of plus-27 is 17 above expectation, based on possession quality for and against. That’s the fourth-largest margin in the league.
Chicago has the seventh-largest margin at 10 goals, so they may be somewhat fortunate to be playing .500 hockey, but the Caps are more likely to regress to the mean. Looking at our other games, both Winnipeg (plus-3) and L.A. (minus-1) have performed largely as advertised; then you get two plausibly undervalued teams in the Blues (minus-11) and Mammoth (minus-18), the latter being one goal away from tying New Jersey and Vegas for the league’s largest difference at the minus end.
Utah Mammoth Moneyline (-160)
That St. Louis-Utah matchup is also the only one of the three where the computers prefer the moneyline over the puck line. The reports we’re looking at show early sharp action on the Mammoth (21-20-3), now in their second year of operation, so perhaps we should stick with Utah when we make our hockey picks.
It’s easy to see where the betting value comes from. This is arguably the most regional fan base in the NHL, and very likely the smallest after previous stops in Winnipeg and Phoenix. They played their first season in Salt Lake City as “Utah Hockey Club” while failing to secure trademark rights to their preferred team name, the Utah Yeti. Their top star is Clayton Keller, team captain and leading scorer (38 points in 44 games), but hardly a household name like Connor McDavid or Nathan McKinnon. Buy low while you still can – although these bargain prices on the Mammoth might stick around for a while.\
Place Your NHL Picks Now!
Did we mention Utah is third in the league in Corsi For (5v5) at 54.3%? When you’ve got the advanced stats, the sharp early betting reports, and the OddsTrader projections all in agreement, you’ve got a clear choice for your NHL betting picks today – provided the Mammoth are still available at -160 or longer by the time you read this. Keep a close eye on the revamped NHL odds board for the latest lines, and bet accordingly.
Tips for Making NHL Picks Today
The NHL betting tips today require research, and if you are inclined to do the legwork, then use these tips as a basis for making your wagers.
- Check starting goalie confirmations before placing bets.
- Monitor line combinations for scoring upside.
- Watch recent form and momentum trends.
- Review power-play and penalty-kill stats.
- Compare odds across multiple sportsbooks for maximum value.
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*The line and/or odds referenced in this article might have changed since the content was published. For the latest information on line movements, visit OddsTrader’s free betting odds tool.
