NHL Best Bets, Odds Today: Matchups, Picks, Predictions for Thursday

Thursday brings a 10-game schedule to the National Hockey League, including Jack Eichel’s return to Buffalo. Read on as we offer up our best bets and top NHL picks.

There are a couple of notable returns on Thursday’s NHL schedule.

Eichel, the former Buffalo Sabres center, has been outstanding early in the season for the Vegas Golden Knights. He has produced 15 points through 14 games, helping the Golden Knights to a league-best 12-2 record. Amid a dispute over neck surgery, Eichel was traded to Vegas last season, for Alex Tuch, Peyton Krebs, and draft picks.

Even without Eichel, Buffalo has shown significant improvement this season, earning a 7-6 record. The Sabres' home crowd should be fired up for the return of the team's former second-overall pick.

Philadelphia Flyers head coach John Tortorella will be making his return to Columbus. It will be Tortorella’s first game in Columbus against the Blue Jackets after coaching there from 2015-16 through 2020-21.

Here are our best bets for Thursday’s NHL slate (odds via DraftKings Sportsbook, FanDuel Sportsbook, Caesars, BetMGM, and PointsBet; pick confidence based on a 1-to-5-star scale).

Thursday’s NHL Schedule and Odds

(odds via DraftKings)

• Calgary Flames (+165) vs. Boston Bruins (-195)
• Ottawa Senators (+155) vs. New Jersey Devils (-180)
• Vegas Golden Knights (-165) vs. Buffalo Sabres (+140)
• Edmonton Oilers (+120) vs. Carolina Hurricanes (-140)
• Philadelphia Flyers (-105) vs. Columbus Blue Jackets (-115)
• New York Rangers (-155) vs. Detroit Red Wings (+135)
• Arizona Coyotes (+235) vs. New York Islanders (-280)
• San Jose Sharks (+135) vs. St. Louis Blues (-155)
• Nashville Predators (+155) vs. Colorado Avalanche (-180)
• Chicago Blackhawks (+225) vs. Los Angeles Kings (-265)

Thursday’s NHL Best Bets

• Moneyline: Devils (-180 via DraftKings)
• Spread: Kings -1.5 (-105 via PointsBet)
• Total: Senators-Devils Over 6.5 (-110 via DraftKings)
• Upset: Sharks (+135 via DraftKings)
• Prop bet: Anders Lee Over 0.5 goals (+165 via Caesars) 

Check out our top NHL shot-prop picks for Thursday!

Thursday’s NHL Top Picks

Moneyline: Devils (-180) ★★★★

Although the Ottawa Senators are likely better than their current six-game losing streak would indicate, they have indeed lost six in a row. The Sens are controlling 53.2% of five-on-five score-and-venue-adjusted expected goals, which ranks ninth in the league.

Unfortunately for the Senators, they are facing a New Jersey Devils team that ranks first with 63.2% of expected goals and has won seven games in a row.

The Devils managed just 63 points last season, but they've established early this season that they can play at an elite level. That should be more than the slumping Sens can handle.  

Spread: Kings -1.5 (-105) ★★★★

Some early wins bumped the Chicago Blackhawks higher in the standings than might have been expected but they have one win in the past six games. The underlying numbers for Chicago are as poor as might have been expected, managing just 40.6% of five-on-five score-and-venue-adjusted expected goals. However, they have only three multi-goal losses in a dozen games.

While the Los Angeles Kings have strong underlying numbers, controlling 54.4% of score-and-venue-adjusted expected goals during five-on-five play, they have managed just three multi-goal victories in 15 games.

Nevertheless, this is the type of matchup in which the Kings should be able to build a lead and hold it against an inferior Blackhawks team.

Total: Senators-Devils Over 6.5 (-110) ★★★

The Senators have allowed 3.67 goals against per 60 minutes, the sixth-highest rate in the league. That is not the kind of shutdown defensive record that could limit New Jersey’s attack.

Churning out wins night after night has happened, in part, because the Devils’ territorial dominance has turned into more goals. New Jersey reached a total of seven or more goals in six of its past eight games.

Neither team has standout goaltending, so the Over is the play in this game.

Upset: Sharks (+135) ★★★★

Taking the San Jose Sharks on the road is a bold approach considering that they rank 29th in points percentage (.321) with nine points through 14 games.

The Sharks do not have a regulation win in the past six games, but that stretch includes an overtime win and three shootout losses. Even though the results have been subpar, the Sharks are controlling 49.5% of five-on-five score-and-venue-adjusted expected goals.

As bad as it looks for the Sharks, it is worse for the St. Louis Blues. The Blues have lost eight games in a row, with every loss by multiple goals. There may be some desperation from St. Louis, as this is a home game against a beatable opponent. St. Louis is pulling 47.5% of five-on-five score-and-venue-adjusted expected goals. Even if they are not quite as bad as their current losing streak suggests, the Blues are still in a bad place.

Considering the Blues’ struggles, there is much more value going against them, even if it means taking the Sharks.

Prop bet: Lee Over 0.5 goals (+165) ★★★★★

New York Islanders captain Anders Lee is a dominant net-front presence. He scored a goal in four of the past five games, giving him eight tallies in 14 games this season. Lee averages 2.86 shots on goal per game, not far from his career-high rate of 2.96 per game, set in the 2020-2021 season.

Lee and the Islanders are taking on an Arizona Coyotes team that has allowed 3.83 goals against per 60 minutes, and 4.00 goals against per 60 minutes on the road. Both rank as the fifth highest rate in the league.

A hot scoring winger taking on a team that is earning its place near the bottom of the standings is a favorable anytime goal-scorer matchup.

Where to Bet on NHL Picks

Here are our top-rated sportsbooks:

• DraftKings Sportsbook
• FanDuel Sportsbook
• Caesars Sportsbook
• BetMGM
• PointsBet

NHL odds and best bets from 11/10/2022 at 11:45 a.m. ET.