Betsided

Top Shelf Picks: Best NHL Bets Today (Devils are Rolling)

Breaking down the best NHL bets to place for hockey action set for Sunday night.

By Iain MacMillan

Dec 16, 2023; Columbus, Ohio, USA; New Jersey Devils center Nico Hischier (13) celebrates his goal
Dec 16, 2023; Columbus, Ohio, USA; New Jersey Devils center Nico Hischier (13) celebrates his goal / Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports
facebooktwitterreddit

I'm going to be honest, in terms of interesting matchups, Sunday's NHL slate doesn't have much. Four of the five games set to take place features one side that's favored by at least -200 odds.

With that many big favorites, it can be tough to figure out how to bet on these games. That's what I'm here to help you out with. I have three wagers placed for tonight's slate.

I placed my bets for tonight over at FanDuel Sportsbook, so if you want to tail these plays, be sure to use the link below to sign up for an account. If you do, you'll receive $150 in bonus bets if you win your first $5 wager!

Bet on the NHL at FanDuel now!

Best NHL Picks Today

  • Devils -1.5 (-110) vs. Ducks
  • Senators vs. Golden Knights UNDER 6.5 (-110)
  • Sharks +1.5 (-102) vs. Avalanche

Devils vs. Ducks prediction

Not only are the Devils the far better team, but these two teams are also trending in opposite directions recently as the Ducks have become a dumpster fire of a team. The Ducks have an average goal differential of -1.99 per 60 minutes over their last 10 games.

Meanwhile, the Devils have been much better than their record this season but struggled to find the back of the net. That issue seems to have been fixed as they have a shooting percentage of 12.42% over their last 10 games and are 8-2 in that stretch as a result. If you haven't already, it's time to buy stock in New Jersey.

I have no issue betting on the Devils puck line tonight.

Senators vs. Golden Knights prediction

The Golden Knights have been playing some fantastic defense hockey lately, ranking second in the NHL in expected goals against over their last 10 games at 2.42. The Senators have been solid in that area as well, ranking sixth in expected goals against at 2.61.

So, let's keep it simple in this game. We have two teams who have been playing great defensive hockey over the past few weeks, so let's go ahead and bet the UNDER and bank on that trend continuing.

Sharks vs. Avalanche prediction

The Colorado Avalanche have been playing some bad hockey lately, and it's reflected in their record, going 4-4-2 in their last 10 games. Over that span, they have an expected goals per 60 minutes of just 2.92, which is just barely above the Sharks who come in at 2.82.

Sure, there's no arguing that the Avalanche are the better team, but over the past few weeks their metrics are much more similar than you'd expect. So, if we're going off those, let's take a shot on the Sharks +1.5 puck line. As long as they keep it a one score game, we're cashing this ticket.

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

You can check out all of Iain's bets here!

Home/NHL Predictions & Picks