We have a light NHL schedule on Monday night, so it seems like the perfect opportunity to capitalize on some NHL Best Bets.
For tonight, we’re zeroing in on the New York Islanders vs Philadelphia Flyers, Boston Bruins vs New York Rangers and Anaheim Ducks vs Edmonton Oilers.
Let’s get into my NHL best bets, prediction, pick and odds for Monday, January 26.
NHL Best Bets for Monday, January 26
| Game | Time (ET) | Pick |
|---|---|---|
  | 7:00 p.m. | |
  | 7:00 p.m. | |
  | 8:30 p.m. | |
Specific betting recommendations come from the sportsbook offering preferred odds as of writing. Always shop for the best price using our NHL Odds page, which automatically surfaces the best lines for every game. | ||
Islanders vs. Flyers
It was an ugly Saturday afternoon for the Islanders, after the Sabres trounced them in front of their home fans by the score of 5-0.
Head coach Patrick Roy was clearly upset with how his team performed, and star forward Mathew Barzal was benched for the entirety of the third period.
That was the only home game that New York has played since January 6, and heading back on the road, albeit a short trip to Philadelphia, isn’t ideal.
For the Flyers, even though they came off a major win in Denver against the Avalanche – a feat that not many teams can say they did – January hasn’t been kind to them either.
Philadelphia has gone 4-5-2 this month with four consecutive home losses.
So neither team is exactly thriving at this point in time.
However, I’ve been much more encouraged with how the Flyers have been playing than the Isles.
Trevor Zegras has turned into the player that many believed he could be, averaging just under a point per game and Travis Konecny has a four-game point streak as well. Not just that, the Flyers have been playing to a 50.16 xGF% and a 2.91 xGA/60.
New York, on the other hand, has been forced to rely on goaltending far too often this season. While Ilya Sorokin has been playing like the best goaltender in the league right now, I have seen a bit of a drop-off so far.
In this 10-game stretch, he’s allowed far more high-danger goals than we’re used to and his goals saved above expected number has dropped.
While the Russian has proven he can bounce back at any given moment, I think this is a part of the season where the Islanders start to feel the heat from those chasing them.
Pick: Flyers ML (-115)
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Bruins vs. Rangers
I have been really encouraged with what the Bruins have been doing as of late, and luckily, they come into Manhattan to face the Rangers, who have played horrendous since the Winter Classic.
Both of these teams squared off a couple of weeks ago, and you may remember that the Bruins throttled the Rangers by the score of 10-2 in Boston.
And New York has gone 1-8 since the Winter Classic, playing to a brutal 47.51 xGF% and a 3.01 xGA/60.
The losses of Adam Fox and Igor Shesterkin have greatly affected this team, and historically, the Blue Shirts have been a terrible team without Fox. And without Shesterkin, they’re banking on 40-year-old Jonathan Quick to pick up the slack and career third-stringer Spencer Martin.
Quick will likely take the crease tonight, but that spells danger for the Rangers.
In the past 10 games, Quick has played like the worst goaltender in the NHL, with a -10.2 GSAx and an .826 SV%.
That’s horrendous.
Boston has been dominant all month, and while 5-on-5 numbers suggest that regression is on the way, the Rangers are brutal.
Last time these teams squared off, I took the Bruins puck line and that cleared easily. Feel free to take that if you want, but since that’s at +205, it may be a little too rich for my blood.
I’ll go the safe route here, and take Boston’s moneyline.
Pick: Bruins ML (-115)
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Ducks vs. Oilers
Two of my favorite teams to watch this season square off in Northern Alberta.
The Ducks are making a return to prominence after suffering a rough stretch earlier this month.
Since January 13, the Ducks have won seven straight games, including a 4-3 overtime victory against the Flames in which rookie Beckett Sennecke notched a hat trick.
But the Oilers are one of the most volatile teams to bet on these days. No matter the elite talent that Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and Evan Bouchard possess, the uncertainty lying in net, as well as defensive struggles, are what’s really setting the Oil over the edge.
Since January 8, Edmonton has been playing to a 2.91 xGA/60 while both Connor Ingram and Tristan Jarry have been unreliable options in net.
Jarry has some higher upside, but he’s currently holding a -2.1 GSAx in his past 10 starts and I worry about him facing Anaheim’s high-powered offense.
On the other side, expect Ville Husso to start since Lukas Dostal started last night. Husso has been fine for the most part as a backup, but he hasn’t been anything to write home about.
The Ducks have been strong at 5-on-5 defense in the past two weeks, but I’m very bearish on Husso facing a team riddled with stars.
Edmonton’s ability to move the puck is on another level, and I can truly see it lighting up the board. But given its uncertainty in net, I wonder if the Ducks can run up the board as well.
For that, I’m very comfortable backing the over here.
Pick: Over 6.5 (-142)
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