If you want more Action Network content, be sure to add us as a preferred source on Google.
This is Daily Dangles, a column featuring our top expert’s NHL picks, predictions, and best bets.
Every day, one of our experts will provide you with some of the sharpest, high-value betting analysis on what the NHL schedule offers us.
For Monday, October 26, Nick Griffith has us covered.
NHL Picks, Predictions Tonight
Follow me in the Action Network App for additional bet notifications.
- Rangers Moneyline (-126, FanDuel)
- Oliver Bjorkstrand Anytime Goal (+430, FanDuel)
- Tye Kartye Anytime Goal (+470, FanDuel)
- Flames Moneyline (+126, FanDuel)
- Oilers -1.5 (+124, FanDuel)
- Connor McDavid 1+ Power Play Point (-140, FanDuel)
Kings vs Rangers Pick
The Rangers have been a different team at Madison Square Garden. New York is 6-0-0 at home with a +19 goal differential, compared to 1-5-1 on the road.
That makes tonight a welcome return after back-to-back road losses. The Rangers gave up five goals in Toronto on Thursday and seven in Ottawa on Saturday, though two of those were empty-netters.
Dylan Garand was in goal for both losses, but he was hung out to dry plenty and has still exceeded expectations filling in for Igor Shesterkin. You have to wonder if this workload is too much to ask of a rookie, though.
New York signed James Reimer on Sunday after he posted a shutout for AHL Hartford on Friday. The Rangers don’t seem to trust Spencer Martin as their backup, so Reimer could be called up soon. After tonight, New York is off until Sunday, so you could make a case for either option to take the net tonight.
On the other side, the Kings managed 13 shots on goal in Saturday’s 3-1 loss to the Devils and only nine at 5-on-5. Los Angeles has scored one goal in five of nine games, and outside the Artemi Panarin, Alex Laferriere and Adrian Kempe line, the Kings haven’t gotten much going. It’s worth noting the Kings have played a gauntlet of a schedule, with the highest opponent win percentage of any team this season at 59.2%.
As for the picks, Alexis Lafrenière’s breakout continues for the Rangers with nine goals in 13 games, but I think the more interesting prop angle is Oliver Bjorkstrand and Tye Kartye.
Mike Sullivan has been shuffling the lines and found something in Kartye, J.T. Miller and Bjorkstrand, who posted a 94.93% expected-goal share in 4:49 of 5-on-5 time together in Ottawa. There’s no guarantee those three start together, but if not, you have to think it’s a line Sullivan will go back to for a spark at some point tonight.
Bjorkstrand has three goals in the last three games, and Kartye has a knack for getting involved, with a point in five of New York’s seven wins this season. At +430 and +470, I think both are worth a sprinkle. Bjorkstrand is more of a goal-scoring threat, so I don’t mind Kartye to record a point as a safer route.
On top of that, I still think it’ll be a long season ahead, but I’ll back New York to stay undefeated at home.
Pick: Rangers Moneyline (-126, FanDuel) | Oliver Bjorkstrand Anytime Goal (+430, FanDuel) | Tye Kartye Anytime Goal (+470, FanDuel)
Maple Leafs vs Flames Pick
I’ll mix in an underdog here. The Flames have won three straight at home, including a solid win over Minnesota after catching Carolina on the second night of a back-to-back. Devin Cooley has been the biggest reason why, starting all three games and stopping 100 of 104 shots.
Toronto is rolling too, with four straight wins capped by an impressive win in Edmonton on Saturday, so the Flames’ streak will be put to the test. The Leafs have also won nine of the last 10 meetings against Calgary and every one since February 2022.
Despite more than 80% of the bets coming in on Toronto, Calgary has moved from around +135 at most books to +126 at FanDuel, so there might be some smart money coming in early on the Flames.
At +126 with Cooley rolling at home, I like taking a shot on the Flames to keep the streak going.
Pick: Flames Moneyline (+126, FanDuel)
Red Wings vs Oilers Pick
Edmonton’s bottom-nine concerns, brought on by stacking the top line, finally caught up with the Oilers on Saturday. Toronto’s depth won that matchup in a 7-2 rout, with Zack MacEwen and Vinni Lettieri both scoring from the bottom six. Leon Draisaitl tallied both Edmonton goals, neither at 5-on-5.
That’s been the pattern this season. If Connor McDavid and Draisaitl don’t get going, the offense sputters. But I don’t think it’s a reason to fade the Oilers.
I sound like a broken record, but goaltending is the bigger worry. The Oilers have allowed 8.5 more goals than expected, second-most in the NHL. Tristan Jarry gave up five on 30 shots Saturday and has a lowly .853 save percentage.
Devon Levi was placed on injured reserve, so the net likely goes back to Jarry, with Matt Tomkins recalled from Bakersfield on Friday as the other option. Edmonton has shown improvement defensively over the last few weeks, so whether it’s the bottom-nine forwards or the goalies, I won’t fall into the camp of overreacting to a bad night against Toronto, as many seem to be.
And from a pure fan standpoint, I hope McDavid and Draisaitl stay on the top line together. Edmonton has lost just two games in regulation with this lineup, so I’ll need to see more issues to be convinced otherwise.
As for Detroit, the Red Wings’ penalty kill is a problem, ranked 30th at 65.8%. Detroit has allowed six power-play goals on 15 chances over the last four games, including two on two chances in Saturday’s 4-1 loss in Calgary.
That’s not a good recipe against the Oilers. I’ll back an Edmonton bounce-back at home on the puck line, and I like McDavid to record a power-play point given the matchup.
Pick: Oilers -1.5 (+124, FanDuel) | Connor McDavid 1+ Power Play Point (-140, FanDuel)
