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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 Wednesday, October 7, Nick Griffith has us covered.
NHL Picks, Predictions Tonight
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- Ben Kindel 1+ Points (+150, bet365)
- Avalanche -1.5 (+130, FanDuel)
- Ducks Moneyline (+112)
- Vasily Podkolzin 1+ Points (-166)
- Oilers-Ducks Over 6.5 (-140)
- Oilers-Ducks SGP (+482, FanDuel)
Penguins vs Capitals
Wednesday is the start of a long goodbye in D.C. Alex Ovechkin announced earlier this week that 2026-27 will be his final NHL season, and tonight is his first game at home since.
It's fitting that Pittsburgh is the opponent.
Sidney Crosby vs. Ovechkin has been one of the defining matchups of this era, and with three more Caps-Pens meetings on the schedule, every one of these games is going to draw attention.
My angle here is Ben Kindel, though. He missed the opener with a lower-body injury, but he's been excellent since returning, with two goals and an assist in two games. Monday's loss to Winnipeg was sloppy for Pittsburgh, but Kindel was one of the few bright spots, scoring a goal and setting up Declan Carlile's game-tying goal in the third.
His situation could improve tonight, too. Bryan Rust practiced fully on Tuesday and may make his season debut. At practice, he skated on the third line with Kindel and Ville Koivunen. Rust is coming off a career-high 65 points, so having him back alongside Kindel would be a nice boost.
Either way, Kindel has been on the top power-play unit, and he could get some more chances there tonight. It's a small sample, but Washington ranks second in the league in penalty minutes per 60 so far this season.
With all of that working in his favor, I like Kindel to find the scoresheet again.
Pick: Ben Kindel 1+ Points (+150, bet365)
Avalanche vs Jets
This one is pretty simple. Colorado has looked great to start the season. The Avalanche have scored 14 goals in two games, controlled 58.8% of the expected goals, and both wins looked every bit as dominant as the scores suggest.
Credit Winnipeg, though. The Jets have picked up points in all three games without Connor Hellebuyck, who remains suspended while he waits on a trade. Stuart Skinner has been decent and appears to be the likely starter tonight. Still, the Jets haven't controlled much of the play, posting a 43.64% expected-goal share at 5-on-5 across those three games.
Getting outplayed at even strength is a tough way to beat a team that's scoring like Colorado has early on. Add in that this will be the Jets' third game in four days while the Avs have been resting since Saturday, and I think Winnipeg's season-opening point streak comes to an end tonight, convincingly.
Pick: Avalanche -1.5 (+130, FanDuel)
Oilers vs Ducks
Edmonton gets a shot at some revenge tonight in its first game against Anaheim since the Ducks eliminated the Oilers in six games last April.
The Oilers are banged up, though, with Zach Hyman and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins both expected to miss roughly another week or two.
Devon Levi will get the start again tonight, and I'm not sure I trust him yet. He's 2-0-0, but with an ugly .810 save percentage, 4.02 GAA and -3.4 goals saved above expected. He gave up seven in his Edmonton debut before settling down against Seattle, but Tristan Jarry didn't do much to challenge him after looking awful in the season opener.
The Ducks, meanwhile, are 2-0-0 and getting contributions in two important areas. Lukas Dostal has been steady, while the power play carried the offense against Florida, scoring all three goals, including two from Cutter Gauthier. With Edmonton short-handed and unsettled in net, I'll take the Ducks at home.
On the Edmonton side, Vasily Podkolzin has been one of the early-season stories, piling up five points, including three goals, through the first three games. He's making the most of a prominent role alongside Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl at 5-on-5 and on the power play, generating nearly 14 shots per 60 minutes.
He was also productive against Anaheim in last season's playoffs, recording six points and finding the scoresheet in five of the six games. I don't mind paying the -166 price for him to add another point tonight.
Let's make it a trio of picks in tonight's final game. Edmonton has allowed 14 goals so far, and Levi has yet to prove he's reliable. The Ducks haven't created many chances, but I expect them to get going tonight against a leaky Oilers defense.
On the other side, Edmonton is without Hyman and Nugent-Hopkins, but McDavid and Draisaitl are in the lineup, and that's enough for me. I like the over as well.
I'm betting all three of these separately, but since they tie together nicely, I'll also sprinkle a little on a same-game parlay.
Pick: Ducks Moneyline (+112) | Vasily Podkolzin 1+ Points (-166) | Over 6.5 (-140)
- Parlay (+482, FanDuel)
