With the large amount of games on tonight’s NHL schedule, it might be hard to know where to start. We at the Last Word on Hockey have helped narrow your focus to our best bets. This round of NHL Predictions will help condense the slate into three best bets and one prop bet of the night.
NHL Predictions
Anaheim Ducks vs Toronto Maple Leafs
Head-to-Head: Ducks 0-1 Maple Leafs
TV: CBC; Sportsnet; Bally Sports San Diego; Bally Sports Southern California; ESPN+
Our opening game of NHL predictions has the Anaheim Ducks taking on the Toronto Maple Leafs. Anaheim will go with Lukas Dostal as the confirmed starter. The Ducks have won three of the last five games and are coming off a 5-1 win over the Ottawa Senators. Possible trade target Frank Vatrano leads the team in goals with 23.
Toronto will go with Martin Jones in between the pipes. The Maple Leafs have won the two games that Morgan Rielly has missed to his suspension. Toronto also has wins in three of its last five games. Auston Matthews got a natural hat trick last time out and has 45 goals this season. The Leafs will be without John Tavares per David Alter of the Hockey News.
Both teams are battling injuries, but the Leafs should keep on going. The loss of Tavares is concerning, but the Leafs have been playing surprisingly well without one of their top defenders.
Prediction: Maple Leafs win 4-2.
Winnipeg Jets vs Vancouver Canucks
Head-to-Head: Jets 0-0 Canucks
TV: CBC; Sportsnet; ESPN+
Our featured game of NHL predictions has the Winnipeg Jets visiting the Vancouver Canucks. Connor Hellebuyck is the expected starter for the Canucks, but always check social media before locking in a fantasy starter. Both teams are in the top five of goals allowed with Winnipeg first and Vancouver first. Kyle Connor has 19 goals to lead in that category.
Thatcher Demko is the expected starter for the Canucks, who have won three in a row. Vancouver will have to make due without Dakota Joshua, who is out with a hand injury. Brock Boeser leads the team in goals with 30 while Quinn Hughes has 54 assists.
This should be a low-scoring one, but the Canucks come out with the win. Vancouver might have to juggle some lines around, but there are some concerns about the Winnipeg goal-scoring.
Columbus Blue Jackets vs San Jose Sharks
Head-to-Head: Blue Jackets 0-0 Sharks
TV: NBC Sports California; Bally Sports Ohio; ESPN+
Our final game of NHL predictions has the Columbus Blue Jackets facing the San Jose Sharks. Columbus is undergoing some changes with general manager Jarmo Kekalainen being fired on Friday. The Blue Jackets have four of their last five games. Elvis Merzlikins is the expected starter for the Blue Jackets.
Kaapo Kahkonen is the confirmed starter for the Sharks, who are coming off a 6-3 win over the Calgary Flames. The Sharks lineup is going to be without some major pieces as both leading-scorer Tomas Hertl and Logan Couture are out. Mikael Granlund has 24 assists to lead the team in that category.
This is a tough game to call. However, the Blue Jackets should get the win with the Sharks dealing with all of the injuries to some of their top stars.
Prop Bet of the Night
Let’s go back to the Jets and Canucks game for our prop bet of the evening. The 5.5 number seems like a scary number, but both teams are two of the better defensive clubs in the NHL. Both teams are likely to start to of the better goalies in the Western Conference.
Main photo by: Bob Frid – USA TODAY Sports
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