NHL Best Bets and Betting Picks: January 19th
As we roll into Friday in the NHL let me just mention what a stretch this month of January has been as the article is up around 6 units and riding the green streak! It has been super satisfying to watch the months of data and hard work start to pay off and if you have stuck around this whole season thank you so much, better days are here! Tonight we have 4 games on the NHL slate which means fewer ways to attack the board but don't worry I still have some bets for you all! If you like the rationale then tail the picks, if you don't feel free to fade as sometimes the best bets are the ones not taken!
- Season Record: 78-64-3
- Bankroll: +7.35 units
- Dog of the Day Record: 7-8 (+1.9 Units)
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**all bets are one unit unless specifically mentioned.
NHL Best Bets for January 19th
Minnesota Wild at Florida Panthers
Well we attacked the Wild last night, what do you think is stopping me from just doing it again? I liked the Wild the past few years but this team is falling apart and you have to take advantage of teams like that. The Wild are playing again less than 24 hours after they got smacked around by the Lightning last night 7-3. It bumped up the Wild goals averages against to 4.8 goals on the road over the past 30 days, that's a complete meltdown. On the Florida side they aren't quite the team I pegged them to be but they are winning games, 7 of the last 10 to be exact but they are looking to snap their 3 game losing streak tonight. The Panthers are 13-6-2 on home ice this season which is a leg up but I also like that Sergei Bobrovsky will be in the net with his 2.46 GAA and 21-12 record. Poor Minnesota I feel bad doing this twice in two days but if the shoes fits, you have to make a wager.
Pick: Florida Panthers 60 Minute Money Line (-130 on BetMGM)
Detroit Red Wings at Carolina Hurricanes
The Carolina Hurricanes have been a weird team this season and I don't mean weird in a bad way but just the way they've played hockey is unusual to their brand of hockey. I say this because they are allowing 3.3 goals per game on home ice over the past 30 days which is an inflated number for them but also that they are scoring 3.9 goals during that same time period. They play like the Oilers of last season, strange stuff but great for betting a game total. The Canes have hit the over at home in 11 of 19 games this season and will look to pile it on a Detroit team that has allowed 3.27 goals per game on the road this season. The Red Wings are now stranger to offense either as they have scored 3.41 goals per game on the road overall, the 4th highest mark in the NHL. Alex Lyon scares me a bit in net for the Red Wings but I think that Carolina blows by him and the over is hit tonight in Raleigh.
Pick: Red Wings & Hurricanes Over 6.5 Goals (-105 on Caesars)
Player News
Diamondbacks’ manager Torey Lovullo told reporters on Friday that A.J. Puk underwent successful Tommy John surgery on Thursday.
The last we had heard was that Puk was visiting Dr. Neal ElAttrache on Thursday, not that he was going there to have the procedure done, but it seemed like an inevitability. He’ll miss the remainder of the 2025 season and the bulk of the 2026 campaign while recovering.
ESPN’s Jordan Raanan said Darius Slayton has formed a “really quality connection” with Russell Wilson.
Raanan notes that Malik Nabers has been sidelined, but Slayton’s “really solid” spring showing, coupled with Jalin Hyatt’s minor leg injury, bodes positively for Slayton’s grip on the No. 2 perimeter role. If Hyatt can get healthy and improve his play, he could challenge Slayton in-season, but for now, it appears as though the Giants’ steady 28-year-old field-stretcher will continue doing his thing. He can be treated as a volatile, likely matchup-based flex option.
Matthew Boyd was removed from Friday’s start against the Mariners after only five innings due to a bruised left shoulder.
Boyd suffered the injury as he fell to the ground while making a terrific catch on a line drive that was smoked by J.P. Crawford right back at him. The Cubs are calling the injury very minor and don’t believe that it will impact Boyd’s ability to make his next scheduled start.
Pirates re-signed C Brett Sullivan to a minor league contract.
The 31-year-old elected free agency on Friday after he was sent outright to Triple-A Indianapolis, but it sounds like the two sides were eventually able to reach an agreement. The 31-year-old backstop will continue to function as extra catching depth for the Bucs.
Kristian Campbell told reporters on Friday that learning to play first base will be a priority for him while at Triple-A Worcester.
While he’ll also see action at second base and in center field, it sounds like the Red Sox want him to become an actual option at first base before he rejoins the big league roster. He also has to get his offensive game back on track as the 22-year-old was slashing an atrocious .159/.243/.222 since the calendar flipped to May.
Cal Raleigh went 3-for-4 with two homers, a walk, a steal and four runs scored in leading the Mariners past the Cubs 9-4 on Friday.
Just filling up the box score. In Raleigh’s fine first full season in the bigs, he finished with 27 homers, 46 runs scored and 63 RBI in 119 games. After today, he has 29 homers, 51 runs scored and 63 RBI in 73 games this season. Oh, and he’s 9-for-11 stealing bases.