NHL Best Bets and Betting Picks: January 4th
Welcome to the first big time Thursday of the 2024 NHL calendar year! With NFL TNF in the rearview its time to hop on the bandwagon of hockey and what better way than a 13 game slate to dip your toes in the water. In today's article you will find a Money Line wager, game total bet, team total wager and a player prop, PLUS the Dog of the Day returns once again! 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: 59-53-2
- Bankroll: +2.71 units
- Dog of the Day Record: 4-5 (+0.95 Units)
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**all bets are one unit unless specifically mentioned.
NHL Best Bets for January 4th
Colorado Avalanche vs Dallas Stars
Death, taxes and the Stars getting into goal bonanzas at home this season in the Big D. I'm not kidding when I tell you the trend is remarkable with 15 of 19 games going over this season the money is smart on that to repeat again. I am actually a bit surprised the number isn't 7 goals either as both of these teams can score in bunches with the Stars scoring 4.1 goals per game at home and the Avalanche averaging 3.6 goals per game overall. The goalies help the cause too as Scott Wedgewood has been average in relief of Jake Oettinger and Colorado has been a revolving door of goaltenders trying to find the right one. Love this play tonight and who doesn't want to root for goals galore, take the over.
Pick: Avalanche & Stars Over 6 Goals (-120 on DraftKings)
Calgary Flames at Nashville Predators
Going back to the well tonight on fading the Flames as they are a bad team but get good odds for some reason on the books around NHL betting. This team has a -11 goal differential on the season and is 7-13 straight up on the road this season, why are they getting respect with the odds? Nashville on the other hand have been very good on home ice this season allowing just 2.4 goals per game over the past month in front of Smashville. They are also 12-9 straight up in Music City and have the better roster over Calgary as well as their goaltender Juuse Saros who was off a bit to start the season but he's locked in now. I expect this one to be lower scoring and a tight game but I think the Preds pull this one out tonight and take it on the Money Line
Pick: Nashville Predators Money Line (-120 on BetMGM)
Chicago Blackhawks at New York Rangers
This game is just begging to be bet on but the Money Line is past -400 on the Rangers and the total is hard to predict because will Chicago pull their weight? I will opt out of that question because I am not really sure but what I do know is that the Rangers are prime to score some goals tonight as they host a Chicago team that is allowing 5.7 goals per game on the road over the past 30 days! That's San Jose Sharks this past October bad and that has me on the Rangers team total. You can grab it at 4+ or 3.5 on varying books right now but I opt for the 4 or more as the odds are just a bit better around -150. Going to eat some juice but this game is going to be a blowout and I want to cash in on that!
Pick: New York Rangers Team Total 4+ Goals (-150 on PointsBet)
Player Prop- Cam Atkinson, Philadelphia Flyers
This slate is loaded with big prop spots but none bigger for the Flyers taking on the Blue Jackets who are allowing 38 shots per game on the road over the last month plus. Enter Atkinson who has been up and down this season when it comes to shots on goal but he has gone over his 2.5 shots total in 62% of games this season and I am betting he tops it again. Lifetime he also has gone over 2.5 shots in 5 of 6 meetings with the Blue Jackets so he knows them well and its a revenge game!
Pick: Cam Atkinson Over 2.5 Shots On Goal (-120 on DraftKings)
DOG OF THE DAY
Minnesota Wild Money Line vs Tampa Bay Lightning (+115 on Caesars)
Player News
José Buttó (illness) fired a scoreless inning on Tuesday during a minor league rehab appearance in the Rookie-level Florida Complex League.
Buttó landed on the injured list earlier this month with an undisclosed illness. The 27-year-old righty, who has posted a strong 2.47 ERA across 43 2/3 innings (31 appearances) this season, figures to be ready to rejoin New York’s relief corps shortly after the All-Star break.
Bills placed EDGE Landon Jackson on the PUP list.
Jackson will be able to be activated off the PUP list at any time during training camp, but apparently will not be ready as camp starts. If he remains on the PUP list through the 53-man roster deadline, he’ll be locked into missing a few weeks at the beginning of the season.
Falcons OC Zac Robinson said Michael Penix Jr. “opens up a different avenue within the offense.”
This is in the context of stretching the field a little more than the Falcons did in 2024, something they struggled to do at times with Kirk Cousins under center. The Athletic’s Josh Kendall also adds “The coaching staff won’t ask Penix to curtail his aggressiveness. In fact, it’s the trait they are most excited about.” A more balanced offensive approach could raise all ships in Atlanta — and it’s something that might be necessary for them as they try to stave off regression with almost no new players added to the room.
The Athletic’s Daniel Popper believes if Najee Harris misses time in training camp, the possibility of Omarion Hampton becoming the lead back is “even more likely.”
“Hampton has a chance to be an immediate difference-maker in the run game, a player with the explosiveness to score anytime he touches the ball. And he could be getting the bulk of the first-team work early in camp,” Popper continues. This is hardly an endorsement that Hampton is going to be RB1 in Los Angeles from Week 1, but Harris’ eye injury has at least complicated things early in training camp. There’s a non-zero chance that Hampton takes the baton and runs with it before Harris is ready to come back.
Oshae Brissett signed a two-year deal with Maccabi Tel Aviv.
Brissett, who most recently played for the 76ers, will head overseas to join the EuroLeague team that is based in Israel. Brissett ended last season on a 10-day deal with Philadelphia after previous stops with the Celtics, Pacers and Raptors.
HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto reports Hornets waived Josh Okogie.
Okogie was dealt to Charlotte in January after spending time with the seasons. The Hornets made a handful of perimeter acquisitions this offseason, including Kon Knueppel, Liam McNeeley and Collin Sexton, that made Okogie expendable. He’s an impactful defender that should be able to find a spot on a new team.