Alright, so we are two days into the NHL season and things are a bit bumpy as we wait for relevant data to work off of for this brand new campaign. This is to be expected as odds from the books are a bit all over the place and after the offseason, every single team will take on a slightly new identity that can take a few weeks to figure out. Time's arrow marches only forward though and I am back in the lab for today's 7-game NHL slate, the biggest one we have had so far! In today's article, you will find a team total prop, a 60-minute Money Line and a Money Line on a home underdog, all of which I have already wagered on myself and feel great about. Good luck to everyone out there and remember it's still early, don't get too low!

  • Season Record: 1-3-0
  • Bankroll: -2.3 units

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**all bets are one unit unless specifically mentioned.

NHL Best Bets for October 12

Detroit Red Wings at New Jersey Devils

It's opening night for the Devils and Red Wings tonight as they start the 2023 season and expectations are very different on each side of the benches. For the Devils this team is loaded and anything short of a deep playoff run will be a disappointment to the fan base and the players in the locker room. I personally haven't seen a New Jersey team this good in my hockey watching lifetime as I'm in my late 20s and I barely remember the goat years of Martin Brodeur. Tonight they kick off the season against Detroit and this should be a game in which they can post numbers against goaltender Ville Husso who had a 3.11 GAA and .896 SV% last season. In 2022-2023 the Devils were the 4th highest-scoring team in the NHL at 3.52 goals per game and I expect that number to continue or even rise from last year. Their team total is between 3.5 and 4 across many different books tonight so shop around but with Jack Hughes and company I will take whatever I can find tonight so they to start the season with a bang. 

Pick: New Jersey Devils Team Total Over 3.5 Goals (-146 on FanDuel)

 

St. Louis Blues at Dallas Stars

Much like the first pick selection in today's best bets the Blues and Stars are heading in different directions this season as the Blues very well could be a bottom 5 team in league and the Stars have Stanley Cup dreams after falling just short last season. I love the way the Stars have built this team, it's a perfect blend of old and new talent anchored by one of the best goaltenders in the league Jake Oettinger. They are going to be a tough out all season and especially at home where they went 22-10-9 and will be heavy favorites tonight as well. With that chalky number out there we can't wager on the Money Line of course but with hockey, you have the option to split the Money Line and Puck Line with a wager called the 60-minute line and it's one of my favorite bets to make. It simply means that the team just has to win the game in regulation and at -140 over on DraftKings that is a value for the Stars tonight. 

Pick: Dallas Stars 60-Min Money Line (-140 on DraftKings)

 

New York Rangers at Buffalo Sabres

The final selection for today's card for me is going to be an upset prediction and it has me taking the Sabres to beat the Rangers tonight in Buffalo's home opener. The Sabres remind me a lot of the Devils from last year and they are a team to watch with all the young talent they have brought together between Tage Thompson and Rasmus Dahlin. Don't get me wrong the Rangers are a fantastic team and will make the playoffs but this is the start of a new coaching regime and these things can take time to iron out, especially with a locker room of big personalities like the Rangers. The model has the Sabres at a win probability of 49.3% tonight which makes them rightly underdogs but the price of +118 over at Caesars gives a value that the sportsbooks odds do not reflect. I expect a tightly contested game but give me the Sabres to kick off the season with a win. 

Pick: Buffalo Sabres Money Line (+110 on BetMGM)