Thursdays are normally bigger NHL slates and that's exactly what we have tonight with nine games across the league. 

Surprisingly, there are a few teams on the second night of a back-to-back, which is a bit interesting to see on just the third day of the season. It should give us a few backup goalies in action, so let's jump into today's NHL Best Bets!

 

 

 

NHL Picks, Predictions & Best Bets Today, 10/10 

After a solid 2-0 start with the nets for Tuesday's NHL best bets article, we look to keep things rolling tonight, as a new set of teams are starting their 2024 seasons. 

As the season continues to get going, we'll key in on different patterns for teams and establish a good sense of who/what we should be targeting on a night-to-night basis for our NHL Best Bets.

 

 

 

Kings vs. Sabres Prediction: Thursday, October 10th 

After a tough 0-2 start to the season against the New Jersey Devils in Prague, Czechia, the Buffalo Sabres have their home opener tonight against the Los Angeles Kings. Hopefully, those first few games have them in the flow of things on offense, which gives them a leg up against the Kings. 

I don't want to look for a goal scorer here, as I think the Sabres should try to keep things as simple as possible and look to generate some offensive chances, after scoring only two goals in two games against the Devils. 

This brings me to Rasmus Dahlin, the newly named captain of the Buffalo Sabres. Besides patrolling the blue line, Dahlin also sees time on the Sabres' first power-play unit, which is always an added advantage to pile up some shots. 

Last season, Dahlin averaged 2.9 shots per game and was second on the team with 235 total shots, both marks he can replicate this season. 

 

 

 

Penguins vs. Red Wings Prediction: Thursday, October 10th 

The Pittsburgh Penguins are coming off an embarrassing 6-0 loss to the New York Rangers last night, but the silver lining is they can right back on the ice and get things going in the right direction. 

The Detroit Red Wings starting their season at home against a team on the second night of a back-to-back is about as good as you can get in the NHL. There are high hopes for the Red Wings and the “Yzerplan” this season, as they've locked up their core with some long-term deals. 

One such player with a new contract is Lucas Raymond, who recently signed an eight-year deal. The 22-year-old is coming off a career season with 31 goals and 72 total points in 82 games, a level of scoring he should be able to meet and exceed this season. 

Playing alongside Dylan Larkin and Alex DeBrincat is a power line for the Red Wings and a source of production on a nightly basis. This should give us a high level of consistency and a wonderful spot to look for player props in today's NHL predictions.

As we circle back to the Penguins, who allowed 70 Total Shot Attempts to the Rangers last night, their defense could have another rough outing against a young and hungry top line from the Red Wings. 

 

 

 

Best NHL Prop Bets & Other Picks Today, 10/10