A new week of NHL action gets underway in the afternoon today, but I'll be focusing on the three night games in this article on NHL best bets today. 

Teams are starting to fall into some patterns, which will give us a clear view of how we should be targeting them from a betting perspective. Without further ado, let's jump into some NHL picks. 

 

 

 

NHL Picks, Predictions & Best Bets Today, 10/14

All three games tonight have intriguing aspects to consider both from the viewing experience and the NHL best bets side of things. 

Early season results often bring a bit of variance to the table, but we can use that as a learning experience to better evaluate our options moving forward for our NHL Best Bets.

 

 

 

Penguins vs. Canadiens Prediction: Monday, October 14th

Through three games, it appears that the Pittsburgh Penguins are going to be one of the weaker defensive teams in the league. Allowing 13 goals through three games is not what you want to see as a Pens' fan, but it can point us in a direction when it comes to player props. 

If the defense is going to be this bad, they can end up routinely playing from behind, meaning they have to turn up the offensive pressure to get back into the game. This is always an area I like to look for since it can lead to a strong level of consistency for shot props, especially from their best offensive players. 

This has led to the Penguins rocking a 65.44 Corsi For per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations, which is the ninth-best in the league. They are piling up the shot attempts, which should only lead to plenty of players hitting their shot props. 

As for the Montreal Canadiens, they're looking pretty solid to start the year, and I fully expect them to be a much more competitive team than they have been over the past few years. However, to start the season, they clock in with an 81.81 Corsi Against per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations, which is the second-worst in the league. 

Allowing that many shot attempts is a bad thing from a real-life perspective but it gives us a clear opening for the opposing team's shot props. 

This brings me to Evgeni Malkin, who comes in with five shots on goal through three games. While I'd like to see that a touch higher, a role on the second forward line and the first power-play unit against this type of defense is always a spot that will catch my eye for NHL best bets. 

 

 

 

Islanders vs. Avalanche Prediction: Monday, October 14th

With both teams looking to pick up their first win of the season, we should be in for a good one between the New York Islanders and the Colorado Avalanche. 

There are storylines on both sides of this matchup for a variety of different reasons. Will we finally see Ilya Sorokin in net for the Islanders? He had offseason back surgery and despite the team saying he is ready to go, he hasn't played in either of their first two games. A bit interesting considering he is their franchise goalie with a new eight-year contract extension which started this season. 

Can the Colorado Avalanche do anything that even resembles a competent defense/goaltending? Allowing 14 goals through only two games is disastrous and while it's a small sample size, there are some clear warning signs for this team. 

Those storylines aside, I expect a fast-paced game tonight in my NHL predictions, especially from the Islanders' side of things. After getting shut out in their most recent game, I expect the Isles to come out with a bit of a jump in their step and try to get an early lead on the aforementioned struggling Colorado defense. 

So, let's turn to Kyle Palmieri, who sees time on the second forward line and the second power-play unit, a solid offensive role overall. He's piled up a strong 9 shots on goal through two games, which is tied for the team lead. He also comes in with a total of 14 shot attempts, which is the highest on the team. 

 

 

 

Best NHL Prop Bets & Other Picks Today, 10/14