NHL Best Bets Today, 10/15: Picks, Predictions & Player Props - Tuesday
Hello and welcome everyone to the Tuesday edition of the NHL Best Bets on October 15, 2024! It's been a lot of pushing money and bets back and forth for me against the books so far this season, but this is why we handle only half-unit bets early in the season!
We have a good chance to get back into the green today with 9 games on the NHL slate and that means plenty of NHL picks from yours truly!
NHL Picks, Predictions & Best Bets Today, 10/15
A note though for this first month of the season, all bets until November will be half-unit plays while we figure out the identity of these teams so don’t go wild on the bankroll just yet, let’s learn some things!
In this NHL Best Bets Today article you will find a wide array of choices from some Money Lines and Team totals to plenty of player props for the action today in NHL Picks! Five games on this mid-week slate, let’s dive right into it!
Now, let's dive into my expert NHL Best Bets today!
***ALL BETS ARE HALF UNIT PLAYS***
- Regular Season Record: 8-9-0
- Bankroll: -0.8 Units
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Kraken vs. Predators Prediction: Tuesday, October 15th
In the NHL, it's hard to keep a good team down but right now the Predators are winless heading into their third game! While that’s not the start I had envisioned for this team, they are going to turn things around – they have too much talent not to. They’ve scored just 3 goals through 2 games and that may just be an adjustment to the new skaters for the offense. They’ll have a really good chance to find out against this Kraken team and goaltender Joey Daccord.
When betting on this game I love the Predators tonight as they stack up much better on offense and defense and Juuse Saros is due for a bounceback performance. The Kraken struggled to score goals last season and after three games, they have just 7 goals this year. Give me the Predators on the Puck Line tonight at plus money to turn this thing around.
In addition to the Preds covering, I am adding a player prop tonight! The Kraken are allowing 28.7 shots per game so far, which is middle of the league. If that average holds, though, that means plenty of chances for a guy like Roman Josi to put the puck on net. He leads Nashville right now with 13 total shots and his prop line sits at 3.5 tonight, let’s hammer that over!
- Expert Kraken vs. Predators NHL Picks:
- Predators Puck Line -1.5 (+135 on DraftKings)
- Roman Josi (NSH) Over 3.5 Shots On Goal (-110 on DraftKings)
Flyers vs. Oilers Prediction: Tuesday, October 15th
For the next wager here, let’s back another team that has started slow but we shouldn’t be sleeping on them. That’s the Oilers, who are 0-3-0 to start this campaign but get a home contest against the Flyers tonight!
The Flyers are going to be a below-average team this season as projected by nearly everyone and they aren’t very deep at the blue line or at the forward lines. The Oilers are going to come into this game angry, scoring just 3 goals in 3 games and it's time for a course correction. Give me the Oilers in a big way on the Puck Line tonight.
Adding onto the Oilers' agenda is going to be a bet on their captain Connor McDavid, who is goalless so far this season. He has a combined 96 goals over the last 2 seasons – do you really think he’s going to score under 35 this season? The one way to get there is by getting on the board tonight against a lesser opponent that often takes too many penalties. McDavid anytime goal scorer for me tonight, put it on the board!
- Expert Flyers vs. Oilers Picks:
- Oilers Puck Line -1.5 (+130 on DraftKings)
- Connor McDavid (EDM) Anytime Goal Scorer (+135 on DraftKings)
Best NHL Prop Bets & Other Picks Today, 10/15
- Carolina Hurricanes Money Line (-160 on DraftKings)
- Tampa Bay Lightning Money Line (-130 on DraftKings)
- Jordan Kyrou (STL) Over 2.5 Shots On Goal (-170 on DraftKings)
- Blake Coleman (CGY) Over 3.5 Shots On Goal (+130 on DraftKings)
Player News
Dolphins signed No. 13 overall pick DT Kenneth Grant to a four-year contract.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports that Grant will sign his contract today. The former Michigan defensive tackle is expected to fill a major void left by Christian Wilkins, who left for the Raiders in the 2024 offseason. Grant totaled 32 tackles, three sacks, and seven TFLs in his final season at Michigan and excelled at stopping the run while also generating 27 pressures in his final season, per PFF.
Daulton Varsho picked up three hits, three RBI and a homer in a win over the Angels on Thursday.
Varsho has only played in seven games this year, but they’ve been seven good ones. He’s homered three times already, and his slugging percentage is a remarkable — and entirely unsustainable — .727 over 22 at-bats. Varsho has been a mediocre offensive player in his two seasons with the Blue Jays, but it’s possible at the age of 28 he’s having a breakout campaign. Far from a guarantee, but possible.
Taylor Ward hit a two-run homer in a loss to the Blue Jays on Thursday.
Ward, 31, gave the Angels a 2-0 lead with a two-run homer off Chris Bassitt in the first inning. He’s now gone deep in two of his last three games, and it ‘improves’ his slash to .181/.224/.391. Ward has been one of the most hot/cold players players in the sport over the last few years, so fantasy managers who can afford to make some roster moves may want to look at Ward while the going is good.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. picked up three hits and scored twice in an 8-5 win over the Angels on Thursday.
Guerrero also drew a walk. It gives the first baseman multiple hits in back-to-back games, and it’s the third time in May that he’s reached that mark. That’s helped raise his average from .268 to .295, and the only thing fantasy managers can be disappointed with is his .432 slugging percentage. That number should continue to climb as the season unfolds, but Vladdy Jr. has had some inconsistent seasons when it comes to power production.
Chad Green picked up his first save of 2025 with a scoreless ninth against the Angels on Thursday.
Green got the save after Jeff Hoffman worked in back-to-back games — and struggled — in the first two contests against the Angels. He struck out two and looked the part while needing just nine pitches to get through the inning. Hoffman should remain the closer, but Green is on his tail if the struggles were to continue.
Chris Bassitt allowed five runs — four earned — while working six-plus innings against the Angels on Thursday while picking up a win.
Bassitt allowed three runs over the first two innings on a pair of homers, but settled down over his next four frames. He came out to work the seventh, but ended up being charged for two more runs after leaving the contest. The 36-year-old veteran has forged a 3.35 ERA and outstanding 49/8 K/BB ratio over the first quarter of the season, but this wasn’t him at his best. He’ll get the Rays next week if the rotation order stays the same for Toronto.