With a loaded 10-game slate, there are NHL best bets today up and down the slate to sort through. 

There are some clear spots to target for goals and that presents a lot of upside for NHL picks tonight. 

 

 

 

NHL Picks, Predictions & Best Bets Today, 12/17

We're coming off a day where our NHL best bets went 1-2-1. A void because Thomas Harley didn't play, Carter Verhaeghe cashes, while Mason Marchment and Quinn Hughes fall a shot short of their props. 

Marchment had two shots on goal after the first period and didn't have a single shot in the next 40 minutes, which really grinds my gears. 

 

 

 

Sabres vs. Canadiens Prediction: Tuesday, December 17th

Somebody has to win this game, right? It has been a rough go at things for the Buffalo Sabres recently as they are on a 10-game losing streak. If there is any silver lining to things, it's that they are going up against an equally bad Montreal Canadiens team. 

In what shouldn't be a surprise, the Canadiens are struggling on defense this season, allowing 3.33 Goals per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations, which is the second-worst in the league. On the other side, the Sabres actually do have a solid offense and are producing 2.62 Goals in the same situations, which is the 11th-best in the league. 

If there's any matchup for the Sabres to break this losing streak, it's this one and that means their best player – Tage Thompson – stepping up to answer the bell. 

Thompson is an elite goal-scorer and comes in with 16 goals in 26 games this season. The Sabres have a 3.2 implied goal total tonight and Thompson's goal odds are up at +155 on DraftKings, which are just objectively good to target. 

 

 

 

Rangers vs. Predators Prediction: Tuesday, December 17th

The struggles for both the New York Rangers and Nashville Predators have been well-documented this season, so there's no reason to drone on about that, we simply want to target the best props. 

Much like Tage Thompson above, I want to target Filip Forsberg for a goal tonight since his odds, and matchup, are well worth the bet. Forsberg has no goals over his last 9 games despite the fact he has a very solid 30 shots on goal. He continues to see time on the first forward line and the first power-play unit, but it hasn't led to finding the back of the net. 

The Predators have a 3.1 implied goal total tonight and while Igor Shesterkin is certainly one of the best goalies in the league, the defense in front of him is not. Since the start of December, the Rangers have allowed 3.69 Goals per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations, which is the third-worst in the league. 

Forsberg may be in a bit of a goal slump, but the Rangers are also slumping defensively, and this is the perfect time for him to find the back of the net. 

 

 

 

Best NHL Prop Bets & Other Picks Today, 12/17