Welcome to NHL Best Bets – we have a loaded nine-game slate with a ton of options to sort through! 

There are a number of strong teams who have hit a bit of a lull, but they still have strong options in the prop market. 

 

 

 

NHL Picks, Predictions & Best Bets Today, 12/5

Not only have we seen a ton of scoring in recent games, but we're also seeing some big-time comebacks. 

This is a trend we've seen in a few recent seasons, which helps keep our props alive no matter what the state of the game.

 

 

 

Panthers vs. Flyers Prediction: Thursday, December 5th

The defending Stanely Cup Champion Florida Panthers are 4-6 in their last 10 games and are struggling a bit on defense. This isn't to say they are playing “bad” it's just the natural ups and downs of a long season. 

I generally enjoy these types of spots because it's a bit of a “buy-low” in some areas and it brings me to Sam Reinhart. He's an elite goal-scorer and comes in with 6 goals and 27 shots on goal over his last 10 games. 

Over the last two weeks, the Panthers are scoring 2.65 Goals per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations, which is the eighth-best in the league. Their offense is still cooking but it's their defense that is lacking at times. That actually helps the game environment because if they fall behind, they need their top players to step up their offensive pressure. 

After two games with no goals, I'll take Reinhart against the Flyers' defense tonight for a goal. 

 

 

 

Avalanche vs. Hurricanes Prediction: Thursday, December 5th

Another team on a bit of a downswing is the Carolina Hurricanes and I expect them to come away with the win over the Colorado Avalanche tonight. 

The Avs are coming off a thrilling 5-4 win over the Buffalos Sabres, which saw them fall behind 4-0 early and storm all the way back for the win. Prior to that game, they had lost three of their last four games, which just tells us they aren't that strong on defense. 

This is shown by the fact they've allowed a whopping 3.29 Goals per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations over the last two weeks, which is the sixth-worst in the league. I see the games versus the Sabres as an indication of where the Sabres are as a team rather than the Avalanche. 

With that said, the Canes are in a spot to bounce back and flex their offense, which brings me to Andrei Svechnikov. He's currently skating on the first forward line and the first power-play unit, which has allowed him to rack up 23 shots on goal over his last 10 games. In his most recent game, he was held to zero shots on goal, which is only the second time that's happened all season. 

The Canes should come out firing tonight and Svechnikov should play a big role in that. 

 

 

 

Best NHL Prop Bets & Other Picks Today, 12/5