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Hot and Cold NHL Betting Teams: Moneyline and ATS 12/21/2023

by Ryan Cobbett - 12/21/2023

Hot and Cold NHL betting teams for moneyline and ATS Alex Lyon Detroit Red Wings

As we approach the holiday break, it is time to see how teams are performing straight up and against the puckline. The division races are starting to heat up as teams separate themselves from the rest of the pack, while some teams begin to wake up, like the Oilers. Let’s take a look at where the money is being made (and lost) across the NHL.

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ATS

Hot

Montreal Canadiens 8-2 ATS

I didn’t think I would get to talk much about the Canadiens this season, as they are in the dog days of a rebuild, but hey they have been the moneymakers over the last two weeks. As you will see when we get to the Avs, this has been a weird trend to follow. Not one specific goalie, not a consecutive collection of wins, just a weird money-making stretch. Is it sustainable? No. The Canadiens are only 14-11 ATS this season and were 6-9 before this hot stretch. If their goaltending could improve, we may see this trend reappear later again this season. However, with a subpar offense, one goal games will only be done with shutdown performances from their netminders.

Vancouver Canucks 8-2 ATS

The Canucks are surging ATS, making you all kinds of money. If you haven’t gotten on this train yet, you are missing out. They have been the second most successful team ATS this season behind the Flyers, and the Canucks sit one point behind Vegas in the Pacific. This team has been the biggest surprise of the season. And thanks to their continued dominance from the top guys, Vancouver has sustained the run. J.T. Miller, Elias Pettersson, Quinn Hughes, and Brock Boeser all have 37 or more points, while Thatcher Demko and Casey DeSmith have combined to allow just 2.42 GA/G and .921 SV%, both ranking 2nd in the league. This team is a wagon.

Honorable Mentions: Calgary Flames and Seattle Kraken

These two teams are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games and were honorable mentions on this list because they are 5-0 ATS in their last five contests. However, both teams have a tough few games to round out the month.

Cold

Colorado Avalanche 2-8

Colorado as always finds themselves in a dog fight for the top spot in the Central Division. However, they have not been making you any money. The Avs have covered just twice in their last 10 games and have gone just 4-7 in their last 11 games. A big thing to pay attention to is their success, or lack thereof, against other playoff teams. Over the last 11 games, their wins have come against some pretty mediocre competition, while the losses have come at the hands of teams like Winnipeg and Los Angeles. Colorado can’t afford many up and down stretches like this, as they are chased by the Jets and Stars. Overall, Colorado is 13-12 ATS this season.

Pittsburgh Penguins 2-8

The Penguins have been and continue to be one of the most confusing teams in the league this year. They are the worst team to have a positive goal differential and currently sit in 6th place in the Metro. They have covered only twice since the end of November and have dropped five of their last eight games outright. The offense has been a big problem for the Penguins this month. After making a lot of noise in the offseason to give Crosby another chance at a run, they have failed to get going offensively, and their goaltending can only bail them out so many times. Pittsburgh ranks 24th in the NHL in GF/G as they average a mere 2.78 GF/G, and their PP% is atrocious as well as they cash in on just 14.4% of their man advantage chances, which ranks 26th. Overall, the Penguins are 13-11 ATS this season, and one would think with the veteran presence and big names on the roster that this team can eventually mold into a dominating club. 

Moneyline

Hot

Vegas Golden Knights, Winnipeg Jets, Vancouver Canucks, New York Rangers 7-3

These teams continue to roll. The Jets have really come on and now sit atop the Central Division, one point ahead of the Stars. Vegas and Vancouver continue to pace each other as they try to secure the top spot in the Pacific Division, while the Rangers sit as the team to beat in the Eastern Conference and have a comfortable lead in the mighty Metro.

Nashville Predators, Philadelphia Flyers 7-3

Somehow, someway. These two teams are continuing to far surpass expectations this season as they have comfortably placed themselves into the playoff picture. As it stands now, the Flyers would be hosting a playoff series, while the Preds have control of the top wild card spot in the Western Conference and are only five points behind the Jets, who currently lead the Central Division. I don’t know if this is sustainable for either team. However, with the trade deadline looming, either team could choose to buy and continue their playoff push.

Edmonton Oilers 7-3

Edmonton is fresh off an eight-game win streak and has climbed the division standings as a result. Stuart Skinner is a big reason for their success and resurgence this season. Skinner started in seven of the eight games during the win streak and allowed just 12 goals total for an average of 1.71 GA/G. The offense coming to life, finally, also has something to do with the recent success. Edmonton has averaged 4.09 GF/G over their last 11 games. McJesus has worked his way back into the top 10 in the league in points with 41 (tied 6th) while Leon Draisaitl, Zach Hyman, and blueline Evan Bouchard all have at least 30 points on the year; Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is knocking on the door with 29 points. This is not a team that lacks offense. If Skinner can work his way up to being an average NHL goalie consistently, this Oilers team will find themselves in the thick of things soon enough.

Minnesota Wild 7-3

The Wild were off to an incredibly slow start thanks to some awful goaltending, but now things seem to be changing for Minnesota under new coach John Hynes. Hynes has the boys firing on all cylinders as of late, as they have won eight of their last 11. One of the biggest reasons behind this success is the resurgence of Filip Gustavsson. Since 11/28, Gustavsson has allowed just 1.63 GA/G, which is a huge difference compared to his previous total of 3.9 GA/G in his first 10 starts.

Cold

Anaheim Ducks and Chicago Blackhawks 3-7

This is to be expected. The Ducks started this season and made it seem like they may be able to compete for a wild card spot, but nature has run its course and the Ducks have regressed back to their expectations and have lost 13 of their last 16 games. As for Chicago, they are in a dog fight at the bottom of the Western Conference, with San Jose, to determine the basement dweller of the conference. Blackhawk fans are already manifesting another lottery win to add Macklin Celebrini to the roster alongside Connor Bedard.

Seattle Kraken, Buffalo Sabres, Ottawa Senators 3-7

These teams are lumped together as there is a lot of noise around these clubs. Seattle, despite their recent success ATS, has struggled all season thanks to a collection of injuries. Meanwhile, Ottawa fired their coach, D.J. Smith, on Monday as they continue to underperform this season and sit at the bottom of the Atlantic. Speaking of underperforming, the Sabres had some lofty goals that they are far from, and their fans know it. Buffalo was showered with boos from their hometown fans after allowing nine goals to the lowly Blue Jackets.

Detroit Red Wings 3-7

Now this one is interesting. Why are the Red Wings on this list? They have lost seven of their last eight games thanks to some poor netminding and a forgetful (or forgetting) offense. Over their last eight games, Detroit goalies have allowed 4.13 GA/G and managed to score a mere 3.13 GF/G. The Red Wings have run out all three of their goalies over this stretch as they try to find a way out of this skid. Despite seeing the least amount of starts, Alex Lyon has been the most shutdown option for Detroit as he has allowed just 2.14 GA/G in seven starts this season. As for the ice-cold offense, they still rank 4th in the league in GF/G with 3.50 so things will turn around for the Red Wings. Detroit has a tough schedule ahead so the cold stretch may extend a few more games, but this is a playoff caliber team.

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