NHL Picks (Today's Free Predictions, Tips, Parlays)

Free NHL Picks: Canucks at Jets Odds
by George Monroy - 1/30/2014

The Vancouver Canucks are set to start a five-game road trip on Friday night when they visit the MTS Centre to play the Winnipeg Jets. Vancouver has struggled through the month of January, losing nine of 13 matchups, but did not fall too far down the playoff standings as the team currently holds the final playoff position in the Western Conference. The Canucks, however, will not play another home game until after the Olympics, when they host the St. Louis Blues in late February.

Free NHL Picks: Canadiens at Bruins Odds
by George Monroy - 1/29/2014

The Boston Bruins have been dominant on the defensive end behind the excellent goaltending of Tuukka Rask. Boston allows the second-fewest goals in the entire NHL with only 2.2 per game and is back atop the Atlantic Division after starting 2014 by winning eight of its first 12 matchups. The defending Eastern Conference champions are slowly starting to separate themselves from the rest of the division and lead the second-place Tampa Bay Lightning by four points in the standings.

Free NHL Picks: Sharks at Oilers Odds
by George Monroy - 1/28/2014

The San Jose Sharks used a six-game winning streak to get back into the mix for the top seed in the Western Conference. Anaheim leads everyone with a whopping 83 points in the standings, but the second through fourth spots are separated by only two points. When the postseason comes around in a few months, the difference between home-ice advantage and playing on the road might be decided by a single win.

Free NHL Picks: Capitals at Sabres Odds
by George Monroy - 1/27/2014

The Washington Capitals are still in the mix for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, but if they continue to go on extended losing streaks, they might as well begin packing their bags in preparation for a long summer. Washington snapped a seven-game losing streak during its last matchup against Montreal on Saturday after team captain Alex Ovechkin returned from the sidelines due to a lower-body injury that cost the center two games.

Free NHL Picks: Blue Jackets at Hurricanes Odds
by George Monroy - 1/27/2014

The Columbus Blue Jackets changed their entire season with the longest winning streak in franchise history. The Blue Jackets were riding an eight-game winning streak and had won 12 of their last 15 matchups before Saturday’s game against the league-worst Buffalo Sabres. Columbus ended up dropping the game in an unexpected blowout loss, but it did position itself as a playoff contender during its hot streak and moved into the eighth spot in the Eastern Conference playoff standings.

Free NHL Picks: Ducks at Kings Odds
by George Monroy - 1/24/2014

The Los Angeles Kings and Anaheim Ducks will kick off the 2014 Stadium Series during their outdoor matchup inside Dodger Stadium on Saturday night. Los Angeles is on a bit of a slump to start the year and has surprisingly lost seven of its last 11 matchups while falling to the sixth spot in the Western Conference playoff standings. The Kings’ long-time goaltender, Jonathan Quick, has played well since returning from injury but is only 1-3 over his last four starts while allowing only nine goals during that span.

Free NHL Picks: Avalanche at Panthers Odds
by George Monroy - 1/23/2014

The Colorado Avalanche is set to start a three-game road trip against the Florida Panthers on Friday night. The squad is riding a hot streak to start 2014, winning seven of its last 10 matchups and inching closer to the upper echelon of the Western Conference. Colorado still trails the Central Division-leading, and defending champion, Chicago Blackhawks by nine points in the standings, but it still has two more matchups against the team during the second half of the season.

Free NHL Picks: Blues at Rangers Odds
by George Monroy - 1/22/2014

The New York Rangers stepped up their defense during the month of January, and as a result they have won seven of their last 11 games. New York is back in the thick of the playoff race and trails the fourth- and fifth-seeded teams in the East by only two points. Veteran goaltender Henrik Lundqvist has played well to open up the year and has been stingy in front of the net, allowing only 2.12 goals per game during that span.

Free NHL Picks: Blackhawks at Red Wings Odds
by George Monroy - 1/21/2014

The Chicago Blackhawks started out 2014 on a bit of a slump, losing five of their first seven games of the year. It was the team’s worst slump of the season and allowed the Anaheim Ducks to take sole possession of first place in the Western Conference playoff standings. Chicago, however, put an end to its struggles with two impressive wins over the Ducks and Boston Bruins that proved the road to the Stanley Cup still runs through the Blackhawks.

Free NHL Picks: Canucks at Oilers Odds
by George Monroy - 1/20/2014

The Vancouver Canucks are still in playoff contention in the West, but if they continue to play the way the same way they have during the month of January, the Canucks will soon be on the outside looking in. The squad dropped eight of its last 10 matchups and already put a three- and four-game losing streak under its belt not even three weeks into 2014. Vancouver’s lineup has been plagued with various injuries to key players over the last month, but the team’s biggest issue over its recent slump is the simply fact that it plays in a tough Western Conference.

Free NHL Picks: Flyers at Islanders Odds
by George Monroy - 1/20/2014

The Philadelphia Flyers might be accused of ‘picking on the little guy’ after tonight’s matchup against the New York Islanders. Philadelphia’s last three games have been against the two worst teams in the Eastern Conference—the Buffalo Sabres and the Islanders—as well as the third-worst team in the Western Conference—the Nashville Predators. And to make matters worse, the Flyers will face New York for the second straight night in a home-and-home situation.

Free NHL Picks: Avalanche at Predators Odds
by George Monroy - 1/17/2014

The Western Conference is so top-heavy with talent that a squad like the Colorado Avalanche can skate through the season relatively unnoticed. The Avalanche is sitting on 65 points in the standings—which would make them a power house in the East—but wouldn’t host a home series if the playoffs started today. Patrick Roy’s squad has beaten every contender in the West this season and would be a nightmare first-round matchup for any squad.

Free NHL Picks: Ducks at Blackhawks Odds
by George Monroy - 1/16/2014

The Western Conference’s top two teams are headed for a marquee matchup on Friday night when the Anaheim Ducks visit the Chicago Blackhawks in what could be the biggest NHL game of the season. Anaheim is on a merciless winning streak that has seen the team win eight straight games and 18 of its last 19 overall matchups.

Free NHL Picks: Red Wings at Rangers Odds
by George Monroy - 1/15/2014

Injures have kept the Detroit Red Wings from playing to their full potential during the team’s first season in the Eastern Conference. Detroit’s team captain Henrik Zetterberg missed multiple weeks with a back injury, and the squad has still struggled to adjust to its new opponents in the Atlantic Division.

Free NHL Picks: Sabres at Maple Leafs Odds
by George Monroy - 1/14/2014

The Toronto Maple Leafs finally ended an embarrassing four-game losing streak that included three blowout losses—two of which were by more than four goals. The team will hit the road on Tuesday night to play the Boston Bruins then return home to host the Buffalo Sabres—a matchup that Toronto believes it should be able to win. The Maple Leafs also have a four-game road trip looming and need to continue earning points in the standings before they fall even further behind in the playoff race.

Free NHL Picks: Sharks at Capitals Odds
by George Monroy - 1/13/2014

The San Jose Sharks have alternated wins and losses over their last eight games but will be looking flex their muscle this week as they play three straight road games against the Eastern Conference. The team is currently sitting in the fourth seed in the Western Conference playoff standings but trails the Anaheim Ducks by 13 points for the Pacific Division lead.

Free NHL Picks: Canucks at Kings Odds
by George Monroy - 1/13/2014

The Los Angeles Kings have a wealth of talent at the goaltender position now that Jonathan Quick has returned to the lineup after a nearly two-month absence due to injury. Los Angeles fell behind the Western Conference leaders after a recent five-game losing streak left the team 14 points behind the first-place Anaheim Ducks in the playoff standings. Los Angeles’ offense has shouldered much of the blame as goaltenders Quick and Martin Jones have continued to play well in front of the net.

Free NHL Picks: Blue Jackets at Jets Odds
by George Monroy - 1/10/2014

The Winnipeg Jets had a tough time on a recent three-game road trip and ended up allowing a whopping 14 goals and losing all three matchups. The losing streak might not matter much since the Jets have already fallen to the bottom of the Central Division and would need a major turnaround to compete for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference—of course, anything can happen in sports, and the Jets are simply hoping that turnaround starts with Saturday’s matchups against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Free NHL Picks: Maple Leafs at Capitals Odds
by George Monroy - 1/9/2014

Alex Ovechkin earned his 376th career assist as a Washington Capital on Saturday, moving him into third place on the franchise’s all-time assists list. The team, however, managed to lose a two-goal lead against the Minnesota Wild and dropped its fourth straight game. Washington seems to be wasting another fantastic year from its captain Ovechkin and continues to slowly fall out of playoff contention with each loss.

Free NHL Picks: Blues at Flames Odds
by George Monroy - 1/8/2014

The St. Louis Blues have looked unstoppable over the last two weeks, and not even heading out on the road has been enough to stop them. St. Louis is on a dominant six-game winning streak that includes two huge wins over the Los Angeles Kings and Chicago Blackhawks to go along with a road win over the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday. The Blues are right in the mix for the top seed in the Western Conference and may be the best squad in the entire NHL at the moment.