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

Panthers at Capitals Picks and NHL Betting Odds
by Alan Matthews - 2/9/2013

Adam Oates was a tremendous NHL player in his 19-season career, good enough to be named to the Hockey Hall of Fame last year. But it’s starting to appear that perhaps Oates is overmatched as a head coach in the league. The Washington Capitals only hired Oates, formerly a Devils assistant, because Dale Hunter chose to return to run the junior club he owns in Canada.

Ducks at Stars Picks and NHL Betting Odds
by Dave Schwab - 2/8/2013

The Western Conference’s Pacific Division will take center stage this Friday night as the only game on the NHL schedule pits the Anaheim Ducks against the Dallas Stars at the American Airlines Center. The puck is set to drop at 8:30 p.m. (ET), and the game will be broadcast nationally on the NHL Network.

Blackhawks at Coyotes Picks and NHL Betting Odds
by Trevor Whenham - 2/7/2013

The Chicago Blackhawks are the only team that hasn’t yet suffered a regulation loss. With eight wins and two overtime losses they have a point in every game, and they are established in first place in their division as a result. They aren’t exactly making it easy on themselves, though. They have come from behind five times in wins and in both of their eventual losses. On Saturday they tied the game up in Calgary with just 2.3 seconds left before winning in the shootout.

Ducks at Avalanche Picks and NHL Betting Odds
by Alan Matthews - 2/6/2013

In my opinion, the Anaheim Ducks are more often than not like the Buffalo Bills of the NFL in that the Ducks are generally the third wheel of the trio of NHL clubs in their own state. The Stanley Cup Champion Kings are in downtown L.A., and anyone who is a Los Angeles native will tell you that Anaheim is not L.A. And then you have the San Jose Sharks, who have been a very good team for years and often one of the most entertaining to watch. The Ducks? They do have the 2007 Cup but often are just sort of blah to follow.

Lightning at Flyers Picks and NHL Betting Odds
by Trevor Whenham - 2/5/2013

Coming into the season the Tampa Bay Lightning were a team I really liked — an underappreciated team that has a chance to be a real contender. Through their first eight games they haven’t disappointed. Their 12 points are among the league leaders, and they are already establishing strong control in the Southeast Division. Most impressively, their 39 goals scored is eight more than any other team, and their +18 goal differential is the best in the sport as well. Last year they could score reasonably well, but they were even easier to score on. This year they have made real progress, and that makes them very dangerous.

Sharks at Ducks Picks and NHL Betting Odds
by Dave Schwab - 2/4/2013

The San Jose Sharks will look to remain unbeaten in regulation when they invade the Honda Center this Monday night to face the Anaheim Ducks in a Pacific Division showdown. This West Coast clash is set to get underway at 10 p.m. (ET), and the game will be available on NHL Center Ice.

Bruins at Maple Leafs Picks and NHL Hockey Odds
by Alan Matthews - 2/2/2013

Want to know why the Boston Bruins are considered top Stanley Cup favorites this season? They can thank the Toronto Maple Leafs, in part. You see, Boston’s No. 1 goalie, first-line forward and the team’s top young defenseman all arrived courtesy of the Leafs – well, you have to credit the Bruins’ front office too. In 2009, Boston traded a good-but-not-great Phil Kessel to Toronto for two-round draft picks and a second-rounder.

Blackhawks at Canucks Picks and NHL Betting Odds
by Dave Schwab - 2/1/2013

The Chicago Blackhawks will try and keep their fast start going this Friday night when the head north of the border to the Rogers Center for a huge Western Conference showdown against the Vancouver Canucks. Game time for this clash is scheduled for 10 p.m. (ET), and it will be available on NHL Center Ice.

Avalanche at Flames Picks and NHL Betting Odds
by Trevor Whenham - 1/31/2013

This is supposed to be a hectic, compact season thanks to the lockout, but the Flames apparently didn’t get the memo. They beat Edmonton on Saturday night to earn their first win, and they have been off since. For bettors, the trick here is to determine whether that will be a positive — a second training camp of sorts to iron out the kinks and play some better hockey than they have — or a negative early on. Colorado will be comparatively exhausted heading into this one. This is the fourth game of a road trip that saw them in San Jose Saturday, Edmonton Monday, and Vancouver Wednesday. There isn’t an easy game in that group, so there could be some bumps and bruises — physical and mental — heading into this one.

Oilers at Coyotes Picks and NHL Betting Odds
by Alan Matthews - 1/30/2013

Last season, the Phoenix Coyotes were one of the NHL’s biggest surprises. They weren’t expected to do much – if even stay in Phoenix – but won the Pacific Division and upset the Chicago Blackhawks in the first round of the playoffs and then the Nashville Predators in the conference semifinals before running into to the red-hot L.A. Kings in the West Finals. Phoenix did it with a starless team and without much of a budget with the franchise in such tradition. That appears to be catching up to the Coyotes this season as they are off to a 2-4 start and really don’t resemble a playoff team.

Ducks at Sharks Picks and NHL Betting Odds
by Trevor Whenham - 1/29/2013

This is a battle of two teams in a good place early in this young season. The Ducks have won three of four, and they opened their season with two road wins. They take their unblemished road mark into San Jose to face a team that has yet to lose in five games. Not only is San Jose 5-0, but they have won all five games by at least two goals and four of the five by three or more. And they have done it against a reasonably competitive schedule. They have been the class of the NHL very early in this season.

Canucks at Kings Picks and NHL Betting Odds
by Dave Schwab - 1/28/2013

Two of the top favorites to win the Western Conference this season clash this Monday night at the Staples Center when the Vancouver Canucks face off against the Los Angeles Kings. The game is set to get underway at 10:30 p.m. (ET) and it will be broadcast on TSN.

Avalanche at Sharks Picks and NHL Betting Odds
by Alan Matthews - 1/26/2013

The San Jose Sharks have long been considered underachievers. They usually have some of the greatest collection of offensive talent in the NHL but have yet to reach the Stanley Cup Finals in franchise history. Could this year be different? San Jose again looks dynamic offensively, ranking No. 2 in the league entering Friday’s action in averaging five goals per game and No. 3 in power-play percentage at 38.9. Take a look at the NHL points leaders list and it’s littered with Sharks: Joe Thornton (nine, No. 1), Patrick Marleau (eight, No. 2), Logan Couture and Joe Pavelski (seven, No. 4).

Wild at Red Wings Picks and NHL Betting Odds
by Dave Schwab - 1/25/2013

The Minnesota Wild will head on the road for the first time this season this Friday night for a Western Conference clash against the Detroit Red Wings at Joe Lewis Arena. The game is set to get underway at 7:30 p.m. (ET) and it will be broadcast nationally on the NHL Network.

Blackhawks at Stars Picks and NHL Betting Odds
by Trevor Whenham - 1/24/2013

Chicago was the first team in the league to reach three wins, and two of those wins have come away from home. They also lead the league in goals scored. Now they are out to become the first team to four wins, and they have to do it on the road as well. They are already off to their best start since they won their first three in 1972, so this start is unquestionably noteworthy. It hasn’t been an easy schedule, either. They started by playing in L.A. as the Kings hoisted their Cup banner. Then they played at division-winning Phoenix and then hosted division-winning St. Louis. Dallas is not a weak team, but they are likely the weakest Chicago has yet faced.

Bruins at Rangers Picks and NHL Betting Odds
by Alan Matthews - 1/23/2013

When I wrote my updated Stanley Cup odds and predictions story on the eve of the NHL’s opening day late last week, I thought the Boston Bruins and New York Rangers were the two best teams in the East. I certainly recognized the talent of the Pittsburgh Penguins but wondered about Marc-Andre Fleury in net and the durability of Sidney Crosby. In the West, my pick was the Chicago Blackhawks.

Sharks at Oilers Picks and NHL Betting Odds
by Trevor Whenham - 1/22/2013

There isn’t a team in the NHL with more young talent than the Oilers — Eberle, Hall, Nugent-Hopkins, and Schultz are all destined to be stars. The key, though, is that they are incredibly young. Last year they started strong but weren’t yet ready for prime time, and they got to add another top pick in Yakupov to the already loaded cupboards. Now they are that much more experienced, and expectations are that much higher. As they make their home debut in this one in front of what will be a rabid crowd, the question is whether they are ready to make a huge step forward this year or if they are still in a building phase.

Blackhawks at Kings Picks and NHL Betting Odds
by Alan Matthews - 1/19/2013

Welcome to the first NHL free pick story of the 2013 season, one that has been shortened to 48 regular-season games -- and all of them intraconference matchups. It should make for an exciting season as losing streaks and injuries will be magnified – GMs really will have their work cut out for them this season in terms of potential trades. The trade deadline has been set this year at April 3 – by comparison, the 2011-12 regular season ended on April 7. The 2013 regular season concludes April 27, with the playoffs starting three days later. Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals, if necessary, would be June 28. That will give the 2013 champs about 2.5 months off before starting training camp in September.