.png)
.svg){kind=small}
Last night hockey graced our television screens again for the first time in a few months, and it was glorious. The New York Rangers got things going with a relatively easy 3-1 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning while the Vegas Golden Knights won an entertaining 4-3 game against the Los Angeles Kings in the nightcap. Last year, from January 23 through the end of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, I went 297-278-15 with a 54% win percentage across the NHL. That record won me roughly 25 units. So if you are looking for someone with hockey knowledge who can give out winners, you’ve come to the right place. I kickstarted my season yesterday with a nice 2-0 day as I was on both the Rangers and the Golden Knights moneyline. So check out my first nightly preview blog of the new season and get in on the action!
Columbus Blue Jackets v Carolina Hurricanes
Projected Goalies: Daniil Tarasov v Frederik Andersen
Columbus made some serious moves this offseason with the out-of-nowhere signing of Johnny Gaudreau as well as reupping sniper Patrik Laine to a long term deal. Those two will be deadly all year but the rest of the squad is still lacking. Carolina is a perennial contender but never seems to truly threaten to win the Cup. The well balanced team added two veterans in Brent Burns and Max Pacioretty, although the latter will miss a lot of the season with a long term injury. Make no mistake, this is the Hurricanes game to lose, as are most during the regular season in recent years.
The Bet: Hurricanes Puckline
Prediction: Blue Jackets 1-4 Hurricanes
Toronto Maple Leafs v Montreal Canadiens
Projected Goalies: Matt Murray v Jake Allen
One of the oldest rivalries in hockey will be on tonight in the first main slate of the NHL season. The Maple Leafs have sneakily been one of the NHL’s most consistent teams over the last 5 years but their playoff failures are far more documented than their regular season success. The firepower the Leafs have is well known but there are a ton of question marks in goal as Matt Murray seems to be getting the first crack at the starting gig. Montreal made a cinderella run to the Stanley Cup just 2 years ago but this current team is nowhere near that level. It is very clearly a tear down rebuild and should be a long season in Quebec. I expect both these teams to be very profitable on overs this season.
The Bet: Over 6.5 Total Goals
Prediction: Maple Leafs 5-2 Canadiens
Boston Bruins v Washington Capitals
Projected Goalies: Linus Ullmark v Darcy Kuemper
TNT’s marquee matchup for the evening pits two aging contenders mired in mini injury crisis against each other. The Bruins have brought back old centers Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci in hopes of turning back the clock. They will have to get it done in the early going without offensive stalwart Brad Marchand and top defenseman Charlie McAvoy who will both start the year on the injured list. The Capitals have 2 elite players on the injured list to start the year as well with longtime playmaking center Nicklas Backstrom battling a brutal hip injury and rugged winger Tom Wilson rehabbing a torn ACL from last year's playoffs. Boston was a better team statistically last year but Washington made more offseason moves and has the benefit of home ice to start the season. The most entertaining part of the night will be seeing if Alex Ovechkin can score another goal in his chase for Gretzky’s all time record.
The Bet: Capitals Moneyline
Prediction: Bruins 2-4 Capitals
Chicago Blackhawks v Colorado Avalanche
Projected Goalies: Petr Mrazek v Alexandar Georgiev
Oh boy, this could be a long night for Blackhawks fans. First, the Avalanche will raise their Stanley Cup banner which will give Chicago fans PTSD from when they were doing that 3 times in 6 years not too long ago. Second, they will play a hockey game, and one that will be extremely mismatched. Chicago sold off every asset they had in the offseason and will likely do the same with Patrick Kane during the year. Colorado is hunting for a second straight Cup but will have to do it with a new goalie tandem. Georgiev comes over from being the backup for the Rangers and will have the first chance to prove himself as the #1. The NHL has been back for one day and we already have a -400 favorite with 2.5 on the puckline, sheesh!
The Bet: Avalanche -2.5
Prediction: Blackhawks 1-4 Avalanche
Vancouver Canucks v Edmonton Oilers
Projected Goalies: Thatcher Demko v Jack Campbell
Of all the games on tonight's schedule I think this one could be the best. Both teams boast elite forward units which can score goals left, right, and center. Vancouver will enter as an underdog but they are scrappy and hold an edge in goal where Demko is one of the best in the league and Campbell is adjusting to new surroundings. While I expect Edmonton to win this game I think the Canucks will keep it close in a star studded affair.
The Bet: Oilers Regulation Moneyline
Prediction: Canucks 3-4 Oilers
Seattle Kraken v Anaheim Ducks
Projected Goalies: Philipp Grubauer v John Gibson
The first toilet bowl of the season features two teams which I think will be nowhere near the playoffs. Seattle is coming off a terrible first year in the league, and while they’ve made improvements to their squad, they are still far off the pace. Anaheim is still trying to figure out their rebuild, and doing so with new front office management is never easy. The team has started to stack young talent but they have yet to had a player break through to super star level. Trevor Zegras is well known coming off his rookie year but guys like him and Jamie Drysdale have to take the next step this year.
The Bet: Ducks Moneyline
Prediction: Kraken 2-3 Ducks
