We are loving the action throughout this impressive NHL season so far. As we move towards the mid way point in the season, each division’s ladder is starting to take shape. Every single win or loss can have a significant impact on where each team will finish at the end of the season, so it is important that you don’t miss any of the action!
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Look below to find our free NHL picks, as we preview the best five games on today’s schedule.
Vegas Golden Knights @ New York Rangers – 7.00PM ET
The Vegas Golden Knights are on game three of their four game road trip, and after playing New Jersey last night, they are taking on the New York Rangers on Friday. The Golden Knights are currently on a four game winning streak, and they have won six of their last seven overall, which brings their season record to 17-11-0. After a hot start to the month of December, the Rangers have cooled off a bit, winning two of their last four games, which takes the season record to 19-7-3.
Denis Kirilov
After grabbing a narrow 3:5 win over the New Jersey Devils, the Vegas Golden Knights will be looking to increase their winning streak away from home to four games. They have been quite dominant recently as they started playing on a whole new level. Max Pacioretty made his return and now has 12 goals from 11 games played this season. The points leader for the team is Chandler Stephenson who has 9 goals and 20 assists on 20 minutes average time on the ice. The Golden Knights are once again in the battle for the top places in the West as they are 7th with 36 points. However, the top team, Minnesota Wild, is just 4 points ahead of them.
The New York Rangers have been doing pretty well from the beginning of the 2021/22 NHL season. They are in the same situation as the Golden Knights, fighting for the top spots in the Eastern Conference. However, they have slightly better numbers than their opponents as they hold onto the 4th place with 41 points from 29 matches. They have also won their last match ahead of this game, but it was way more difficult that people would have expected. They needed the last 6 minutes of the game in order to make a full comeback to 2:3 against the last team in the NHL, Arizona Coyotes. They scored two unanswered power-play goals through Zibanejad and Kakko, but their lack of offensive plays in the last couple of matches raises some concerns. Exactly because of that, I will go with “under 6 goals” for the game as both teams might choose a more conservative approach for this two-sided affair on Friday.
Denis’ NHL Pick: Under 6 (-104)
Tony Battalio
The Las Vegas Golden Knights are nearing the end of their four game road trip as this will be game number three. This will also be the second game of a back to back after their victory on Thursday night over the New Jersey Devils by a score of 5-3. Las Vegas now comes into this game with a record of 18-11-0 on the year as we near the end of this calendar year. Las Vegas also finds themselves on a bit of a hot streak as they have won their last three and have picked up victories in six of their last seven games. Now they will be looking to add another win to the run as they head to New York to play the Rangers.
Baby we were bornnnn to runnnnn #VegasBorn | @TequilaAvion pic.twitter.com/nRf8dvCGHF
— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) December 17, 2021
The New York Rangers are coming into this game with a record of 19-7-3 on the year through their first 29 games. They broke a two game losing streak in their last game with a win over the Arizona Coyotes. They are currently positioned in a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference as they are currently in a three way tie for first in the Atlantic division with the Washington Capitals and Carolina Hurricanes. As for the result of this game however I have the Las Vegas Golden Knights picking up the win on the road, so that three way tie may not last too long for the New York Rangers.
Tony’s NHL Pick: Vegas Golden Knights (-137)
Michael Lantz
After losing three of four games, the Rangers avoided complete embarrassment by beating the NHL’s worst team, the Arizona Coyotes, 3-2 on Wednesday. Sometimes it just takes those kinds of wins to get a team back on track, as they look to take out a Vegas Golden Knights team that’s back near full-strength and has risen to third in the Pacific Division.
Vegas have won six of seven games, and are thrilled to have the likes of Max Pacioretty and Mark Stone back in their lineup. They also are still looking forward to the return of recently acquired Jack Eichel, which they’re hoping will be in early 2022. Still, despite the Golden Knights hot run, they did have a confusing loss to an awful Flyers team and on Friday they’ll be without defenseman Shea Theodore. Additionally, they’ll face the Rangers at Madison Square Garden—an always brutal palace for an opponent. Still, Vegas have looked pretty confident on the road lately, whereas the Rangers have been just squeezing by in their recent wins. That won’t fly on Friday—I’ll go with Vegas.
Michael’s NHL Pick: Vegas Golden Knights (-137)
Dallas Stars @ St. Louis Blues – 8.00PM ET
The Dallas Stars and St. Louis Blues go at it again after the Blues got the victory, 4-1, just three days ago. Will the Stars be able to break their current four game losing streak by getting revenge over the Blues? Or will the Blues go two from two?
Denis Kirilov
A team that has almost nobody in the injury list will face a one troubled with plenty of complications. The St. Louis Blues won’t be able to use 9 of their players due to all kinds of injuries, while the Stars are officially 100% healthy with the possibility to have Roope Hintz, Alexander Radulov, and Joel Kiviranta out of the squad on Friday. The Blues are off to a remarkable run recently as they won 4 out of their last 5 games. The Russian trio, Barbashev, Buchnevich, and Tarasenko are doing a fantastic job in front positions. On the other hand, their Canadian trio might be missing against the Stars. David Perron, Jordan Kyrou, and Robert Thomas are still recovering from upper-body injuries.
The Dallas Stars were off to a remarkable 7-game winning streak at the end of November, but they eventually went back to losing. The team was defeated in its last four matches in the NHL, three of which were away games. In their last game, they suffered a 1:4 comeback against their upcoming opponent on Friday. Exactly the Russians in the Blues took charge and with an amazing 3rd period, they managed to close out the match. I think we will see something similar in Enterprise Center, so I will give my preferences to St. Louis Blues who seemingly are in the better form at the moment.
Denis’ NHL Pick: St. Louis Blues (-126)
Tony Battalio
The Dallas Stars come into this game with a record of 13-11-2 on the year. That puts them right at the .500 mark for the season through their first 28 games. They are currently on a four game losing streak as they head into their second straight game against the St. Louis Blues. This time the Stars will hit the road to play St. Louis, in their last game the Blues got the upper hand on the road and picked up a 4-1 win over Dallas. The Stars will be looking to get back on track in this one, and break a losing streak and avenging a loss in the process.
The St. Louis Blues are performing pretty well as we move deeper into the season. They come into this game three games above the .500 mark with a record of 16-8-5 on the year. They have won four of their last five games, including the previous win over the Dallas Stars. The Blues currently find themselves in second place of the Central division. As for the result of this game I expect the same result as the other night. I look for the St. Louis Blues to pick up the win at home this time around.
Tony’s NHL Pick: St. Louis Blues (-126)
Michael Lantz
This is the second of consecutive games these teams have had against each other. In the first matchup the St. Louis Blues blanked the Dallas Stars 4-1 in Dallas. Veteran forward Vladimir Tarasenko tallied three points and Chase Lindgren was exceptional in goal, as the Blues knocked off a Stars team that, before last week, had been pretty hot.
Prior to Dallas’s loss against the Blues, the team dropped three straight, after winning seven in a row. Dallas has been a hard one to put a finger on: they’ve struggled on offense throughout the season, but for that run of seven games their defense was so brilliant, that just an “okay” offense was enough. Now it seems like they’ve lost a bit of that magic, as they’ve dropped to sixth in the Central Division with a 13-11-2 record. They’ll hope to not have their skid go to five, and to avenge their loss on Tuesday against the Blues. Unfortunately with this one being in St. Louis (where the Blues are a very good 10-3-2), I don’t see them getting back on track quite yet.
Michael’s NHL Pick: St. Louis Blues (-126)
Washington Capitals @ Winnipeg Jets – 8.00PM ET
The Washington Capitals are on the road on Friday night when they take on the Winnipeg Jets, who are in the middle of a three game homestand. The Capitals have gone 6-2-2 in their last team games, and this puts them in second place in the Metropolitan Division, with the Rangers the top team. The Jets are looking to snap their two game losing streak, after losing to the Canucks and Sabres.
Denis Kirilov
The Washington Capitals will face the Winnipeg Jets in a pretty compelling match on Friday night in the NHL. Their matches have been one of the closest ones in recent NHL rivalries. They have gone into overtime in 5 out of their last 9 meetings. The Jets were victorious in their last game dating back to early 2020. Now, the current situation is slightly in favor of the Capitals. Although their main player is even closer to retirement, Ovechkin has once again proved that age is just a number. Alexander Ovechkin leads the team in his 17th season for them, while this is Kuznetsov’s ninth season for the Capitals. I imagine that the duo will soon be separated, so this will be one of their last opportunities for yet another Stanley Cup.
The Winnipeg Jets are an ambitious team that is eager to show its capabilities. They are 9th in the Western Conference with 31 points out of 28 games. Their most recent performance raises some concerns as they were outplayed by two of the teams from the bottom of the table – the Vancouver Canucks and the Buffalo Sabres. The Capitals also suffered an unpleasant loss in their last match – a visit to United Center in Chicago. They lost after overtime as the absence of Tom Wilson, Evgeny Kuznetsov, and Garnet Hathaway was felt. Looking at the Jets, only Blake Wheeler will be missing for them against Washington, so I think I will go with a victory for the hosts in this one. I also expect a “tie situation”, but I will still trust the Jets.
Denis’ NHL Pick: Winnipeg Jets (-108)
Tony Battalio
Alexander Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals will head north of the border in this one, to play the Winnipeg Jets. Washington comes into this game with a record of 17-5-7 on the year, which is good enough for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference currently. They are also currently in first place in the Atlantic division as well. Despite an up and down month that has included two losses to the Chicago Blackhawks the Capitals still find themselves in a great spot to make a deep Stanley Cup run as long as Alexander Ovechkin can stay healthy and continue his level of play.
“This is what I want. This is what I play for, why I moved over here. I want to play in the NHL”
David Gustafsson on his season so far in the AHL, being recalled to the Jets and more!
WATCH pic.twitter.com/JfuuciqQRM
— Winnipeg Jets (@NHLJets) December 16, 2021
The Winnipeg Jets come into this game with a record of 13-10-5 on the year, as they are two games below the .500 mark so far this season. Winnipeg is currently on a two game losing streak and have also lost three of their last four games, coming into this one. They will be looking to rebound with a big time win in this game. However I do not look for that to happen here as I have the Washington Capitals picking up the victory on the road in Canada.
Tony’s NHL Pick: Washington Capitals (-108)
Michael Lantz
The Washington Capitals continue to battle atop the Metropolitan Division with the Carolina Hurricanes and New York Rangers. All three teams have 41 points, and have all suffered some tough losses as of late. Washington’s came on Wednesday as they lost to the Chicago Blackhawks 5-4 in overtime. Their next matchup comes against the Winnipeg Jets on Friday night, as the Capitals will hope for a result that gives them an advantage over the Hurricanes and Rangers in the standings.
The Winnipeg Jets sit just outside of playoff contention as they have 31 points on the season. They have some great talent including forward Kyle Conner, who’s been breaking out this season. The Jets have just been so inconsistent this year. A big win is always followed by tough losses. The other night they shutout the Seattle Kraken, only to follow that with losses to the Vancouver Canucks and Buffalo Sabres—two teams with losing records. I think the Capitals will take their high scoring loss to the Blackhawks as a slap in the face, they’ll look to rebound north of the border. and I think they will as Alexander Ovechkin will look to become the NHL’s undisputed all-time power play goal king.
Michael’s NHL Pick: Washington Capitals (-108)
Nashville Predators @ Chicago Blackhawks – 8.30PM ET
The Nashville Predators kick off a two game road trip when they take on the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday night. The Predators are playing on back-to-back nights and they won 5-2 last time out against the Avalanche. The Blackhawks have won four of their last seven games so far in December, which brings their season record to 11-15-2.
Denis Kirilov
The Nashville Predators will travel to Chicago to face off the Blackhawks in what promises to be an exciting contest. They grabbed a really important 5:2 win against the Colorado Avalanche, thus increasing their winning streak to 6 games. The Predators are, without a shadow of a doubt, one of the best surprises we’ve had so far in the NHL during this campaign. They display fantastic defensive skills that put them among the top teams when it comes to this feature of the game. Nashville has been quite conservative, but really careful when building its attacks, so that’s not an easy technique to master. They are currently 3rd in the Western Conference with 37 points from 29 games and they will be looking to gather a couple of more wins in order to head into Christmas in the top spots.
The Chicago Blackhawks slowly found their way back after suffering a huge disappointment in the early games this season. They started off with 9 straight losses which put them in a really tight spot in the first few weeks. The Blackhawks are now 14th with 24 points and still have a chance at making the Playoffs, but they will need to keep a decent form throughout the rest of the season. Alex DeBrincat leads the way for Chicago with 16 goals to his name, while Seth Jones and Patrick Kane also have huge contributions for their comeback. I think that the game will be a more strategic one as both teams look at it as a good opportunity to get a victory. So, I will suggest picking “under 5.5” for this fixture as I expect to see both teams securing their goal and waiting for an opponent’s mistake.
Denis’ NHL Pick: Under 5.5 (-124)
Tony Battalio
The Chicago Blackhawks have had a very up and down season. They started the year as one of the worst teams in the National Hockey League but have since scratched and clawed their way back to the middle of the pack. They are still working their way back to the .500 mark however as they come into this game with a record of 11-15-2. They picked up a huge win in their last game, with an overtime victory over the Washington Capitals by a score of 5-4. Now they are looking to string together some wins as the calendar year is coming to a close. However it won’t be an easy task against a competitive Nashville Predators team.
The previously mentioned Nashville Predators will be playing the second game of a back to back in this one on Friday night. In their last game they picked up a win over the Colorado Avalanche at home. Nashville comes into this game with a record of 18-10-1 on the year. They are also currently on a five game winning streak they will be looking to extend. As for the result of this game I expect them to do exactly that as I have the Nashville Predators picking up the win in this game on the road in Chicago over the Blackhawks.
Tony’s NHL Pick: Nashville Predators (+120)
Michael Lantz
The Chicago Blackhawks continue to slowly but surely creep into the playoff picture. They knocked off the Stanley Cup hopeful Washington Capitals on Wednesday night as they won 5-4 in overtime. While they’re awful start still gives them quite a bit of work to do, this Chicago team is no longer an easy win. The Balckhawks hope to pick up two more points on Friday night as they go up against the Nashville Predators.
Nashville is currently the NHL’s hottest team, winning six games straight. They got a big one on Thursday night as they beat a Colorado Avalanche team that was taking the league by storm. That 5-2 win pushed them to second in the Central Division, as they got two huge goals from Filip Forsberg. The team already has four players with 24 or more points, and Forsberg probably would be there too if he hadn’t missed a couple of games due to injury. I don’t want to overlook this Blackhawks team, but Nashville just seems to be on a different level right now. It’ll take a team that’s a little stronger than the Blackhawks to convince me they can beat the Preds.
Michael’s NHL Pick: Nashville Predators (+120)
Arizona Coyotes @ Anaheim Ducks – 10.00PM ET
The Arizona Coyotes kick off a three game road trip when they take on the Anaheim Ducks on Friday night. The Coyotes’ woes have continued on in December, losing every single one of their games so far. The Ducks have won four of their last five games, with their only loss coming against the Penguins, 0-1.
Denis Kirilov
The Arizona Coyotes came close to ending their 5-game losing streak against the New York Rangers on Wednesday. However, they were unable to hold their 1-goal lead in the last period as they suffered two unanswered goals from power-play that handed the victory to the Rangers. The team showed some signs of progress, but is still struggling to keep the highest possible level of play throughout the whole game. They have won only 5 times from the start of the season and are with almost no chances for making the Playoffs. The Coyotes only have 12 points from 28 games and are looking at a 20-point gap between themselves and the 8th place in the West.
The Anaheim Ducks continue to be one of the pleasant surprises for the beginning of this campaign. They are 2nd in the Western Conference with tied 39 points with the leader, the Minnesota Wild. The team has been amazing in offense as Troy Terry has scored 18 goals so far. Trevor Zegras and Sonny Milano are helping him in front positions, while Cam Fowler, Hampus Lindholm, and Kevin Shattenkirk make sure that their opponents won’t go past either John Gibson or Anthony Stolarz. The team from Anaheim is looking really stable and consistent at the moment as they have won their last two games in the NHL. I think this is a perfect opportunity for Troy Terry to close the gap to players like Alexander Ovechkin, Leon Draisaitl, and Auston Matthews. Therefore, I will go with Anaheim covering their spread at home against the Coyotes.
Denis’ NHL Pick: Anaheim Ducks -1.5 (-110)
Tony Battalio
Another game for the Arizona Coyotes, and another loss for the Arizona Coyotes. That seems to be the common theme at the moment as they have lost six games in a row now. They continue to add to their league worst record of 5-21-2 every time they take the ice and it doesn’t look to be improving anytime soon. They are likely to take another loss in this game as they hit the road to play a really good Anaheim Ducks team.
The Captain and @Buccigross had a good time on The Point.
👀 the full interview ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/dBKx6hL9hR
— Anaheim Ducks (@AnaheimDucks) December 16, 2021
The previously mentioned Anaheim Ducks come into this game with a record of 17-9-5 on the year as they are hovering right above the .500 mark at three games above it. The Ducks are once again on a little bit of a hot streak as they have won four of their last five games. As for the result of this game, I have the Ducks picking up the victory in this one and covering the spread in the process, on their way to a big win at home.
Tony’s NHL Pick: Anaheim Ducks -1.5 (-110)
Michael Lantz
Despite the Arizona Coyotes looking primed and ready to get Shane Wright in next year’s draft, they were able to put on a great show against the New York Rangers, barely losing to them 3-2. Now the Coyotes will get to go up against the surprise leaders in the Pacific Division: the Anaheim Ducks.
The Ducks have won four of their last five and have been in awe of the breakout performance of Troy Terry. Still, there are some questions about the Ducks ability to beat big teams. If you look over their recent wins, they’ve done well against teams that are in the middle or bottom of their respective divisions. Luckily, they’ll get to face another one of those teams on Friday as they get the Arizona Coyotes at home. The last time these two faced off, the Ducks won 3-1 and I’ll expect a similar result this time at home.
Michael’s NHL Pick: Anaheim Ducks -1.5 (-110)
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*Odds and spreads correct at time of writing, courtesy of FanDuel.
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