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 five games on today’s schedule.
San Jose Sharks @ New York Rangers – 7.00PM ET
The road trip continues for the San Jose Sharks when they take on the New York Rangers. The Sharks are playing on back-to-back nights, after winning, 2-1, in overtime against the Islanders less than 24 hours ago. The Rangers are one of the hottest teams in the league at the moment, and they have won four games in a row, bringing their season record to 14-4-3.
Denis Kirilov
The San Jose Sharks and the New York Rangers face each other in a thrilling contest between two teams who seem to be in pretty good form in the beginning of the season. Moreover, their performance recently has been quite exceptional as the Rangers are coming into this game after 4 straight wins, while San Jose won 4 out of their last 5 games. The Sharks had some troubles with Covid-19 in the beginning of November, but this just hurt them temporarily as they managed to pick up their good game as soon as they could use their players once again. They are currently 6th in the West, being not that far behind the top 3 places occupied by Edmonton, Minnesota, and Calgary.
The Rangers, on the other hand, are 5th in the Eastern Conference, having one of the best points per game stats with 31 points out of 21 matches. They might be out of the top 3, but just a single win can put them in 2nd place, tied with Florida and Washington. The team surprises every expert as almost nobody has expected them to be that high in the rankings. However, the Rangers will have to find a way to keep this form throughout the season as they are a team with not so much depth and balance within the squad. So far, they are quite conservative, relying much on their defense. I think their inability to pressure teams like the Sharks will take its toll on them on Saturday and they will give away the game to San Jose.
Denis’ NHL Pick: San Jose Sharks (+150)
Tony Battalio
The San Jose Sharks are coming off of a victory in overtime against the New York Islanders. That victory gave them their third win in a row and their fifth win in the last six games dating back to the middle of November. This upcoming game against the Rangers will be the fourth game of a five game road trip that will end with a trip to Columbus to play the Blue Jackets on Sunday the 5th. San Jose currently possess a record of 13-9-1 on the year as they are three games above the .500 mark. Their record is good for 4th place in the Pacific division behind Edmonton, Calgary, and Anaheim.
The best around imo. pic.twitter.com/9lMtNdtUog
— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) December 2, 2021
The New York Rangers are currently 14-4-3 on the season. They are currently on a four game winning streak and have come out victorious in eight of their last nine games dating back to the middle of last month. They have turned it around after a slow start to the season and their winning streak may be even longer if not for a couple of canceled games against the Ottawa Senators and New York Islanders. As for the result of this one, I have the Rangers picking up another win and extending their winning streak to five games.
Tony’s NHL Pick: New York Rangers (-182)
Michael Lantz
The New York Rangers have won four straight, as they ran through an assortment of their Northeast neighbors to earn a 14-4-3 record that leaves them near the top of the NHL. Now they’ll host the San Jose Sharks, who just came off a clutch win against the New York Islanders 2-1 in overtime, to remain in the playoff hunt.
The Sharks continue to get great play from forward Timo Meier, whose two assists against the Islanders, buffered his team lead in points. In front of the net, Adin Hill stepped in to make 24 saves as he and goalie number one, James Reimer, continue to be one of the NHL’s most feared duos. Whoever steps in Friday night will have their hands full, as this streaking Rangers team has a new goal scoring phenom in Chris Kreider and are getting big help from veterans Artemi Panarin and Norris Trophy winner Adam Fox. The Rangers are looking more complete than ever and I expect their game to stifle this Sharks defense in a close one.
Michael’s NHL Pick: New York Rangers (-182)
New Jersey Devils @ Winnipeg Jets – 8.00PM ET
The New Jersey Devils end their road trip in Winnipeg when they take on the Jets. The Devils are another team that is playing on back-to-back nights, and last time out they suffered a loss against the Wild, 2-5. The Jets play their first game in December, after losing six of their last seven games in November, which has brought their season record to 10-8-4.
Denis Kirilov
The New Jersey Devils and the Winnipeg Jets are neither impressive nor a disappointment in this early stage of the 2021/22 NHL season. Both teams are in the middle of the table in their respective Conference. The Jets are 10th in the West with 24 points out of 22 matches, while the Devils are 11th in the East with 22 points from 20 games. However, both teams are struggling recently. Winnipeg is 1-6 lately, while New Jersey looks at a 2-6 run ahead of this meeting. Both of them have set their expectations high this season as their mission minimum is reaching the Playoffs.
In my opinion, this recent performance from both squads will result in a low-scoring match. The Jets are finding it difficult to score more than 2 goals, while the same thing goes for the Devils. Winnipeg even lost to the Coyotes, 0-1 at home. At the moment, both teams’ biggest issue is their inability to score and I will take advantage of that and pick the under for this exciting match on Saturday night.
Denis’ NHL Pick: Under 6 (-110)
Tony Battalio
The New Jersey Devils are coming off of a 2-5 loss to the Minnesota Wild on Thursday night. The loss to the Wild was their second loss to Minnesota in a little over a week. It was also their second loss in a row and their fourth in their last five games. The Devils have hit a rough patch on the season and will need to get it turned around quickly if they want to remain in the playoff picture as the season progresses. They will come into this game with the Winnipeg Jets with a record of 9-8-4 on the year, as their recent struggles have sent them plummeting under the .500 mark.
The Winnipeg Jets season has not gone much better than the Devils, as they too are one of the NHLs worst teams. In fact they sport a nearly identical record of 10-8-4. They are losers of six of their last seven games on the season. One of those losses was absolutely inexcusable as it came to the Arizona Coyotes, who are by far the worst team to hit the ice this season. As for the result of this game, due to the recent forms of both teams this could arguably go either way which is why I’m going with the safer bet of the over on goals.
Tony’s NHL Pick: Over 6 (-110)
Michael Lantz
Sometimes in hockey, it only takes about two weeks for a team to fall from grace. On November 16th, the Winnipeg Jets would beat the Edmonton Oilers in a statement win 5-2, to advance to 9-3-3, and making a statement that they’re one of the league’s dark horse teams. Unfortunately, after that game, the Jets would lose five straight, in which they showed little to no offense. That losing streak ended when the Jets beat one of the NHL’s best, the Calgary Flames, 4-2 on Saturday the 27th. That would’ve been the perfect time for the Jets to get back on track. But what do they go out and do instead? They lose to the abysmal Coyotes 0-1. The Jets need more players to step up in the scoring, as breakout American Kyle Conner can’t do it all. They’ll have a chance to get back to their winning ways as they face a bit of a wild-card New Jersey Devils team.
The Devils have lost four of their last five as they suffered back-to-back 2-5 losses to the San Jose Sharks and Minnesota Wild. They’ll look to avoid three straight in their road game against a Winnipeg team that has struggled to score. Both these teams have been pretty rough to watch lately, but I’m going to give the game to the Devils, who’ve had a few more highs lately than this Winnipeg team, who despite a great win at Calgary, have been pretty tough to watch.
Michael’s NHL Pick: New Jersey Devils (+146)
Vegas Golden Knights @ Arizona Coyotes – 9.30PM ET
The Vegas Golden Knights end their road trip in Arizona when they take on the Coyotes. The Golden Knights are currently on a two game losing streak, with losses to the Oilers and Ducks. The Coyotes have the worst record in the Western Division, despite playing the most number of games, their record currently stands at 5-16-2, with just 12 points.
Denis Kirilov
The Vegas Golden Knights and the Arizona Coyotes are two teams from totally different worlds. The Coyotes fight to live another day, while the Golden Knights slowly, but surely make their way up the table. Although Arizona found some wins recently, they are still dead last in the West with just 5 wins and 12 points from 23 games. The team is yet to defeat an opponent by more than a single goal and for me, that’s a good enough reason to state that they are probably the weakest team in the NHL this season.
Losing three out of their last four games made the Golden Knights rethink the way they approach the games. They were defeated by direct rivals in the likes of the St. Louis Blues, Edmonton Oilers, and Anaheim Ducks and this raised several concerns for the team hoping to at least repeat its fantastic rookie season from 2018. The Golden Knights proved that they have the quality to fight with the biggest names in the League. Moreover, they usually demolish teams from the caliber of the Coyotes and I expect nothing else in this upcoming fixture. My prediction here goes in favor of the Golden Knights and I think they will also be able to cover the spread, although they play away from home.
Denis’ NHL Pick: Vegas Golden Knights -1.5 (+112)
Tony Battalio
The Vegas Golden Knights come into this game with a record of 12-10-0 the season. That’s good enough for fifth place in the Pacific Division behind a pair of Canadian and California teams. They have lost two games in a row and three of their last four contests. This game against the Arizona Coyotes will be the finale of a three game road trip for the team and they are yet to record a win on the trip. That is a streak that should be broken as they go up against the worst team in the league on Friday evening.
Look who’s back just in the Nick of time. 👀 pic.twitter.com/WkLPGZ1Bry
— Arizona Coyotes (@ArizonaCoyotes) December 2, 2021
The Arizona Coyotes, as previously mentioned, are the worst team in the National Hockey League this season. They come into this game with a record of 5-16-2 which is a full 19 points out of first place in the Central Division. They have lost three out of their last four games with their only victory during that stretch coming against the Winnipeg Jets on November 29th. As for the result of this game, as I said previously the Vegas Golden Knights should have no problem picking up a win in this game and will likely cover the 1.5 goal spread in the process.
Tony’s NHL Pick: Vegas Golden Knights -1.5 (+112)
Michael Lantz
Vegas fell short in an absolute goalfest against the Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday night, losing 5-6 to Anaheim and failing to gain ground in the Pacific Division. Now the Golden Knights hope to rebound as they face an Arizona Coyotes team with the worst record in the Western Conference. You can’t count the Coyotes out yet though, they’ve had a few wins in their recent games, as they beat the Winnipeg Jets and the Los Angeles Kings in the last week and a half.
The Coyotes defense has been their strong suit, as three of their last six games have had the opponent score two goals or less. The Vegas Golden Knights are getting closer to full-strength, but even as they inch closer, they’ve struggled with injuries so much that the team is sort of relearning how to play together. If there’s a time for the Coyotes to attack it’s now, especially at home. I’m not sure they’ll get the victory, but I’m going to pick them at least to cover.
Michael’s NHL Pick: Arizona Coyotes +1.5 (-138)
Calgary Flames @ Anaheim Ducks – 10.00PM ET
Two Pacific Division teams will face off against each other in one of the five NHL games on Friday night. The Calgary Flames got a late night victory over the Kings, 3-2, last night, and they will be looking to back up again late on Friday night. The Ducks have won two games in a row against the Kings and Golden Knights, which brings their season record to 13-8-3.
Denis Kirilov
The Calgary Flames and the Anaheim Ducks are off to a remarkable start this campaign in the NHL. Both teams are fighting for the top places in the Western Conference as Calgary have the upper hand so far, being two points ahead of their opponents. Anaheim is playing on ups and downs recently as they avoided suffering a comeback against the Kings and the Golden Knights. The team somehow finds the right way in such tight games so far which puts them in 4th place in the West.
The Calgary Flames have been exceptional this year. They are second in the West with a real chance to go further ahead. They have one of the best attacks in the NHL combined with the best defense which conceded just 45 goals for 23 games. The Flames will have to make use of the perfect circumstances at the moment as they don’t have anybody from their top players who is injured. The team will definitely try to accumulate as many points as possible in this period and that’s why I think we can trust them in overcoming the Anaheim Ducks on their home ice.
Denis’ NHL Pick: Calgary Flames (-134)
Tony Battalio
The Calgary Flames picked up a big win on the road against the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday night. It was a game that went all the way down to the wire, as it was a 1 goal difference for the entire third period. The Flames now come into this game with a record of 14-4-5 on the season. The win against the Kings was Calgary’s second in a row and sixth in their last seven games, as they have been one of the hottest teams in the league as of late. They will look to continue their streak against a scrappy Anaheim Ducks team.
The Anaheim Ducks come into this game with a record of 13-8-3 on the year as they are still hot off the heels of a big winning streak that was followed by losses in four of their next five games. However in their last two contests they defeated the Los Angeles Kings and Vegas Golden Knights. They are quickly recovering from the slump they had at the end of November to reestablish themselves as playoff contenders. As for the result of this game, I expect the Ducks to pick up the win at home.
Tony’s NHL Pick: Anaheim Ducks (+112)
Michael Lantz
This one should be a thrill to watch, as two of the Pacific Division’s best face off in a Friday night matchup. Calgary added to their Pacific Division leading record on Thursday night, as they edged out the Kings 3-2 thanks to Andrew Mangiapane’s goal and assist. Less than 24 hours later they get back on the ice to face one of the NHL’s breakout teams. After a 5-1 defeat to the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Anaheim Ducks got their offense in gear scoring 11 goals over their last two games. This included a big 6-5 win over a Vegas Golden Knights team that’s trying to inch their way back into the playoff standings.
Anaheim has a lot of different guys that can contribute, but so far one has stood out among the rest. Troy Terry scored one of the six goals on Wednesday night as he brought his total to 15 on the year. The Ducks hope the young American can continue his scoring run against the division leading Flames. As good as Calgary has been, the Ducks have shown no intimidation, regardless of their opponent. I think that attitude will continue, and they’ll use their extra day of rest to help overpower the Flames in Calgary. This one should be fun as it gets my upset pick of the day.
Michael’s NHL Pick: Anaheim Ducks (+112)
Edmonton Oilers @ Seattle Kraken – 10.00PM ET
Another game that features two teams from the Pacific Division, and this time it is the Edmonton Oilers up against the Seattle Kraken. The Oilers are currently on a three game winning streak, thanks to wins against the Coyotes, Golden Knights and Penguins, which brings their season record to 16-5-0. The Kraken didn’t start the month of December the way that would have hoped, losing to the Red Wings, 3-4, in a shootout.
Denis Kirilov
The Edmonton Oilers have the deadliest attacking duo in the NHL this year. Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid combine for a total of 81 goals and assists (35 goals and 46 assists). They continue to be leaders in the individual rankings as only Alexander Ovechkin comes close to their numbers. Although the Oilers are missing a total of 10 players, the team is still looking fabulous. They are on a 5-1 run lately, defeating strong teams like the Pittsburgh Penguins, Vegas Golden Knights, and Winnipeg Jets. Edmonton leads the Western Conference with 32 points from 21 matches and a game in hand.
The rookies from Seattle are looking to make their statement in the NHL. They have mostly been a punching bag up until this moment. In the last days of November, the Kraken managed to achieve something extraordinary. They defeated each single one of the top teams in the East. First, they smashed the Capitals by 5-2. Then, the Kraken outsmarted the Hurricanes after a 2-1 win at home. On top of that, they dismantled the Florida Panthers in high fashion that finished 4-1 in their favor. Jaden Schwartz and Jordan Eberle were amongst the top contributors for the team in these games, but they will miss the upcoming contest against the Oilers. That’s exactly the main reason why I will go with Edmonton in this one. Not only are they the better team on paper, but they will also have an additional advantage from the absence of some of Seattle’s best players.
Denis’ NHL Pick: Edmonton Oilers (-132)
Tony Battalio
As far as talent on the ice goes, the Edmonton Oilers are the best team, not only in Canada but the entire National Hockey League. Both Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid’s performances so far this season have them both deserving of serious Most Valuable Player award winner consideration. Edmonton comes into this game with a record of 16-5-0 on the season. They are currently on a three game winning streak and have picked up victories in five of their last six games. They are currently in first place of the Pacific Division as they lead the Calgary Flames by a single point.
The #SeaKraken earn a point, but fall in the shootout. pic.twitter.com/9774nUHlLQ
— Seattle Kraken (@SeattleKraken) December 2, 2021
The Seattle Kraken come into this game with a record of 8-13-2 on the year. This game against the Oilers will be the first of a four game home stand as the Pittsburgh Penguins, Winnipeg Jets, and the Columbus Blue Jackets will all visit the Pacific Northwest. The Seattle Kraken will have to play near perfect hockey to steal a win in any of those games. As for the result of this one, the Edmonton Oilers should have no issue coming away with a victory on the road.
Tony’s NHL Pick: Edmonton Oilers (-132)
Michael Lantz
The last time these two faced off, the Oilers walked away with an easy 5-2 win in Edmonton. But since then, the Kraken have beaten some of the NHL’s best (Capitals, Hurricanes, Panthers), as they’ll try to make the proper adjustments to take out the Conor McDavid and Co. in Seattle. The Oilers easily beat the Pittsburgh Penguins on Wednesday night, as Sidney Crosby and the Pens were no match for Edmonton on either side of the puck.
The Oilers got four points from McDavid as he continues to run away with the NHL’s assist lead. Edmonton knows they can’t get too confident against this Seattle team as they had to rely on a big third period to beat them last time around. After a successful road trip, I expect Seattle’s Climate Pledge Arena to be loud on Friday night, but with some potential injuries for the Kraken (Jordan Eberle, Jaden Schawrtz, Mark Girodano) I think the Oilers pull off the victory.
Michael’s NHL Pick: Edmonton Oilers (-128)
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*Odds and spreads correct at time of writing, courtesy of FanDuel.
