We are loving the action throughout this impressive NHL season so far. As we move into the final stretch of the season, each division’s ladder has already become well formed. This means that every single win or loss can have a significant impact on the position each team will finish in when the regular season draws to a close, 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.
Calgary Flames @ Chicago Blackhawks – 8.00PM ET
The first game on Monday night in the NHL will see the Calgary Flames hit the road and face off against the Chicago Blackhawks. The Flames have now been officially confirmed for the playoffs, with 101 points, which is good enough for first position in the Pacific Division, and they have won six of their last seven games. The Blackhawks will not be in the playoffs this year, and in their last 10 games they have gone 1-7-2.
Marko Nadin
The Chicago Blackhawks are having another disappointing season as they are 14th in the Western Conference with a 25-39-11 record. The Blackhawks have lost 9 of the last 10 games and are coming off a 3-4 loss to the Nashville Predators. Chicago is among the five-worst teams in the league scoring 2.6 goals and allowing 3.5 goals per season. They have lost 16 of the last 51 games against Western Conference opponents, 22 of the last 29 as home underdog and 28 of the last 36 games played on Monday.
The Calgary Flames are third in the Western Conference with a 46-20-9 record and are only one point behind the St. Louis Blues in the fight for the second seed. The Flames have won 5 of the last 6 games and are coming off a 9-1 win over the Arizona Coyotes. They are ranked sixth in the league scoring 3.5 goals per game and third with 35.7 shots on goal per game. Defensively the Flames are third with 2.5 allowed goals per game. Calgary has won 8 of the last 10 games against Chicago and the last 5 road games.
Marko’s NHL Pick: Calgary Flames (-275)
Tony Battalio
The Calgary Flames got hot mid season and now are on the cusp of winning the Pacific Division and heading into the Stanley Cup playoffs with a ton of momentum. As they come into this game with a record of 46-20-9 through their first 75 games of the season. They currently hold a seven point lead over the next closest team to them in the Pacific Division which is the Edmonton Oilers at the moment. With only 7 games remaining in the regular season they could end up clinching the division before the final week of the regular season.
It’s been a rough season for the Chicago Blackhawks as they were never fully able to recover from their slow start to the year. Now they come into this game with a record of 25-39-11 through their first 75 games of the season. They are coming into this matchup against one of the best teams in the National Hockey League on a one game losing streak after falling to the Nashville Predators in their last game. As for the result of this game, I think the Calgary Flames will not have a problem getting the win.
Tony’s NHL Pick: Calgary Flames (-275)
Jeffery Thomas
The Calgary Flames are comfortably sitting at the top spot in the Pacific Division and will be traveling to Chicago to take on a Blackhawks team that has been out of playoff contention for the entire season basically. The Flames are coming off a 9-1 win over Arizona on Saturday night and are now winners of six of their last seven. The Blackhawks on the other hand, have only won 1 game in their last 10 and are coming in with not a lot of confidence.
They sit with an average of just 2.63 goals a game, which is sixth-worst in the league. The Flames and Blackhawks have met twice this season, with Calgary winning both by a combined score of 10-3. They’ve made it a thing to beat down on lesser opponents all year and that’s the exact spot they’ll be in on Monday in Chicago. I like the Flames to continue their dominance in this head-to-head and hand the Blackhawks yet another loss.
Jeffery’s NHL Pick: Calgary Flames -1.5 (-111)
Washington Capitals @ Colorado Avalanche – 9.00PM ET
The road trip continues on for the Washington Capitals, who on Monday will face off against the Colorado Avalanche. Both teams are going to be playing in the playoffs this season; the Capitals currently hold the second Wild Card spot (with a big gap back to third spot), and the Avalanche have locked down the top spot in the Central Division.
Marko Nadin
The Colorado Avalanche had a slow start of the season but once they took off they proved they are the best team in the league. Currently they are with a 55-14-6 record on top of the Western Conference with a 14-point advantage over the St. Louis Blues who are second. Colorado has won the last 9 games and is coming off a 7-4 win over Carolina. The Avalanche are the second-best scoring team in the league with 3.9 goals per game and are ranked third with 26.1% power play conversion. The Avalanche have won the last 8 games when their opponent has scored 5 or more goals in the previous game.
The Washington Capitals are eighth in the Eastern Conference with a 42-23-10 record and are three points behind the Pittsburgh Penguins. They have won 5 of the last 6 games and are coming off a 8-4 win over the Montreal Canadiens. Washington is ranked eighth in the league scoring 3.5 goals per game and sixth in the league allowing 29.2 shots on goal per game. The Capitals have won 8 of the last 10 games against Colorado and 6 of the last 7 road games.
Marko’s NHL Pick: Colorado Avalanche (-210)
Tony Battalio
The Washington Capitals are one of my dark horse teams to compete for a Stanley Cup title this season. That is as long as their star player Alexander Ovechkin can stay consistent and healthy throughout the rest of the regular season and playoffs. The Capitals come into this one with a record of 42-23-10 through their first 75 games of the season, which puts them in fourth place in the Metropolitan Division as they have already locked up their Stanley Cup playoff berth for the season.
The Colorado Avalanche overcame a slow start to the 2021-22 National Hockey League season to become the best team in the league. As the Avalanche are the current favorites to bring home a Stanley Cup trophy. They come into this game with a league leading record of 55-14-6 through their first 75 games of the regular season. They have already clinched the Central Division crown due in part to an impressive nine game winning streak they are currently on. As for the result of this one, I have the Colorado Avalanche getting their tenth win in a row.
Tony’s NHL Pick: Colorado Avalanche (-210)
Jeffery Thomas
The Colorado Avalanche entered the season as the favorite to win the Stanley Cup and have proven why that was the case all season. On Monday the Avs will host the Washington Capitals as they continue their run at a second consecutive Presidents’ Trophy. Colorado is on a nine-game winning streak that has been spearheaded by their offense which is averaging 4.55 goals a game in that span. The red-hot offense was on full display in their last game out, a 7-4 win over the Carolina Hurricanes who have one of the best defenses in the league.
Washington is coming in on good form as well, winning 5 of 6 and now have a legitimate shot at catching the Penguins in the playoff race and avoiding a possible matchup with the Florida Panthers in the 1st round. Two elite offenses meeting up here and all I see in this game is goals and more goals. If Colorado can put a 7 spot up on the Canes then they have the ability to do that on anyone, which would cover the over by themselves alone. Pair that with Washington’s elite offense and there’s no way I can’t take the over in this game.
Jeffery’s NHL Pick: Over 7 (+112)
Carolina Hurricanes @ Arizona Coyotes – 10.00PM ET
The Carolina Hurricanes wrap up their two game road trip with a game against the Arizona Coyotes. The Hurricanes are tied at the top of the Metropolitan Division with the Rangers, as both teams have 104 points. The Coyotes have the second worst record in the league, at 22-48-5, and obviously will not make the playoffs.
Marko Nadin
The Arizona Coyotes are having a season to forget as they are locked to the bottom of the Western Conference with a 22-48-5 record. The Coyotes have lost the last 6 games scoring only one goal in five of those. Arizona lost 1-9 in their most recent game against the Calgary Flames. Arizona is ranked 30th in the league allowing 3.8 goals per game and the last team scoring only 2.4 goals per game. They have lost 21 of the last 30 games against Eastern Conference opponents.
The Carolina Hurricanes are third in the Eastern Conference with a 48-20-8 record. They have lost 3 of the last 5 games and are coming off a 4-7 loss to the Colorado Avalanche. The Hurricanes are the best defensive team in the league allowing only 2.4 goals on 28.3 shots on goal per game and defending 88% of the power play situations. Carolina has won 7 of the last 10 including the last 4 games against Arizona. They have also won 21 of the last 29 games played after one day’s rest.
Marko’s NHL Pick: Carolina Hurricanes (-375)
Tony Battalio
The Carolina Hurricanes are coming into this matchup sitting on top of the Metropolitan Division with a record of 48-20-8 through their first 76 games of the regular season. They will be in a division title race the rest of the way out as they are currently leading the New York Rangers on tiebreakers as both teams have 104 total points. It also just happens that the two will also play each other one more time in the regular season and the winner of that game will likely determine who wins the division title.
The Arizona Coyotes have been one of the worst teams in the National Hockey League this season. As they come into this game with a record of 22-48-5 through their first 75 games of the season. They are currently on a sixth game losing streak as they find themselves at the bottom of the Central Division, which is where they are going to finish the season as well. As for the result of this game, I don’t think it’ll be very close as I have the Carolina Hurricanes picking up the victory over the Arizona Coyotes.
Tony’s NHL Pick: Carolina Hurricanes (-375)
Jeffery Thomas
The Carolina Hurricanes are the top team in the Metropolitan Division and will be traveling to Arizona to take on the 8th place team in the Central, the Coyotes. The Canes are coming off a 4-7 loss to the Colorado Avalanche and get a real nice bounce back spot against an Arizona team that is just going through the motions trying to get this season to end. It was a 1-9 loss to the Flames last time out for the Coyotes, and that made it seven losses in their last eight games.
What makes it worse is that all seven losses were by 4 or more goals. This matchup couldn’t be more of a mismatch and there’s no way this game stays close. The Hurricanes are in a deadlock atop the Metro and will need these two points to try and pull away from the New York Rangers. I expect a locked in and focused group on Monday to get this road victory easily.
Jeffery’s NHL Pick: Carolina Hurricanes -1.5 (-137)
New Jersey Devils @ Vegas Golden Knights – 10.00PM ET
The New Jersey Devils’ road trip finally comes to an end tonight when they go toe-to-toe with the Vegas Golden Knights. The Devils will not be in the playoffs this year, and in their last 10 games they have gone 3-5-2. The Golden Knights still have a chance to make the playoffs, but they need wins desperately, and they also need other results to go their way, as they are currently in third position in the Wild Card race.
Marko Nadin
The Vegas Golden Knights are ninth in the Western Conference with a 41-30-5 record and have no room for error as they are three points behind the last spot that leads to the playoffs. Vegas has lost 3 of the last 5 games and is coming off a 0-4 loss to the Edmonton Oilers. The Golden Knights are ranked 14th in the league scoring 3.2 goals per game and 8th with 34.1 shots on goal per game. Vegas has won the last 4 games against New Jersey and 6 of the last 7 home games.
The New Jersey Devils are 14th in the Eastern Conference with a 26-42-7 record. They have lost the last two games, most recently 3-4 in a shootout against the Seattle Kraken. The Devils are 17th in the league scoring 3 goals per game and 28th allowing 3.6 goals per game. The last time the Devils defeated the Golden Knights was back in 2018. New Jersey has lost 5 of the last 7 games against a Western Conference opponent, 5 of the last 6 games played on Monday and 44 of the last 63 overall.
Marko’s NHL Pick: Vegas Golden Knights (-320)
Tony Battalio
It’s been a pretty disappointing season for the New Jersey Devils this year as they were out of Stanley Cup playoff contention virtually by the All-Star break. Now they come into this game with a record of 26-42-7 through their first 75 games of the season. As they sit in seventh place of the Metropolitan Division ahead of only the Philadelphia Flyers at the moment. The Devils currently find themselves on a two game losing streak after losing back to back games to the Colorado Avalanche and Seattle Kraken.
The Vegas Golden Knights had a great start to the 2021-22 National Hockey League season and then collapsed throughout the middle of the year due to a plethora of injuries. Now they have recovered and come into this one with a record of 41-30-5 through their first 76 games of the season. They haven’t quite clinched their Stanley Cup playoff berth yet as they come into this one in fourth place of the Pacific Division and in third place of the Western Conference Wild Card race. As for the result of this game, I am taking the Vegas Golden Knights to get the win.
Tony’s NHL Pick: Vegas Golden Knights (-320)
Jeffery Thomas
The Vegas Golden Knights are making a late push at the end of the regular season to make the postseason for the 5th consecutive year, which is every year that their franchise has been in existence. As of right now, they are 4 points back of the Dallas Stars and Nashville Predators for the Wild Card spots so 2 points on Monday will be vital.
The only thing standing in their way of those points will be the New Jersey Devils who have only won 2 of their 8 games in the month of April and shouldn’t be too tall of a task. The Golden Knights are the far better team here that is at home, and much more motivated. That all adds up to a team that will be locked in from the opening puck drop and I don’t see this going any other way than a blowout.
Jeffery’s NHL Pick: Vegas Golden Knights (-320)
Dallas Stars @ Vancouver Canucks – 10.30PM ET
We wrap things up in the NHL for tonight with a game between the Dallas Stars and Vancouver Canucks. The Stars are in for a fight, as they currently hold the second Wild Card spot in the Western Conference, on the same number of points as the Predators (who hold the first Wild Card spot) and they have a few points more than the Golden Knights (who are in third place in the Wild Card race). The Canucks still have a chance, as they are in fourth place in the Wild Card race, seven points out of one of the Wild Card spots, with seven games to go.
Marko Nadin
The Vancouver Canucks have only a theoretical chance to reach the playoffs as they are 10th in the Western Conference with a 37-28-10 record which is 6 points behind the 8th and three points behind the 9th spot in the standings. The Canucks have won the last 5 games and are coming off a 7-1 win over the Arizona Coyotes. Vancouver has won 6 of the last 10 games against Dallas including the last two. They have also won 5 of the last 7 Monday games and 7 of the last 10 games played after 3 or more days of rest.
The Dallas Stars are sixth in the Western Conference with a 43-27-5 record but still haven’t locked a playoff berth since they have only 4 points more than the Vegas Golden Knights who are in ninth place. The Stars have won 3 of the last 4 games and are coming off a 2-1 win over the San Jose Sharks. Dallas scores and allows 2.9 goals per game which ranked them 20th offensively and 13th defensively. The Stars have won 6 of their last 7 road games and 5 of the last 7 games against Western Conference rivals.
Marko’s NHL Pick: Vancouver Canucks (+100)
Tony Battalio
This game between the Dallas Stars and Vancouver Canucks has major playoff implications. As both teams are still fighting for not only top three spots in their respective divisions but for the two Western Conference Wild Card spots. That is a battle that the Dallas Stars are currently winning as they come into this one holding onto one of those previously mentioned Wild Card spots. Dallas currently has a record of 43-27-5 through their first 75 games of the season.
The Vancouver Canucks are fighting as hard as they can to make one final run towards the Stanley Cup playoffs this season. As they come into this game with a record of 37-28-10 through their first 75 games of the season. They are currently in fifth place in the Pacific Division and will have to get it rolling if they want to find their way into the postseason this year. They come into this one currently on a five game winning streak, and they still have some work to do. As for the result of this one, I’m taking the Vancouver Canucks to get the win.
Tony’s NHL Pick: Vancouver Canucks (+100)
Jeffery Thomas
The Dallas Stars will travel north of the border to take on the Vancouver Canuck on Monday in a game with major playoff implications. The Stars are coming off a 2-1 win over the San Jose Sharks on Saturday and now have won three of their last four. They hold the second Wild Card spot in the Western Conference and their opponents, the Canucks, are seven points back of them. In desperation mode, Vancouver has won five straight and are trying their best to claw their way up into the postseason.
Two of those wins however, were against arguably the worst team in the league in Arizona and another against the San Jose Sharks who are also very bad. It’s not to take away from the streak, but this will be a much stiffer test and it’ll be interesting to see how they handle it. I expect a lot of people to be on the Canucks, who are home underdogs on a great run, but I just think that Dallas is the better team. This game is equally as important for both teams and Dallas is 8-3 in their last 11 when priced as favorites, so the books know which spots are good for them. I’m comfortable backing them in this clash on Monday.
Jeffery’s NHL Pick: Dallas Stars (-120)
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*Odds and spreads correct at time of writing, courtesy of FanDuel.
