We are loving the action throughout this impressive NHL season so far. As we move past the mid way point in the season, each division’s ladder has already become well formed. Despite this, 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!
Here at SportsTips, we are just as keen on the NHL as you are! We spend each and every day going through the best games and previewing them for you. Our experts offer up their free NHL picks, which means that you not only get enjoyment out of watching some intriguing games, but also make extra cash while doing so!
Look below to find our free NHL picks, as we preview the four games on today’s schedule.
Detroit Red Wings @ Minnesota Wild – 8.00PM ET
The Detroit Red Wings kick off their short two game road trip on Monday night against the Minnesota Wild. The Red Wings are currently on a two game winning streak after winning back-to-back games against the Flyers. In the Wild’s last eight games they have only dropped one, which was to the Jets, 0-2.
Marko Nadin
The Minnesota Wild are second in the Western Conference with a 29-11-3 record. They have won 7 of the last 8 games. After losing 0-2 against Winnipeg, the Wild bounced back with a 3-2 win over the Carolina Hurricanes. Minnesota is the third best offensive team in the league with 3.72 goals per game. They have 32.8 shots per game, ranked 12th. The Wild have played over the total goal margin in 21 of the last 26 home games as favorites. Minnesota has won the last three games against Detroit, most recently 7-1 in February 2020.
The Detroit Red Wings are 9th in the Eastern Conference with a 22-21-6 record. They are coming off back-to-back wins over the Philadelphia Flyers. The Red Wings are ranked among the ten worst teams in the NHL with 2.8 goals per game, 29.2 rebounds per game and 17 PP% offensively. Detroit has played over the total goals margin in the last 4 games following a win. The Red Wings have lost 6 of the last 7 games following a game in which they allowed no more than 2 goals. Detroit is 15-64 in their last 79 games as a road underdog.
Marko’s NHL Pick: Minnesota Wild (-250)
Tony Battalio
The Detroit Red Wings are coming into this game with a record of 22-21-6 through their first 49 games of the season. They currently find themselves in fifth place in the Atlantic Division at the moment, as they will have a lot of work to get themselves back into the playoff picture. Detroit is on a two game winning streak as they have won back to back games against the Philadelphia Flyers. Now Detroit will look to make it three straight when they head to Minnesota for this one.
.@xfinity player of the week?
MO SEIDER! pic.twitter.com/U7PJy0haww
— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) February 13, 2022
The Minnesota Wild are coming into this game with a record of 29-11-3 through their first 43 games of the season. At one point in the year they were the best team in the National Hockey League, now they are in second place in the Central Division. They have won four of their last five contests, including a big win over the Carolina Hurricanes in their last game by a score of 3-2 at home. As for the result of this game, I have the Minnesota Wild picking up the victory at home over the Detroit Red Wings.
Tony’s NHL Pick: Minnesota Wild (-250)
Jeffery Thomas
The Detroit Red Wings are coming off a quick hike and home series against the Flyers that they swept by a combined score of 10-5. The last game was a 4-2 win on Saturday at home where Thomas Greiss made 32 saves to help aid in the victory. It was his first game played since January 9 after a stint on the COVID list. That was Detroit’s third win in the last four games as they try to keep the momentum going when they travel to Minnesota for this game Monday. The Wild are also coming off a 3-2 statement win over the Hurricanes at home on Saturday.
Cam Talbot made 37 saves to lead the win and get Minnesota their 10th win in the last 12 games. Talbot has now won four straight starts, with a total of only 5 goals allowed. That win also catapulted them to 2nd place over the Preds in the Central. I think this is a good spot to back the Wild to keep their winning ways going. The Red Wings do their best work on home ice and that is not where they will be for this one against one of the hottest teams in the league. The Wild will extend their 12-game point streak at home with a big win over Detroit and it will be by more than 1 goal. Give me the Wild on the spread.
Jeffery’s NHL Pick: Minnesota Wild -1.5 (+108)
Toronto Maple Leafs @ Seattle Kraken – 9.00PM ET
The Toronto Maple Leafs wrap up their three game road trip when they travel to Seattle and take on the Kraken. The Maple Leafs have lost their last two games, after they were on a six game winning streak, and this takes their season record to 30-12-3. The Kraken managed to get the win last time out, 4-3, against the Ducks.
Marko Nadin
The Seattle Kraken are 15th in the Western Conference with a 16-28-4 record. They have lost 3 of the last 5 games but are coming off a 4-3 win over the Anaheim Ducks. The Kraken are among the seven worst teams in the league offensively with 2.6 goals, 28.5 shots on goal and 15.4 PP%. The Kraken have lost the last 4 games following a win. Seattle is 1-7 in their last 8 games as a home underdog. They have played over the total goals margin 5 of the last 6 games as home underdog and 5 of the last 6 Monday games.
The Toronto Maple Leafs are 6th in the Eastern Conference with a 30-12-3 record. They have lost the last two games to Calgary and Vancouver after winning the previous six. The Maple Leafs rank first in the NHL with 30.5 offensive PP% and rank fourth with 3.5 goals per game. Defensively, they are 7th with 2.7 goals allowed per game and 5th with 84.1 PP%. Toronto has won 5 of the last 6 games against a team with a losing record. They have played over the total goals margin in 6 of the last 7 games as a favorite.
Marko’s NHL Pick: Toronto Maple Leafs (-240)
Tony Battalio
The Toronto Maple Leafs are entering this game against the newest team in the National Hockey League with a record of 30-12-3 through their first 45 games of the season. Led by Auston Matthews, the Maple Leafs are currently in third place in the Atlantic Division and have started to look like a serious Stanley Cup contender as the season progresses. Despite the Maple Leafs playing well over the course of the year, Toronto is currently on a two game losing streak after dropping games to the Vancouver Canucks and Calgary Flames. Now they will be looking for a bounce back victory in this one.
The Seattle Kraken’s introductory season to the league has not gone like they may have intended it to. As they come into this game with a record of 16-28-4 through their first 48 games of the season. Seattle has certainly shown flashes throughout the season, but they haven’t quite been able to string enough victories together to make themselves a threat for a playoff spot. Seattle currently sits in last place of the Pacific Division. As for the result of this game, I have the Toronto Maple Leafs picking up the victory over the Seattle Kraken on the road.
Tony’s NHL Pick: Toronto Maple Leafs (-240)
Jeffery Thomas
The Leafs are ending a three-game road trip in Seattle after dropping the first two games against the Flames and Canucks. The Canucks loss on Saturday came despite them outshooting Vancouver by almost 30 shots! It’s their first time losing consecutive games in regulation since October. The Kraken continued life as an expansion team and bounced back from a 2-5 loss to Arizona, with a 4-3 win over the Anaheim Ducks on Friday. Jordan Eberle scored the game winning goal with 1:42 remaining to avoid the overtime period.
They now sit with a record of 16-28-4 and occupy the last place spot in the Pacific. This matchup plays right into the hands of Toronto for me in this one. The Kraken have a weak penalty kill unit which will definitely be a problem on Monday if they end up spending any time in the box, giving opportunities to the Leafs top ranked power play unit. I see Toronto controlling most of the play in this game and easily winning this one, snapping their 2 game losing streak.
Jeffery’s NHL Pick: Toronto Maple Leafs (-240)
Chicago Blackhawks @ Winnipeg Jets – 9.00PM ET
The Chicago Blackhawks and Winnipeg Jets, both from the Central Division, go toe-to-toe on Monday night in the NHL. The Blackhawks have lost four of their last five games, with their only win coming against the Oilers, 4-1. The Jets have been trading losses and wins for the last six games, and this takes their season record to 20-17-8.
Marko Nadin
The Winnipeg Jets are 12th in the Western Conference with a 20-17-8 record. They have lost 7 of the last 10 games but are coming off a 5-2 road win over the Nashville Predators. The Jets score and allow 2.9 goals per game. Offensively, they are 11th in the league with 21.5 PP%. The Jets have lost the last 4 games following a win and the last 5 after allowing 2 goals or less in their previous game. Winnipeg has won the last 3 and 8 of the last 10 games against Chicago. They have played over the total goals margin in 7 of the last 8 games after allowing 2 goals or less in their previous game.
The Chicago Blackhawks are 14th in the Western Conference with a 17-24-7 record. They have lost 8 of the last 10 games and are coming off a 1-5 loss to the St. Louis Blues. The Blackhawks are among the three worst teams in the league with 2.4 goals per game and 28.6 shots per game. Chicago is 1-5 in their last 6 when their opponent allows 2 goals or less in their previous game. Chicago has played under the total goals margin in 3 of the last 4 games against Western Conference opponents and in Monday games.
Marko’s NHL Pick: Winnipeg Jets (-164)
Tony Battalio
The Chicago Blackhawks are coming into this game with a record of 17-24-7 on the season. They started out the season as one of the worst teams in the National Hockey League, but have somewhat improved throughout the season. However, it may be too little too late for the Chicago Blackhawks at this point as they are 14 games below the .500 mark at the moment. They are currently in seventh place in the Central Division. Chicago is currently on a bad run of form as they’ve lost eight of their last ten games on the season. They will be looking for a much needed win in this one.
.@KyleConnor18 recorded his 300th career point in his 350th career game last night — second fastest in franchise history!
Congratulations KC 👏👏👏#GoJetsGo pic.twitter.com/M6rzYxgT6K
— Winnipeg Jets (@NHLJets) February 13, 2022
The Winnipeg Jets are coming into this game with a record of 20-17-8 through their first 45 games of the season. They are currently in sixth place in the Central Division. They picked up a win in their last game against the Nashville Predators by a score of 5-2. Winnipeg is likely on the outside looking in when it comes to the playoffs this season, as they would need a crazy run of successful play and victories to get back into playoff contention. As for the result of this game, I have the Winnipeg Jets picking up the victory at home.
Tony’s NHL Pick: Winnipeg Jets (-164)
Jeffery Thomas
The Blackhawks come in losers of eight of their last ten after their 1-5 loss to the St. Louis Blues. They’ve been dominated by the Blues in recent history, now with only two wins in their last eight meetings against their Central Division rivals. They only got 16 shots on goal in the game and defensively weren’t prepared at all for the Blues attack. They now sit seven points behind their opponent for this game, the Jets, in the Central and six points out of the wild card race. Winnipeg will look to keep their momentum rolling, after a big 5-2 comeback victory over the Predators on Saturday.
They capitalized on the undisciplined play of Nashville, who accumulated 45 penalty minutes, which led to 8 Winnipeg power plays, and 3 goals. Since returning from the All-Star break the Jets have earned five of a possible six points as they try to claw back into the playoff picture. Momentum means a lot in sport, and the Jets have a lot of it coming out of the All-Star break. New coach Dave Lowry has found something with this team and they have been looking dialed in, making a feverish run for a playoff spot down the stretch. Winnipeg crushed Chicago 5-1 in the previous meeting way back in November and as long as the Blackhawks aren’t taken lightly, I see them coming away with this one as well and they won’t need overtime to get it done.
Jeffery’s NHL Pick: Moneyline (3-way) – Winnipeg Jets (-105)
Edmonton Oilers @ San Jose Sharks – 10.30PM ET
The final game on Monday night’s slate in the NHL will see the Edmonton Oilers face off against the San Jose Sharks. The Oilers are back on track after dropping two games in a row, as they won against the Islanders last time out, 3-1. The Sharks will be looking to turn things around, after dropping three games in a row, and this takes their season record to 22-20-4.
Marko Nadin
The San Jose Sharks are 13th in the Western Conference with a 22-20-4 record. They have lost the last 3 games, most recently 2-3 in overtime against Tampa Bay. The Sharks are among the 11 worst teams in the league offensively with 2.7 goals, 29.8 shots and 18.8 PP%. The Sharks have lost 10 of the last 11 games as an underdog. The Sharks have played under the total goals margin in 9 of the last 10 home games following a road trip of 7 or more days. The Sharks have won 6 of the last 7 games against Edmonton.
The Edmonton Oilers are 10th in the Western Conference with a 24-18-3 record. They have lost 3 of the last 5 games but are coming off a 3-1 win over the New York Islanders. The Oilers are the second-best team in the league with 28 PP% on the offensive end. They score 3.2 goals per game and allow 3.3. The Oilers have played under the total goals margin in the last 5 games when their opponent scores 2 goals or less in their previous game and in the last 5 games playing on 2 days rest.
Marko’s NHL Pick: Under 6 (+114)
Tony Battalio
The Edmonton Oilers are possibly the most talented team in the National Hockey League, however they have underperformed. They come into this game with a record of 24-18-3 as they are only three games above the .500 mark through their first 45 games of the season. With Connor McDavid and now Evander Kane, this team should turn into a serious contender by the end of the season as long as nobody gets hurt. They will start a quick two game trip to California in this one, as they will be taking on the San Jose Sharks in game one.
The previously mentioned San Jose Sharks come into this game with a record of 22-20-4 through their first 46 games of the season. They are currently in seventh place in the Pacific Division and look to be all but officially eliminated from the playoffs as the season’s second half is getting underway. San Jose is currently on a three game losing streak after dropping games to three of the best teams in the National Hockey League, the Carolina Hurricanes, the Florida Panthers, and the two time defending Stanley Cup champions, the Tampa Bay Lightning. As for the result of this game, I have the Sharks losing a fourth straight game.
Tony’s NHL Pick: Edmonton Oilers (-146)
Jeffery Thomas
The Oilers head to California for a quick 2 game road trip against the Sharks and Kings on Monday and Tuesday. They are just 1-2 since returning from the All-Star break with losses to Vegas and Chicago. Edmonton rebounded from those two losses though, with a 3-1 win over the New York Islanders on Friday. It’s been a good recent run of hockey for this team, going 6-2-1 in their last nine as they now eye another win against San Jose Monday night. We have not seen the Sharks play a game since the All-Star break, with their last game being a 2-3 overtime loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning. It was their third straight loss and seventh loss in the last nine games.
This is a game between two Pacific Division rivals who are only separated by 3 points in the standings. The Sharks, like I mentioned, have been off for nearly two weeks, and we could see a lot of rust from them early against an Edmonton team that they aren’t as good as. I think we’ll see the Oilers jump out in front early, putting San Jose in a position to chase the entire game, a position they don’t usually thrive in. I like this matchup for this Edmonton team and it’s a pretty straightforward victory for them.
Jeffery’s NHL Pick: Edmonton Oilers (-146)
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*Odds and spreads correct at time of writing, courtesy of FanDuel.
