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!
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 best five games on today’s schedule.
Tampa Bay Lightning @ Ottawa Senators – 1.00PM ET
Two Atlantic Division teams hit the ice to kick off Saturday’s slate of games. The Tampa Bay Lightning are sitting in second place with 38 points, whereas the Ottawa Senators are sitting in second last place, with 15 points. The Lightning have won all five of their games so far in December. The Senators had their three game winning streak snapped last time out, with a loss to the Islanders, 3-5.
Denis Kirilov
The Tampa Bay Lightning have been on fire recently as they come into their next match on a 5-game winning streak. The reigning champions found their rhythm which launched them to 3rd place in the Eastern Conference. The team will surely try to defend the title once again, but they know the path is long and bumpy. Steven Stamkos leads the team in goals and is also one of the main contributors in terms of assists. Victor Hedman and Mikhail Sergachyov help the Lightning in defense and have 22 and 11 assists respectively.
The Ottawa Senators have been probably one of the most attractive opponents a team can have due to their immense problems in the beginning of the season. However, they make up for some of those bad performances with 3 straight wins over some of the best teams in the NHL recently. They defeated the Carolina Hurricanes, the Colorado Avalanche, and the New Jersey Devils in three of their last four games. The team is struggling in second-to-last place in the East with only 15 points out of 24 matches. I think this game might turn out to be difficult for Tampa, but I will still trust them to cover their spread against a weakened Ottawa.
Denis’ NHL Pick: Tampa Bay Lightning -1.5
Tony Battalio
This is a game between two teams on opposite ends of the standings as the two time defending champions hit the road and head north of the border to play the Ottawa Senators. Tampa Bay comes into this game with a record of 17-5-4 on the year. They have yet to drop a game in the month of December as they are 5-0-0 thus far. Ottawa and Tampa Bay are separated by 23 points in the Atlantic division standings.
On to Ottawa. ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/ApyhrewDbP
— Tampa Bay Lightning (@TBLightning) December 10, 2021
The Ottawa Senators are having a rough year so far this season. They come into this game with a record of 7-16-1 on the year which is good for dead last in the Atlantic division. They will need to play near perfect hockey to get a win in this one. As for the result of this game though, I don’t see that happening as I expect the Tampa Bay Lightning to pick up the win on the road to extend their winning streak.
Tony’s NHL Pick: Tampa Bay Lightning
Michael Lantz
Two teams that are on opposite sides of the spectrum, as the Tampa Bay Lightning are sitting right near the top of the Atlantic Division after a huge win against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday night. They’ll look to continue to wreak havoc on their Canadian road trip as they take on the Ottawa Senators on Saturday.
Ottawa are giving the Arizona Coyotes a run for their money as the worst team in the NHL, with a 7-16-1 record on the year. Luckily they’ve shown some signs of life lately as they won three of four games, providing some optimism going ahead. That being said, I can’t see them slowing down a Tampa Bay Lightning team that is starting to form into their usual Stanley Cup ways.
Michael’s NHL Pick: Tampa Bay Lightning Spread
Washington Capitals @ Buffalo Sabres – 7.00PM ET
We can’t be more excited for this game. Who do you think will come out on top? The Caps with the amazing record so far this season of the Sabres, looking to fight back in this season. Only time will tell!
Denis Kirilov
The Washington Capitals will face the Buffalo Sabres on Sunday night in the NHL. Both teams had tough encounters on Friday as the Capitals were outclassed by the Pittsburgh Penguins, while Buffalo suffered their 6th straight loss against the New York Rangers. The Sabres are in a really bad spot at the moment as they have lost 10 out of their last 11 games. This performance dragged them back to 13th place in the East with just 19 points out of 26 matches. The Capitals, however, are still fighting for the top spots as they are currently 4th with 38 points, 2 points behind the first, Florida Panthers.
Alexander Ovechkin and Evgeni Kuznetsov are once again displaying their class as they came really close to making a miraculous comeback against the Penguins. However, their efforts came up short as Jeff Carter took advantage of the empty net and closed out the game. It’s undoubtedly that the Capitals are superior to the Sabres at the moment. They might have some ups and downs in their performance, but the consistency is still there. The Capitals make sure that after a couple of bad games, they are going to stop the unpleasant streak in its tracks. I think they will do exactly the same and use the fact that they have an easier opponent so that they can cut a potential losing streak. I will suggest picking their spread as they will try to get their hands on the 1st place in the East.
Denis’ NHL Pick: Washington Capitals -1.5
Michael Lantz
After three straight games where they were dominated on both sides of the puck, the Buffalo Sabres have looked a bit better on defense in the last couple of games. Still, they’ve lost six straight and things won’t get easier as they take on the Washington Capitals.
Despite being a big contender in the Eastern Conference, the Washington Capitals have shown a bit of vulnerability lately. They lost to a subpar Chicago Blackhawks team, won two games, and then lost to their rivals the Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday night. They’ll look to bounce back against a Sabres team that headed for a high draft pick. Even with the game being in Western New York I can’t see the Capitals taking a loss.
Michael’s NHL Pick: Washington Capitals spread
Chicago Blackhawks @ Toronto Maple Leafs – 7.00PM ET
The Chicago Blackhawks end their two game road trip in Toronto when they face off against the Maple Leafs. The Blackhawks have had a bit of a mixed back in December, winning three of their five games so far, taking their season record to 10-14-2. The Maple Leafs have only managed to win two of their five games in December, and this brings their season record to 18-8-2.
Denis Kirilov
After one of the worst starts in their NHL franchise history, the Chicago Blackhawks managed to crawl back to the 13th place. They are with 22 points out of 26 games which is still bad, but not the level of bad that was in the beginning. The Blackhawks adroitly make use of the fact that the team is back healthy and the only significant player that is missing is the two-time NHL champion with the Tampa Bay Lightning, Tyler Johnson. In my opinion, the team is better and should be able to end the regular season around 10th place in the Western Conference.
The Toronto Maple Leafs are once again showing fantastic form ahead of Christmas. One of their biggest mistakes in previous years was that they couldn’t transfer this high level of play into the Playoffs. We will see whether this will be the case this year as well. However, we can see that they are doing really great as they have gathered 38 points from 28 matches. Auston Matthews and William Nylander lead the team and were the main reasons for their three fantastic 5-0 runs recently. Looking at their last matches, I think that this increased intensity not only in their schedule, but in the way they perform on the ice, is showing some side effects. In my opinion, Chicago is in great condition to make an upset on Saturday and I will suggest picking them as the winner of the game.
Denis’ NHL Pick: Chicago Blackhawks
Tony Battalio
Much like the earlier game between Ottawa and Tampa Bay, this one features two teams on opposite ends of the standings, playing a game in Canada. The only difference in this one is, it’s the team north of the border that is having the better season. The Chicago Blackhawks struggled to find a victory early on in the season as they went winless through the first couple of weeks. Now that they have strung a few wins together their record sits at 10-14-2 as they continue to claw their way back to .500.
#Fleury500 🌸 belt #Fleury500 🌸 belt #Fleury500 🌸 belt #Fleury500 🌸 belt #Fleury500 🌸 belt #Fleury500 🌸 belt #Fleury500 🌸 belt #Fleury500 🌸 belt #Fleury500 🌸 belt #Fleury500 🌸 belt pic.twitter.com/hGqopZDlB3
— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) December 10, 2021
The Toronto Maple Leafs come into this game with a record of 18-8-2 on the year. They are currently in first place of the Atlantic division, although it is a three way tie with the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning. In their last game they lost to Tampa Bay by a score of 5-3 on Thursday. Now they will be looking to rebound with a victory in this one. As for the result of this game, I have the Toronto Maple Leafs picking up the victory to remain in first place of their division.
Tony’s NHL Pick: Toronto Maple Leafs
Michael Lantz
The Toronto Maple Leafs suffered a brutal 5-3 loss to division rivals the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday. This home loss definitely hurt a team that’s thoroughly improved their defense and goaltending this season. It’s been almost two decades since Toronto made it past the first round in the playoffs. So, they’ll need to prove they can beat big teams if they want any chance of succeeding in the postseason.
While the Chicago Blackhawks may not be a “big” team, they’re a team with plenty of talent that’s been on the rise as of late. After starting the season with one win in their first ten games, the Blackhawks are now at 10-14-2, and while still outside the playoff race, there’s still a lot of season left. While Chicago has been a hot upset pick lately, I’m not sure I can pick them to beat Toronto in Scotiabank Arena. The Maple Leafs have been too balanced, and after a tough loss to the Lightning, I expect them to make the right adjustments.
Michael’s NHL Pick: Toronto Maple Leafs.
Carolina Hurricanes @ Edmonton Oilers – 10.00PM ET
The Carolina Hurricanes are in the middle of a five game road trip, and for this Saturday night game they take on the Edmonton Oilers, who are in the middle of a nice six game homestand. The Hurricanes have won three games in a row, which brings their season record up to 18-6-1. The Oilers struggles have continued on, as they have lost four games in a row, which drops their season record to 16-9-0.
Denis Kirilov
The Carolina Hurricanes and the Edmonton Oilers are two of the best performing teams in the NHL so far. However, both teams had to go through some tough periods. The Hurricanes had to overcome a 1-5 run a couple of weeks ago, while the Oilers are coming into this game on a 4-game losing streak. Although suffering such a turn of events, the teams are still close to the top of their respective Conference. The Hurricanes are 5th in the East with 37 points, while the Oilers are 4th in the West with 32 points. This meeting will be a fierce battle of both rosters’ attacks. Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid have been underperforming recently, but they were still racking up goals and assists, just at a lower pace.
On the other hand, the Hurricanes are one of the best teams in the NHL when it comes to defensive build-ups. They have conceded 55 goals so far which puts them in 1st place in this aspect of the game. They rely much on the depth and the balance within the team as only Sebastian Aho pulls ahead with 13 goals and 16 assists so far. The Hurricanes will be without Anthony DeAngelo, while there will be at least 7 missing players for Edmonton. I think this injury-prone team will have to pay the high price for having so many issues within the roster. For me, the Carolina Hurricanes are favorites to come out victorious in Rogers Place.
Denis’ NHL Pick: Carolina Hurricanes
Tony Battalio
This game is likely to be the best game of the Saturday slate as two of the best teams in the National Hockey League will face off north of the border in Canada. The Carolina Hurricanes come into this game with a record of 18-6-1 on the year. They are currently on a three game winning streak as well. This game against Edmonton will be the third of a five game road trip that has the Hurricanes in Canada for four games before ending the trip in Minnesota next Tuesday. They will be looking to shut down the best one/two combo in the league and pick up a win here.
The previously mentioned combo of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl have the Oilers positioned as one of the best teams in the league. Due to their level of play, both players are deserving of the Most Valuable Player award, or least consideration for it in many people’s eyes. The Edmonton Oilers are currently in third place of the Pacific division with a record of 16-9-0 , four points off of the leader, the Calgary Flames. As for the result of this game, I have McDavid and the Oilers picking up the win at home over a tough Hurricanes team.
Tony’s NHL Pick: Edmonton Oilers
Michael Lantz
The Carolina Hurricanes face the Edmonton Oilers in a showdown between two teams that started off the season atop their divisions but have lately looked a bit more vulnerable. Despite having one of the best offenses in the NHL, the Edmonton Oilers have lost four straight, proving that you need more than Leon Draisaitl and Conor McDavid to make you successful. Their defense has continued to struggle and now they have to face a Carolina team that’s very deep.
The Hurricanes were another team that were brilliant through the first couple weeks of the season. Now, they’ve leveled off to third in their division; but it should only be a matter of time until they’re atop the league again. They’re coming off two major wins, as they beat the Pacific Division leading Calgary Flames along with the the Winnipeg Jets and Buffalo Sabres, to give them three straight victories. They’ll look to keep that going against the Oilers, and I think they will even on the road as this Edmonton team is in a state of turmoil.
Michael’s NHL Pick: Carolina Hurricanes
Minnesota Wild @ Los Angeles Kings – 10.30PM ET
This will be the third of a four game road trip for the Minnesota Wild who will be taking on the Los Angeles Kings late on Saturday night. The Wild have stretched their winning streak to eight games in a row, which dates back to the 24th of November, and their season record currently stands at 19-6-1. The Kings have won two of their four games so far in December, which brings their season record to 11-10-4.
Denis Kirilov
The Minnesota Wild is one of the biggest surprises in the start of the 2021/22 NHL season. They are on top of the table in the West with 39 points out of 26 games. The Wild is one of the teams that managed to score more than 100 goals already. Not only that they are great on offense, but they are also decent in defense. The team is on an 8-game winning streak in which they had troubles only against the New Jersey Devils and the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Wild managed to smash the likes of the Winnipeg Jets, the Tampa Bay Lightning, and the Edmonton Oilers.
On the other hand, the Los Angeles Kings were also a pleasant surprise early on in the season. They found themselves in the top 5 of the West at some point, but a 1-7 run dragged them back to 12th place with 26 points out of 25 games. The Kings play on plenty of ups and downs in Staples Center as they have already had two really contrasting runs. First, they started off well with 4 straight wins, but right afterwards, they evened things up and lost 4 matches, including a loss to the Arizona Coyotes. Although Minnesota is one of the highest scoring teams in the NHL, I think that the Kings know how to affect the playing style of their opponent and make them use a more conservative approach. Hence, I will go with the option for “under goals” in this enthralling meeting.
Denis’ NHL Pick: Under TBA (TBA)
Tony Battalio
The top team in the National Hockey League, the Minnesota Wild hit the road to play the Los Angeles Kings in this game. Minnesota is currently 19-6-1 on the year which has them in first place in the Central division, the Western Conference and the entire league. Minnesota is currently on an impressive eight game winning streak that dates back to the early and middle parts of the month of November.
Happy Birthday, Rob Blake! 🎉🎂 pic.twitter.com/XdUsH4EGdT
— LA Kings (@LAKings) December 10, 2021
The Los Angeles Kings are coming into this big home game with a record of 11-10-4 on the year. They have had an up and down season up until this point as they are currently in sixth place of the Pacific division as the year is closing out. As for the result of this game, I expect the Minnesota Wild to extend their winning streak to nine games with a win on the road here.
Tony’s NHL Pick: Minnesota Wild
Michael Lantz
The Minnesota Wild continue to impress, as they’ve won eight straight games and lead the Western Conference with 39 points. They’ll look to get to nine, as they visit Southern California to take on the L.A. Kings. L.A. may be in sixth in the Pacific Division, but they are always willing to be upsetters. This team that’s anchored by veteran Anze Kopitar and forward Alex Iafallo. While the Kings aren’t the most threatening team, their veteran squad loves taking any challenge that comes their way.
Still, the Wild are the hottest team in the league. It’ll take a little more than this L.A. team to convince me they can be beaten. I have to play it safe here and go with Minnesota.
Michael’s NHL Pick: Minnesota Wild
If you’re looking for more NHL news, information and predictions, head over to our NHL hub page for all your ice hockey needs!
*Odds and spreads correct at time of writing, courtesy of FanDuel.
