The NHL is back and better than ever! Today there are heaps of games for us fans to sink our teeth into. With so many teams taking the ice, it is going to be an exciting day of NHL action, so you don’t want to miss this.
What will today’s games bring? Which teams will have the ability to get the all important win on the board? Only time will tell, but one thing is certain, we are in for some great games! So gear up, sit back, relax and watch. And if you like to have a bet, then you have certainly come to the right place.
Look below to find our free NHL picks, as we preview the best five games on today’s schedule.
Calgary Flames @ Washington Capitals – 1.00PM EDT
The Calgary Flames continue their five game road trip when they take on the Washington Capitals. The Flames have a current season record of 1-1-1, and last time out they won against the Red Wings, 3-0. The Capitals only loss so far this season came against the Lightning, in overtime, 1-2. They have played three other games, which they have won all of them, and last time out they won against the Devils, 4-1.
Denis Kirilov
The Calgary Flames travel to Washington to face off the Capitals in an early game on Saturday. The hosts are off to a great start of the 2021/22 NHL Season as they recorded 3 wins out of 4 matches. Ovechkin finds himself in great shape and if he stays healthy, he will definitely be a contender for the Regular Season MVP award. In their last two games, Washington defeated teams like the New Jersey Devils (1:4) and Colorado Avalanche (6:3).
The Calgary Flames, on the other side, found themselves in a tight spot after a 0-2 start of the season, losing to the Edmonton Oilers (5:2) and to the Anaheim Ducks (2:3 OT). However, they managed to avoid worsening their situation by defeating the Detroit Red Wings away from home. Both teams are keeping themselves healthy for the moment and don’t really have to solve any injury problems in their roster. Having this in mind, I will pick the Capitals once again as their current form seems decent enough to trust them.
Denis’ NHL Pick: Washington Capitals (-144)
Tony Battalio
What a start Alexander Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals are off too. They have raced out to a 3-0-1 record through 4 games this season. To go along with the fast start is Ovechkin with an even faster start, Thursday’s game against the New Jersey Devils was the first game he did not record a point in. Even after being left off the score sheet on Thursday he still has 4 Goals and 4 Assists to his name which averages out to 1 a game each.
“I think the important thing is building on our identity.”
Kirk Muller reflects on the team’s win in Detroit and gives his take on Saturday’s match-up vs. the Caps. pic.twitter.com/zJGas2Wa75
— Calgary Flames (@NHLFlames) October 22, 2021
Washington will look to capitalize on a Calgary Flames team that has struggled to find their footing after starting the season 1-1-1. They finally picked up their first victory of the 2021-22 season on Thursday beating the Detroit Red Wings 3-0 on the road. This is a game the Washington Capitals should win easily, especially with home ice advantage on their side. This will be Washington’s 4th home game in 5 total games played so they will need to protect their home ice early and often this season. Also look for Alexander Ovechkin to find his way back on the score sheet as this one should not be a close game at all.
Tony’s NHL Pick: Washington Capitals -1.5 (+150)
Michael Lantz
Washington continued their dominance on Thursday night picking apart the New Jersey Devils 4-1. In the preseason I was convinced the Washington Capitals were on the decline, but they’ve started out this season looking as hungry as ever, thanks to the continued dominance of Alexander Ovechkin and Eugeny Kuznetsov, who are providing points for the team night in and night out.
Meanwhile the Calgary Flames are a team with so much talent that have continued to underwhelm. Luckily they beat the Detroit Red Wings 3-0 on Thursday, to get them over a two loss bump to start the season. Can Calgary carry over that momentum to the U.S. capital? I think they’ll put up a fight, but the Caps will instead prevail.
Michael’s NHL Pick: Washington Capitals (-144)
Anaheim Ducks @ Minnesota Wild – 6.00PM EDT
This is the last game of the Anaheim Ducks first road trip of the season, when they travel to Minnesota to take on the Wild. The Ducks are either hot or not, with their season record currently standing at 2-3-0, and last time out they lost to the Jets, 1-5. The Wild are one of the few teams yet to lose a game so far this season, with their record currently standing at 3-0-0. They have had a few days rest since their last game, and last time out they won against the the Jets, 6-5, in overtime
Denis Kirilov
The Minnesota Wild and the Anaheim Ducks face each other on Saturday afternoon in Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul. The Minnesota Wild are off to a great start of the season after recording 3 close wins against tough opponents. Although the teams were separated by the slimmest of margins in these three occasions, Minnesota seemed the better team by a lot in all games.
On the other side, the Ducks made a surprising opening night performance defeating the Winnipeg Jets at home with 4:1. Eventually, they ended up losing three of their next four games which put them back in the middle of the table. Anaheim and Minnesota have already played a match this season that went in Minnesota’s favor after they managed to pull off a comeback in the dying seconds of the game.
I believe that the busy schedule that the Ducks had throughout their first couple of games during this season is taking its toll right now, as they seem to be losing their grip. The Minnesota Wild, on the other hand, have enough time to recover from their previous fixture and with this being said, I will pick them not only for the final victory tomorrow, but also for covering their spread of -1.5 goals.
Denis’ NHL Pick: Minnesota Wild -1.5 (+105)
Tony Battalio
The Anaheim Ducks have been up and down through five games this season. They come into this game with a 2-3-0, after being blasted by the Winnipeg Jets 5-1. Meanwhile the Minnesota Wild come into this game as one of the few remaining undefeated teams in the National Hockey League at 3-0-0. As for Minnesota’s last game they actually did what the Anaheim Ducks could not do and that is beat the Winnipeg Jets 6-5 in a game that took Overtime to decide a winner. At the end of this rough tunnel it will at least provide light for the Ducks as they will finally return to their home ice following this match up on Saturday night.
However they are still caught in the middle of that very same tunnel and will need a bit of luck to pull out a win in Minnesota. The Minnesota Wild are hard to beat on a normal day so far this season, but coming off a couple days rest I fully expect them to dominate the Ducks in this one. If you are a riskier gambler go with the spread but if you like to play it safe and be conservative the Moneyline should suit you just right as well.
Tony’s NHL Pick: Minnesota Wild (-260)
Michael Lantz
The Minnesota Wild are a sneaky 3-0 to start the season. They’ve been seen by many as a playoff contender, but are they ready to become a legitimate threat? So far they’ve benefitted from goals from an array of players; this includes Joel Eriksson Ek who recorded a hat-trick in Minnesota’s 6-5 win against the Winnipeg Jets.
The Anaheim Ducks were a team that were originally predicted to be destined for the cellar. So far they’ve been avoiding that tag. They’re 2-3 so far but have been competitive in each game, which should equal a great showdown against the Wild on Saturday night. The Wild have had some tight wins so far and they’re destined to lose eventually. Anaheim has played exceptional so far despite the preseason predictions, I just smell Anaheim to at least cover the spread.
Michael’s NHL Pick: Anaheim Ducks +1.5 (-126)
Carolina Hurricanes @ Columbus Blue Jackets – 7.00PM EDT
The Carolina Hurricanes will look to continue their great start to the season when they take on the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Hurricanes are yet to lose a game so far this season and their record currently stands at 3-0-0. Last time out, the Hurricanes won, 4-1, against the Canadiens. The Blue Jackets have a season record of 3-1-0, and last time out they won against the Islanders, 3-2, in overtime.
Denis Kirilov
One of the six teams that are yet to lose a game this season, the Carolina Hurricanes, will travel to Columbus in an attempt to continue their 3-game winning streak. Andrei Svechnikov, Teuvo Teravainen and Sebastian Aho are off to a great start as all of them have accumulated 5 points so far. Led by the Canadians, Jordan Staal and Jordan Martinook, the Hurricanes will definitely be a title contender this year.
On the contrary, the Columbus Blue Jackets will do their best to reach the Playoffs. However, this seems quite a hard task mainly due to the lack of depth and experience in their roster. They have started off the season surprisingly well as they got 3 wins out of 4 matches. Their opponents weren’t of the highest caliber as only the New York Islanders might have a title-contending team amongst them. I think that with the increasing number of such tough games for the Jackets, it will become even more difficult for them to get things together and they will eventually end up in a multiple game losing streak. It’s hard for me to choose something different from a victory for the Carolina Hurricanes tomorrow, so I will go with that.
Denis’ NHL Pick: Carolina Hurricanes (-164)
Tony Battalio
Along with the Buffalo Sabres, the Columbus Blue Jackets have been a pleasant surprise and no one would have expected them to be sitting at 3-1 so far. However Saturday night’s game against the Carolina Hurricanes provides yet another tough test for the Blue Jackets. The one advantage for Columbus is they are welcoming the undefeated 3-0-0 Carolina Hurricanes to their home ice and not having to play an away game in hostile territory.
you CANE not miss this matchup tomorrow @COSI | #CBJ
— Columbus Blue Jackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) October 22, 2021
Carolina has looked dominant on both ends of the ice thus far this season, meanwhile the Columbus Blue Jackets have been grinding out Overtime and late wins almost every game this season. Led by Patrick Laines 2 Overtime winners in 3 of their wins, if this same rate keeps up they could be a surprise playoff team at season’s end. As for this one I see their streak of luck coming to temporary halt as I look for the Carolina Hurricanes to continue their unbeaten run as they push for a Stanley Cup finals appearance later this year.
Tony’s NHL Pick: Carolina Hurricanes (-164)
Michael Lantz
So far, the Carolina Hurricanes have been living up to expectations. Their 3-0 start has them poised to be the Stanley Cup contenders so many media outlets have predicted them to be. Sebastian Aho continues to ascend into stardom as he has five points in three games.
The Canes fourth matchup of the season is against the Columbus Blue Jackets, a team I not necessarily expected to be good this year, but to at least be entertaining. So far the Jackets have done at least that, they piled on eight goals in the opener against the Arizona Coyotes and got an impressive win against a title contender in the New York Islanders. This has been in large part to Oliver Bjorkstrand and Max Domi who have propelled the Blue Jacket offense. That being said, aside from a win against an Islander team that has struggled early, the Blue Jackets have had a legitimate opponent. I expect a confident Carolina team to give them a tough time.
Michael’s NHL Pick: Carolina Hurricanes -1.5 (+164)
Florida Panthers @ Philadelphia Flyers – 7.00PM EDT
The Florida Panthers travel to Philadelphia when they take on the Flyers. The Panthers will be looking to continue their undefeated season so far, where their record currently stands at 4-0-0. The Flyers are looking for their third win in a row, and their season record currently stands at 2-0-1.
Denis Kirilov
After making some great additions to their squad, the Florida Panthers became a title-contending team. They acquired players like Sam Reinhart from the Sabres, the 42-year-old NHL legend Joe Thornton, Sam Bennett, and Kevin Connauton. The team is leading the Eastern Conference with 8 points and with 18:7 goals difference. This only proves the ease with which they are winning their games up to this moment. What is even more spectacular is the fact that their opponents were all title contenders for this season – Pittsburgh, the Islanders, Tampa Bay, and Colorado.
On the other hand, Philadelphia began the season suffering an upset at home against the Vancouver Canucks. Later on, they managed to make up for this loss by releasing their rage on the Seattle Kraken and the Boston Bruins, both of them conceding 6 goals from the Flyers. Although their team seems quite complete with players like Claude Giroux, Kevin Hayes, and Cameron Atkinson, I still think that the Panthers are the favorite to win this game. I wouldn’t risk going for a higher spread and pick their moneyline at (-142).
Denis’ NHL Pick: Florida Panthers (-152)
Tony Battalio
Florida has looked like a team who could possibly dethrone the two time defending Stanley Cup champions the Tampa Bay Lightning. Meanwhile the Philadelphia Flyers have gotten off to a quick start as well in the 2021-22 campaign. The Florida Panthers are making a strong case for why Tampa Bay is not the only team in the sunshine state who is capable of making a Stanley Cup title run. Philadelphia will be searching for their 3rd victory in a row after starting the season off with an Overtime loss.
It will be made easier by the fact that this is a home game for the Flyers. However despite that being the case it is really hard not to lean towards the Florida Panthers in this early season matchup that is a potential Eastern Conference playoff preview. This game should turn out to be one of Saturday night’s most interesting and most competitive games. In my opinion I think the safe bet here is the Panthers as they have looked like the better team a week or so into this brand new National Hockey League season.
Tony’s NHL Pick: Florida Panthers (-152)
Michael Lantz
Right now, the Florida Panthers are making their case for being the top team in the NHL. Yes, it’s early and yes, it’s jut the regular season, but so far they’ve easily handled the Islanders, Lightning, and Avalanche—all of which are Stanley Cup contenders. Florida looks like a team determined to get to the cup, but next they face a Philadelphia Flyers team that’s been an offensive animal in their own right.
The Flyers opened their seasons against the expansion Seattle Kraken, where they easily scored six goals. They followed that performance up with another six goals, but this time it was against constant playoff threat the Boston Bruins. These back-to-back offensive extravaganzas should lift the Flyers confidence for a Panthers team that comes to town with pure destruction on its mind. That being said, I expect Philly to protect their home rink and pull out a close one against this Panthers team that’s hotter than South Beach.
Michael’s NHL Pick: Philadelphia Flyers (+128)
Colorado Avalanche @ Tampa Bay Lightning – 7.00PM EDT
The Colorado Avalanche will look to get their season back on track, when they face off against the Stanley Cup champions, the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Avalanche’s record currently stands at 1-3-0, and last time out they lost 1-4 to the Panthers. The Lightning have had a bit of a mixed bag to start the season, with their record currently sitting at 2-2-0, and last time out they also lost to the Panthers, 1-4!
Denis Kirilov
Two of the best teams in the NHL are facing one another on Saturday night at Tampa. Both Colorado and Tampa Bay started off the season in a quite hesitant way. After defeating the Chicago Blackhawks in the opening night, the Avalanche recorded 3 straight losses against direct rivals for the Stanley Cup – the St. Louis Blues, the Washington Capitals, and the Florida Panthers. Not only did they lose those games, but they also weren’t even close to winning.
The current Stanley Cup champions also struggled in their opening games of the new season. They displayed uncertainty in front of goal and inconsistency in their defensive line. Losing to Pittsburgh and Florida showed that this year will be even harder for the Lightning to defend their title. All in all, both teams seem to have some problems to deal with and it will be quite difficult to pick a winner amongst them as it can go either way. That’s why I’d rather pick an “over” line due to the fact that both the Avalanche and the Lightning have a lot to play for and will rely on their biggest advantage – their offense.
Denis’ NHL Pick: Over 6 (-110)
Tony Battalio
Even with the emergence of several other contenders in both the Eastern and Western conferences, this game is most likely an early season look at what could very well be the 2021-22 Stanley Cup Finals best of 7 series. Despite the Colorado Avalanches slow start it’s not like they have been at full strength yet as they are still missing Nathan McKinnon. But Tampa Bay has not exactly had the best start either, only sitting at 2-2-0 as compared to Colorado’s 1-3-0.
The moments, the memories, the home ice!
We love calling Ball Arena our home 💙❤️#GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/ybD3CnweEE
— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) October 22, 2021
We should absolutely expect more from both of these franchises, and this matchup would be even more interesting had it been happening later on in the 2021-22 National Hockey League season. However because it is happening in late October I firmly believe the edge has to go to the Tampa Bay Lightning, not only because of the home ice advantage but simply because they have looked like the better team thus far only a week into the season. If all the cards fall correctly and these two teams meet in the Finals this game will simply be a footnote in this season’s history.
Tony’s NHL Pick: Tampa Bay Lightning (-120)
Michael Lantz
At the beginning of the season, this matchup was seen as a potential Stanley Cup preview. Almost two weeks in, both teams have had their fair share of troubles. Tampa Bay started off the season giving up 12 goals in two games. Thankfully, they looked back to normal in a gritty game against the Washington Capitals, only to follow that with a beating from their rivals the Florida Panthers. But keep in mind that the Lightning have won the last two Stanley Cups; they know what they need to do to conserve the energy of certain players and make a deep finals run.
Colorado on the other hand has been equally as frustrating. They dominated the Chicago Blackhawks in their first game and then fell to St. Louis, Washington, and Florida, all playoff teams, all by hefty margins. In their games two and three this year they were without Nathan MacKinnon and Gabriel Landeskog, but there’s been no excuses for the last two games, as Colorado has continued to look outmatched , outplayed, and out coached on the ice. If they want to prove to critics they can still be a favorite in the Stanley Cup race, it’s vital for them to beat a juggernaut like the Lightning on the road. The safe man goes for Tampa at home here, but after watching a lot of Avalanche games in the last couple years I have blind faith that they will pull this one out.
Michael’s NHL Pick: Colorado Avalanche (+102)
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*Odds and spreads correct at time of writing, courtesy of FanDuel.
