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Free NHL Picks Today for Sunday, January 31st, 2021

We have eight NHL games on the schedule for Sunday, January 31st, and these are our betting picks and predictions.

Free NHL Picks Today for Sunday, January 31st, 2021
Picks & Predictions
Sun 31st January 2021

After a massive day yesterday we are wrapping up the week with another stellar day of ice hockey with eight games on, starting from 1pm (ET)!

Find all of our free NHL picks for the scheduled games below.

New Jersey Devils @ Buffalo Sabres – 1:00 PM ET

New Jersey lost to Buffalo in a shootout on Saturday, 4-3. That drops the Devils to 3-3-2 this season. They have scored 18 goals while allowing 23. Scott Wedgewood stopped 28 of 31 shots in the loss.

With him starting on Saturday, that should mean MacKenzie Blackwood will be between the pipes on Sunday. Blackwood has been the better of the pair, recoring a 1.90 GAA and a .948 save percentage.


Scoring has been a problem for the Devils. Jack Hughes leads the team in points with eight and his three goals are tied for first on the team. Of the team’s 18 goals, 10 have been scored by four players.

Buffalo earned the victory on Saturday, thanks to Linus Ullmark, who stopped 31 of 34 shots. That moved the Sabres to 4-3-2, fourth in the East Division. They have scored 27 goals while allowing 27.

The win means the team has recorded points in five straight games (3-0-2) and all of those contests have been decided by one goal. Carter Hutton should be in the net on Sunday.

He has a 2.65 GAA and a .899 save percentage. Jack Eichel and Taylor Hall are tied for the team lead in points with nine. Victor Olofsson has four goals to lead the club.

NHL Pick – Buffalo Sabres (-158)
Spread Pick – New Jersey Devils +1.5 (-210)
Total Goals Pick – Over 5.5 (-130)

Florida Panthers @ Detroit Red Wings – 5:00 PM ET

These teams played each other on Saturday, but this article was written prior to the conclusion of that contest. The Florida Panthers love to play hockey, as witnessed by the fact that each of their last three games went to extra time.

Florida has a win and a shootout loss. They are 3-0-1 this season, one of just four teams who have earned at least one point in every game they have played. With Sergei Bobrovsky in net on Saturday, it will be Chris Driedger between the pipes on Sunday.


Driedger has a 1.92 GAA and a .934 save percentage. Carter Verhaeghe leads the team with six points. He is tied with Patric Hornqvist for the team lead in goals with four.

Detroit is 2-5-1 and have scored 16 goals while allowing 29. The -13 goal differential is the worst in the division. It has been some mediocre goaltending that has been a major problem for the Red Wings.

Thomas Griess was in the net on Saturday, so Jonathan Bernier will go. He has a 3.54 GAA and a .881 save percentage. The Red Wings have one 16 goals in eight games as Tyler Bertuzzi and Dylan Larkin are tied for the team lead in points with six. Bertuzzi is tied with Bobby Ryan with four goals.

NHL Pick – Florida Panthers (-174)
Spread Pick – TBA
Total Goals Pick – Over 6.5 (+110)

New York Islanders @ Philadelphia Flyers – 7:00 PM ET

These teams played each other on Saturday, but this article was written prior to the conclusion of that contest. New York entered Saturday’s action in a bit of a slump, losing three straight games. That dropped the Islanders to 3-4-0 with just 14 goals while allowing 17.

It has been the goal scoring that has been absolutely abysmal. Of their 14 goals, 10 have been scored by four players, including Mathew Barzal and Anders Lee who each have three. Barzal leads the team with seven points.


The Islanders had been riding their goaltenders to stay in games, but they took it on the chin against Washington, allowing nine goals in two games this week. Semyon Varlamov has started the all six games, so it will be interesting to see if backup Cory Schneider will see any action. He has not had a minute of ice time this season. 

Philadelphia is 5-2-1, tied for second in the East Division. They have scored 28 goals while allowing 26. Philadelphia swept two from New Jersey during the week, allowing four total goals.

Brian Elliot is in net on Saturday, so it will be Carter Hart between the pipes on Sunday. Hart has a 3.61 GAA and a .896 save percentage. Jakub Voracek leads the team in points with nine.

He also leads in assists with eight. James van Riemsdyk and Travis Konecny have each scored five goals. The Flyers have five players who already have eight points. 

NHL Pick – Philadelphia Flyers (-120)
Spread Pick – New York Islanders +1.5 (-295)
Total Goals Pick – Over 5.5 (+100)

Dallas Stars @ Carolina Hurricanes – 7:00 PM ET

These teams played each other on Saturday, but this article was written prior to the conclusion of that contest. Dallas entered this game on fire, winning their first four games of the season and doing it with overwhelming gusto.

The Stars have blown teams out, scoring 19 goals, while allowing just six. The plus +13 was tied for the top mark in the NHL in just four games. Anton Khudobin was in net on Saturday, so it will likely be Jake Oettinger between the pipes.


He has started just one game, allowing three goals on 23 shots. Joe Pavelski is off to a scorching start, leading the team in goals (4), assists (5) and points (9). John Klingberg also has five assists to go along with two goals. 

Carolina is 3-1-0. They have received excellent goaltending as well, allowing six goals through their four games. Petr Mrazek has started three of those games, but was not in goal on Saturday. That likely means he will get the start on Sunday.

Mrazek has been ridiculous, allowing three goals for a 1.00 GAA and a .955 save percentage. He has two shutouts already. The Hurricanes have been challenged offensively, netting just 10 goals. Andrei Svechnikov leads the team with three goals and five points. 

NHL Pick – Carolina Hurricanes (-130)
Spread Pick – Carolina Hurricanes -1.5 (+220)
Total Goals Pick – Under 5.5 (-120)

Columbus Blue Jackets @ Chicago Blackhawks – 7:00 PM ET

After losing their first two games of the season, Columbus has recorded points in seven straight games (4-0-3). That has helped move the Blue Jackets to the top of the Central Division. Columbus has scored 23 goals while allowing 25.

Joonas Korpisalo has established himself as the top goaltender for the team, posting a 2.17 GAA and a .936 save percentage. He was excellent in the start against Chicago on Friday, allowing just one goal on 31 shots. Oliver Bjorkstrand leads the team in scoring with eight points. Alexandre Texier is the leading goal scorer with four.


The Blackhawks drop to 2-4-3 with their loss on Friday. They have scored 23 goals while allowing 30, the most allowed in the division. The team has a -7 goal differential, the worst in the division. Despite taking the loss, Kevin Lankinen played very well, stopping 25 of 27 shots.

Lankinen has turned things around after an abysmal start. He has lowered his goals against average to 2.16 with a .930 save percentage. Partrick Kane is tied for the team lead in goals with three and is first in points with eight. The Blackhawks have six players with at least five points. 

NHL Pick – Columbus Blue Jackets (-132)
Spread Pick – Chicago Blackhawks +1.5 (-260)
Total Goals Pick – Under 5.5 (-105)

Colorado Avalanche @ Minnesota Wild – 8:00 PM ET

These teams played each other on Saturday, but this article was written prior to the conclusion of that contest. Colorado is 5-3-0, tied for first in the West. They have scored 28 goals while allowing 18.

Their +10 goal differential is tops in the division. The Avalanche are coming off a 3-0 shutout of the San Jose Sharks. That came courtesy of Philip Grubauer, who now has a 1.86 GAA. Grubauer was in net on Saturday, so that likely means that Hunter Miska will get the call on Sunday.

He allowed three goals on 26 shots in his only start of the year. Colorado is led in scoring by Nathan MacKinnon who has 10 points. Mikko Rantanen leads the team with six goals.


The Minnesota Wild are also 5-3-0, scoring 24 goals while allowing 20. Kaapo Kahkonen was in net on Saturday, so Cam Talbot will likely be in net on Sunday. Talbot has a 2.34 GAA with a .925 save percentage. Minnesota has three players tied with seven points each. Joel Eriksson leads the team with five goals and Jordan Greenway has six assists. 

NHL Pick – Colorado Avalanche (-152)
Spread Pick – Minnesota Wild +1.5 (-225)
Total Goals Pick – Under 5.5 (+105)

St. Louis Blues @ Anaheim Ducks – 8:00 PM ET

These teams played each other on Saturday, but this article was written prior to the conclusion of that contest. St. Louis enters the contest at 4-2-1. They have scored 22 goals while yielding 27. Jordan Binnington will be in net on Saturday, so that likely means Ville Husso will get the start on Sunday.

He has been bad early on, posting a 7.03 GAA in two appearances with an .813 save percentage. St. Louis is led in scoring with seven points. Brayden Schenn has four goals to lead the team.


Anaheim is 3-3-2 through their first eight games. The Ducks have only allowed 17 goals this season, but they have only scored 14. Goal scoring has been a challenge for Anaheim for years, and that has continued into this season.

John Gibson started on Saturday, so that will mean Ryan Miller will get the start. He has just one start this season, stopping 29 of 32 shots he faced. Max Comtois leads Anaheim with three goals and five players have combined to score 11 of the team’s 14 goals. The last seven games for the Ducks have been decided by two goals or less. 

NHL Pick – St. Louis Blues (-172)
Spread Pick – Anaheim Ducks +1.5 (-205)
Total Goals Pick – Over 5.5 (+115)

Ottawa Senators @ Edmonton Oilers – 9:00 PM ET

The Ottawa Senators enter this contest as losers of seven straight, earning just one point during that span and they are 1-6-1 overall. The team has 17 goals and has allowed 36, giving them an NHL worst -19 goal differential. The goaltending has been absolutely horrendous as both netminders have goals against averages over four.

Marcus Hogberg (4.33) has been slightly better, making three starts, while Matt Murray (4.39) has been a big disappointment. Three players are tied for the team lead in points with five. That includes Josh Norris and Brady Tkachuk, each with two goals and three assists, and Nikita Zaitsev with five assists.


This preview could simply say Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl facing the Ottawa Senators and enough would be said. The Oilers beat Toronto in overtime on Saturday to move to 4-6-0.

Mikko Koskinen started on Saturday which could mean we see Troy Grosenick for the first time this season. He has literally not played one minute this year. McDavid and Draisaitl have been great. With two goals and an assist on Saturday, McDavid now has seven goals and 10 assists. His 17 points leads the NHL. Draisaitl had two assists to give him six goals and nine assists. 

NHL Pick – Edmonton Oilers (-127)
Spread Pick – Edmonton Oilers -1.5 (+117)
Total Goals Pick – Over 6.5 (+100)

The 2021 NHL is well underway now! If you want to catch up with all the latest information, make sure you visit our NHL hub page.

*Odds and spreads correct at time of publication, courtesy of Bet365.

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