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, and who will crack under the pressure? Only time will tell, but one thing is certain, we are in for some great games! So sit back, relax 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 five games on today’s schedule.
Arizona Coyotes @ Carolina Hurricanes – 1.00PM EDT
This one could be a bloodbath. The winless Arizona Coyotes take on the undefeated Carolina Hurricanes on Sunday afternoon. The Coyotes have a season record of 0-7-1, and in their previous game they lost to the Capitals, 0-2. The Hurricanes on the other hand, have a season record of 7-0-0, and in their last game they won against the Blackhawks, 6-3.
Denis Kirilov
The worst team in the NHL faces off the best team in a game with what’s most likely to be a predetermined winner. The Hurricanes have recorded 7 clear wins against some of the toughest opponents in the League. They were also dominant in those games and the only team that managed to stay within 1-goal difference was the Nashville Predators who were even two goals down before scoring in the last minute of the match. Their six remaining games from the start of the season finished with at least a 3-goal lead for the Carolina Hurricanes.
The Arizona Coyotes are by far the worst team in the NHL as they have only been close to a win against the Buffalo Sabres two weeks ago. In their other matches, they have been demolished by their opponents. I just don’t see how tomorrow’s game will be any different. I expect a brutal dominance of the Hurricanes throughout the first period where they can get a 3-goal lead which will allow them to experiment with some strategies and some specific tactics and plays. My pick here is for the Carolina Hurricanes covering their spread.
Denis’ NHL Pick: Carolina Hurricanes -1.5 (-130)
Tony Battalio
Arizona has yet to win a game and at the same time their schedule does not get any easier. Following a loss to the Washington Capitals, the Arizona Coyotes now have to face the undefeated Carolina Hurricanes on the road. In fact Arizona has an absolute meat grinder of a schedule facing them. Philadelphia, Edmonton, St. Louis and Dallas all play the Coyotes in the coming weeks so there is no telling how long it’ll take for them to capture that elusive first victory.
Final. pic.twitter.com/c6WAL5eCqS
— Arizona Coyotes (@ArizonaCoyotes) October 30, 2021
As for the Carolina Hurricanes, they are off to a fantastic start at 7-0-0 on the season. They certainly don’t look to be slowing down anytime soon after their 6-3 destruction of the also winless Chicago Blackhawks. They are yet another serious Stanley Cup contender that has emerged from the Eastern Conference. They have a favorable schedule ahead so they are likely to stay unbeaten for another week or two as well.
As for this game, I do not expect it to be close at all. Arizona is not capable of competing with any team in the National Hockey League this year and certainly not a team that looks like a potential title winner. The safe bet in this one is the Carolina Hurricanes moneyline, however I am taking the Hurricanes with the spread of 1.5 Goals because as I previously mentioned I do not think this to be a close contest at all.
Tony’s NHL Pick: Carolina Hurricanes -1.5 (-130)
Michael Lantz
Another day, another Coyotes loss—Arizona’s ice hockey club lost to the Washington Capitals 2-0 on Friday, making their record 0-7-1 on the season. Things won’t get any easier for Phoenix’s finest, as they face an undefeated Hurricanes team on Sunday evening. Carolina is getting help from star forward Sebastian Aho and blue liner Tony DeAngelo as they both contributed in the Hurricanes win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday.
Carolina continues to look like one of the league’s most balanced teams, and unfortunately for the Arizona Coyotes, they should be no match for this team that looks like a big-time Stanley Cup contender. There doesn’t need to be much analysis here, Carolina should be able to mop the floor with Arizona—unless they simply don’t try or bench their top line guys.
Michael’s NHL Pick: Carolina Hurricanes – 1.5 (-130)
Montreal Canadiens @ Anaheim Ducks – 4.00PM EDT
The Montreal Canadiens play the final game of their four game road trip when they take on the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday afternoon. The Canadiens are struggling so far this season and have a record of 2-7-0, and in their last game they lost, 2-5, to the Kings. The Ducks are another team that has been struggling so far this season, with their record standing at 2-4-3, and in their last game they lost to the Golden Knights in a shootout, 4-5.
Denis Kirilov
The runners-up from the last season, the Montreal Canadiens are coming up against a team that started off the season quite well with 2 wins out of 3 games. The Ducks managed to get important victories against the Winnipeg Jets and the Calgary Flames just to get into a 6-game losing streak afterwards. Three out of these six games were headed into overtime with their opponents coming up clutch in these moments.
The Montreal Canadiens had one of the worst starts of a runner-up in NHL history with 5 consecutive losses. They eventually defeated the Red Wings and the Sharks, with which they boosted their confidence level. These victories were crucial for the Canadiens so that they can jump off something coming into November. I believe they can get another win against the Ducks who are most certainly tired after their last 4 close games. They have literally had to play 3 games going down the wire within 72 hours. So, my pick here is for the Canadiens.
Denis’ NHL Pick: Montreal Canadiens (-126)
Tony Battalio
Montreal has looked horrible through 9 games this season and they are heading into the finale of their 4 game road trip with a 2-7-0 record. Montreal has been outscored 17 to 30 so far this year, so it is not exactly like these have been close losses either. They have looked outmatched in their losses but somehow dominant in their wins outsourcing their opponents 10-1. Those victories came at the hands of a 4-0 win vs San Jose and a 6-0 win against the Detroit Red Wings.
As for the Anaheim Ducks, they have also had a slow start to the season. They are sporting the same overall 2-7 record as Montreal. However the difference is their record is 2-4-3 as they have multiple losses in Overtime. It is a sign that they are a more competitive team and are not just being outclassed nearly every time they step on the ice, no matter if it is at home or on the road. This game could provide a great opportunity for both teams to turn their slow starts to the season around. As for the game, I think the Anaheim Ducks pull out the hard fought victory in this one. Despite basically identical records the Anaheim Ducks have clearly been the more competitive hockey team thus far.
Tony’s NHL Pick: Anaheim Ducks (+105)
Michael Lantz
Despite being the 2021 Stanley Cup runner-ups, the Montrel Canadiens have looked abysmal during this 2021-22 campaign. Sure, they’ve had plenty of injuries, but they’ve still continued to be the league’s punching bag.
Meanwhile, the Anaheim Ducks are a decent 2-4-3, with all of their last four losses being by one point. Luckily three of them went to overtime which means Anaheim still got one point out of those losses and further proves the band is incredibly close to breaking out. I think the Ducks will continue to assert their upstart dominance and handle the Canadiens with ease. Sure, Montreal needs to win some games, but I think the Ducks having this home ice will work to their advantage.
Michael’s NHL Pick: Anaheim Ducks (+105)
Buffalo Sabres @ Los Angeles Kings – 4.00PM EDT
The Buffalo Sabres are on the road when they travel to Los Angeles to take on the Kings. The Sabres are having a fairly decent start to their season, with a record of 5-1-1, and last time out they won against the Ducks, 4-3, in overtime. The Kings, however, are struggling so far this season, with a record of 2-5-1, but their victory against the Canadiens (5-2) last time out helped them snap a six game losing streak.
Denis Kirilov
The Buffalo Sabres travel to Los Angeles to face the Kings in their 3rd away game this season. Surprisingly, the team from Buffalo is looking fantastic during this period of their campaign. They have recorded 5 wins out of 7 games and they are looking to further build on this performance. Their team displays consistency through a wide variety of combinations.
On the other hand, the Los Angeles Kings have found themselves in a 6-game losing streak before their last game against the Montreal Canadiens. They won that match, 5:2, and managed to put an end to what might have been an intense and nervous period for the Kings. They weren’t playing that bad in their other games, but I’d rather say that they didn’t have enough luck in front of goal to compete against the better teams. However, in this matchup I’ll give my preference to them as I think their place is definitely not at the bottom of the table in the Western Conference.
Denis’ NHL Pick: Los Angeles Kings (-137)
Tony Battalio
The Buffalo Sabres have been the biggest surprise thus far in the 2021-22 National Hockey League season. Even without their best player, Buffalo has raced to a 5-1-1 record which makes you wonder if he was the problem in the first place. Obviously that is impossible to answer, but if Buffalo can get Eichel back at full strength, they could potentially turn out to be a very dangerous hockey team this season. This will be the second game of a four game road trip as they will also look to extend their winning streak to 3 in this game.
AFTERNOON GAMES ARE OUR THING! @GEICO | #GEICOBundlingMadeEasy pic.twitter.com/eZiXqjed9O
— LA Kings (@LAKings) October 30, 2021
As for the Los Angeles Kings, they have had a rough start to the season. After 8 games they currently possess a record of 2-5-1. They are in the midst of a 5 game homestand and this matchup against Buffalo will be game number three of five on this stretch, last time on home ice they beat the Montreal Canadiens 5-2. Los Angeles still has a lot of time to turn their season around and this will be a huge first step if they can pull out the win here on Sunday.
However, things are a lot easier done than said and I believe Los Angeles will keep the game close but still lose in the end. Buffalo has just been way too good so far this season, no matter how surprising it may be. The safe bet in this game is the Buffalo Sabres moneyline as they are underdogs in this matchup on Sunday in Los Angeles.
Tony’s NHL Pick: Buffalo Sabres (+114)
Michael Lantz
Despite many preseason predictions saying they were headed for failure, the Buffalo Sabres are at 5-1-1. They continue to ride the success of Victor Olofsson, and others who have stepped up in the absence of Jack Eichel.
Meanwhile the Kings are around where many expected them to be. They have a good amount of talent but are struggling to win the games that matter most. Anze Kopitar continues to amaze, but aside from a victory against the lowly Canadiens, the team hasn’t won since their October 14th opener against the Vegas Golden Knights. But, they’ll need to win more eventually, and even though Buffalo’s record is way better than many expected, I’ll pick the Kings in a minor upset against one of the league’s surprising squads.
Michael’s NHL Pick: Los Angeles Kings (-137)
Columbus Blue Jackets @ New Jersey Devils – 5.00PM EDT
The Columbus Blue Jackets are in the middle of a three game road trip when they take on the New Jersey Devils. The Blue Jackets are off to a solid start this season, with their record standing at 4-3-0, and in their previous game they lost, 0-4, to the Rangers. The Devils have been slightly better compared to the Blue Jackets, with their season record standing at 4-2-0, and in their previous game they got a nice 4-2 victory against the Penguins.
Denis Kirilov
The Columbus Blue Jackets and the New Jersey Devils will face each other on Sunday night at Prudential Center. The two squads started off the season better than they had expected with victories against some of their direct rivals for the Playoffs. Both teams’ statistics are identical with the Jackets having just 1 more loss than the Devils. The Devils are coming into this game after a 4:2 win against the Pittsburgh Penguins, who might be one of the contenders for the Stanley Cup Trophy.
On the other hand, the Blue Jackets suffered a 0:4 loss to the other team from New York, the Rangers. Although key players like Blackwood, Hughes, Bernier, and Wood are expected to miss the game for the Devils, I will still give them a slight advantage over Columbus. Mercer, Bratt, Johnsson, Graves, and Severson are ready to put extra effort to compensate for these absences, so I am more than happy to go with the experienced New Jersey Devils’ squad.
Denis’ NHL Pick: New Jersey Devils (-114)
Tony Battalio
Along with the Buffalo Sabres, the Columbus Blue Jackets have been one of the early surprises of the 2021-22 National Hockey League season. Despite a loss in their last game they currently hold a record of 4-3-0 through 7 games on the season. This will be the second game of a 3 game road trip for Columbus and they will be looking to even their record for this trip to 1-1-0.
As for the New Jersey Devils, they come off of a 4-2 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday night. This will be a quick one game homestand for the Devils and they currently sit at 4-2-0 on the season. As for this game, I think Columbus will continue their stellar season and keep their momentum running early on. However, I do not think they will win the game by enough to cover the spread. So taking the Columbus moneyline is the safer bet in my opinion.
Tony’s NHL Pick: Columbus Blue Jackets (-105)
Michael Lantz
The Columbus Blue Jackets and New Jersey Devils have both been surprise success stories in the early part of the 2021-022 season. New Jersey continues to get a cohesive effort from their squad. They’re leading scorer is Pavel Zacha who has five total points, but they have a ton of players who are in the positive of +/- and they continue to step up in leading the team to early contention.
Meanwhile, the Columbus Blue Jackets have been the definition of “offensive inconsistency.” Every time they have a decent offensive game they seem to follow it up with dud. On Friday they were completely blanked by the New York Rangers which should mean they’re due for a decent game against the Devils. But New Jersey’s defense has improved every game and this squad is likely thriving off a rivalry game win against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday night. For this one I’m undecided on who will win out, so I think the safest bet is the under.
Michael’s NHL Pick: Under 6 (-102)
New York Rangers @ Seattle Kraken – 9.00PM EDT
The New York Rangers start their four game road trip when they take on the Seattle Kraken on Sunday night. The Rangers have a fairly decent record so far this season, currently at 5-2-1, and in their last game they won, 4-0, against the Blue Jackets. The Kraken have a bit of a mixed bag in terms of results so far this season but they are currently on a two game winning streak, with their record standing at 3-4-1, and in their previous game they won against the Wild, 4-1.
Denis Kirilov
In the last game for Sunday night the New York Rangers will face off against the rookies from Seattle. Both teams are coming into this match on a high after getting victories at home against tough opponents. The Seattle Kraken defeated the Minnesota Wild, 4:1, while the New York Rangers crushed the Columbus Blue Jackets by 4:0. The Kraken are on a 2-game winning streak, while the Rangers find themselves with 5 wins within their last 6 games.
Both teams are struggling in front of their opponent’s goal and are relying much on their defense. The Rangers haven’t surpassed 6 goals in a game yet, while the Kraken had just one occasion when they scored 5 goals. I think this match will be a game of hide and seek and both teams will be looking for mistakes in the defense. Hence, I will recommend picking the option for “under” goals in this fixture, as this promises to be a strategic matchup rather than a show for the fans with many opportunities on both ends.
Denis’ NHL Pick: Under 6 (-102)
Tony Battalio
The New York Rangers are putting together a decent season through the first two weeks this year. They currently sit at 5-2-1 with some high profile wins like the one over Columbus on Friday by a score of 4-0. They completely outplayed and out matched a competitive Columbus Blue Jackets team. Now they will travel across the country to face the National Hockey League’s newest team, the Seattle Kraken.
back at it 👊
📍: @KrakenIceplex pic.twitter.com/vWqSCe1dNg
— Seattle Kraken (@SeattleKraken) October 30, 2021
As for the previously mentioned Seattle Kraken, their inaugural season is not off to the worst start possible, but it could definitely be better as they sit at 3-4-1 through 8 games played. However, in their last game they got a huge victory over a really good Minnesota Wild team that started the year hot but has struggled in the past week and a half.
This game could easily go one of two ways, it could end in a blowout win for the New York Rangers or the Seattle Kraken could keep it close and the result could be up in the air until the final horn sounds. In my opinion, the first scenario is most likely the one that will happen. New York is just playing too well at the moment to be slowed down by the expansion Seattle Kraken.
Tony’s NHL Pick: New York Rangers (-106)
Michael Lantz
Ever since the Kraken have debuted at Climate Pledge Arena they’ve looked like a more confident team. They’ve won two games in a row against Montreal and Minnesota, outscoring those opponents 9-2 in those games. The New York Rangers might have the more talented team on paper, but can they make the cross-country trip to Seattle and beat a Kraken team with plenty of upstarters who are looking to prove themselves? The Rangers have had inconclusive results so far. In the last week they shut out the Blue Jackets, got destroyed by the Flames, and have had close showdowns against the Senators and Predators.
Seattle’s “Krak House” will be lively and the young team has shown they’re ready for whatever comes their way. The Rangers may be 5-2-1, but I expect them to be a bit out of it after a cross-country trip. I know it sounds ridiculous, but that travel time can play a big toll on a team in such a little time and especially with the Kraken rolling at home, I’ll pick the Kraken to get to .500 on their win/loss record for the season.
Michael’s NHL Pick: Seattle Kraken (-113)
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*Odds and spreads correct at time of writing, courtesy of FanDuel.
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