We are loving the action throughout this impressive NHL season so far. As we move into the final stretch of the season, each division’s ladder has already become well formed. This means that every single win or loss can have an impact on the position each team will finish in when the regular season draws to a close, 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.
Winnipeg Jets @ Carolina Hurricanes – 7.00PM ET
The Winnipeg Jets wrap up their four game road trip tonight with a game against the Carolina Hurricanes. The Jets have lost all three of their games on this trip so far, and they probably will not be making an appearance in the playoffs this year. The Hurricanes on the other hand, have already been confirmed for the playoffs, but they are currently in a tight battle with the Rangers for top seed in the Metropolitan Division, as both teams have 106 points.
Marko Nadin
The Carolina Hurricanes are third in the Eastern Conference with a 49-20-8 record and will have a chance to go back to the second place with a win over the Jets. The Hurricanes have won 3 of the last 5 games and are coming off a 5-3 win over the Arizona Coyotes which put an end to their two-game losing streak. Carolina allow 2.4 goals per game which ranked them second in the league. The Hurricanes have won the last 3 games against the Jets and 5 of the last 6 games played after two days of rest.
The Winnipeg Jets are 11th in the Western Conference with a 35-31-11 record. They still have a chance to reach the playoffs even though they are 10 points behind the Dallas Stars who are in 8th place in the West. The Jets have lost the last 3 games, most recently 0-3 against the New York Rangers. Winnipeg is ranked 18th in the league with 3 scored goals per game and 21st with 3.2 allowed goals per game. The Jets have won 8 of the last 11 games coming in after one day’s rest.
Marko’s NHL Pick: Carolina Hurricanes (-300)
Tony Battalio
The Winnipeg Jets come into this game with their Stanley Cup playoff hopes hanging on by a thread. As they come into this matchup with a record of 35-31-11 through their first 77 games of the season. They find themselves in sixth place in the Central Division at the moment. With five games remaining on the season they will need to win outright so it’s fair to say they are all but officially eliminated from the Stanley Cup Playoffs. They are currently on a three game losing streak at the moment.
The Carolina Hurricanes have been one of the best teams in the National Hockey League season. As they look to be the current favorites in the Eastern Conference. Carolina Hurricanes are coming into this game with a record of 49-20-8 through their first 76 games of the season. With six regular season games remaining they are currently in first place but level on points with the New York Rangers in the Metropolitan Division. As for the result of this game, I am taking the Hurricanes to pick up the victory over the Jets.
Tony’s NHL Pick: Carolina Hurricanes (-300)
New York Rangers @ New York Islanders – 7.30PM ET
The final battle of New York for the 2021-22 season is on when the Rangers take on the Islanders on Thursday night. This game has a lot of importance for the Rangers, who are currently in a tight battle with the Hurricanes for the number one spot in the Metropolitan Division. The Islanders are only playing for pride at this point in the season, as they have already been eliminated from playoff contention.
Marko Nadin
The New York Islanders are 9th in the Eastern Conference with a 35-31-10 record and are out of the playoff race since they have a 16 points deficit to the Washington Capitals who stand 8th in the conference. The Islanders have lost 3 of the last 5 games and are coming off a 2-3 overtime loss to the Florida Panthers. The Islanders are sixth in the league allowing 2.6 goals per game and fourth defending 84.7% of the power play situations. The Islanders have won 6 of the last 7 games against the city rival.
The New York Rangers are fourth in the Eastern Conference with a 50-21-6 record. They have won the last three games keeping a clean sheet, most recently 3-0 against the Winnipeg Jets. The Rangers are on top of the league allowing 2.4 goals per game and are ranked fifth converting 25.7% of the power play situations. The Rangers have won the last 4 road games, 6 of the last 7 games after allowing 2 goals or less in their previous game and 4 of the last 5 games following a win.
Marko’s NHL Pick: Under 5.5 (-120)
Tony Battalio
The story of both of the New York teams in the National Hockey League has gone very different this season. As the Rangers have been one of the best teams in the league and will be making the Stanley Cup playoffs, while the Islanders are already eliminated from the playoffs and sit towards the bottom half of the standings. Ironically it was supposed to be the opposite as not many people would have expected the Rangers to be competing for a Metropolitan Division title and a Stanley Cup trophy this season.
The Rangers come into this one tied for first in the Metropolitan Division with a record of 50-21-6 through their first 77 games of the season. While the Islanders come into this one with a record of 35-31-10 through their first 76 games of the season. The Rangers are a serious threat to win the Stanley Cup this season as long as they can remain healthy. While the Islanders are staring at a rebuild. As for the result of this game, I’m taking the Rangers to pick up the victory over the Islanders.
Tony’s NHL Pick: New York Rangers (-140)
Vancouver Canucks @ Minnesota Wild – 8.00PM ET
The Vancouver Canucks kick off a two game road trip on Thursday when they face off against the Minnesota Wild. The Canucks still have a mathematical chance to make the playoffs, but they not only need to win, but the teams above them to lose. The Wild have been confirmed for the playoffs in 2022, they currently sit in second spot in the Central Division, but they have the same amount of points as the Blues, who sit in third.
Marko Nadin
The Minnesota Wild are third in the Western Conference with a 48-21-7 record. They have won 4 of the last 5 games and 3 of the last 4 games have gone into overtime. The Wild are coming off a 2-0 win over the Montreal Canadiens. Minnesota is ranked fifth in the league scoring 3.7 goals per game and 17th allowing 3 goals per game. They have won 6 of the last 10 games against Vancouver including the last two. Minnesota has also won the last 5 games against Pacific Division teams and 47 of the last 62 home games.
The Vancouver Canucks are 10th in the Western Conference and are 4 points behind the last spot that leads into the playoffs. They are coming off a 3-4 shootout loss to the Ottawa Senators which put an end to their six-game winning streak. The Canucks are ranked 19th in the league scoring 3 goals per game and 8th allowing 2.7 per game. Vancouver has won the last 6 games against a Western Conference rival, 5 of the last 7 games as underdog and 6 of the last 8 games on the road.
Marko’s NHL Pick: Vancouver Canucks (+146)
Tony Battalio
The Vancouver Canucks are making one final leap to get in the playoffs. Their Stanley Cup playoff hopes took a massive hit when they lost to the Ottawa Senators in their last game. Now they will be looking to bounce back against the Minnesota Wild in this one as their hopes hang on the line. Vancouver comes into this one with a record of 38-28-11 through their first 77 games of the season. Vancouver is trailing the third place team in the Pacific Division by five points at the moment.
The Minnesota Wild come into this game with a record of 48-21-7 through their first 76 games of the season. They are in second place in the Central Division and have locked up their Stanley Cup playoff spot already. Minnesota is currently on a two game winning streak. They are a serious dark horse contender to win the Stanley Cup title this season as long as they stay healthy. As for the result of this game, I am taking the Minnesota Wild to pick up the victory.
Tony’s NHL Pick: Minnesota Wild (-178)
Dallas Stars @ Calgary Flames – 9.00PM ET
The Dallas Stars wrap up their three game road trip on Thursday with a game against the Calgary Flames. The Stars are playing on back-to-back nights, but they can’t let fatigue be a factor in this game, as they are in a tight battle with a number of teams for one of the Wild Card spots in the Western Conference. The Flames are the first team in the Pacific Division to be confirmed for the playoffs this season.
Marko Nadin
The Calgary Flames are second in the Western Conference with a 47-20-10 record. They have won 3 of the last 5 games but are coming off a 2-3 shootout loss to the Nashville Predators. The Flames are ranked 6th in the league scoring 3.5 goals per game and third allowing 2.5 goals per game. They have won 5 of the last 6 games played after one day rest, 21 of the last 29 games against a Western Conference opponent and 19 of the last 27 home games.
The Dallas Stars are eighth in the Western Conference with a 43-29-5 record and have a 4-point advantage over Vegas and Vancouver who are still able to reach them. The Stars have lost 3 of the last 5 games and are coming off a 2-5 loss to the Edmonton Oilers. The Stars are ranked 16th in the league allowing 3 goals per game and 20th scoring 2.8 goals per game. They have won 4 of the last 5 games against Calgary. Dallas has also won 6 of the last 8 road games but has lost 11 of the last 16 games as underdog.
Marko’s NHL Pick: Dallas Stars (+176)
Tony Battalio
The Dallas Stars are coming into this one after playing the first game of a back to back on Wednesday. In that first game they lost to the Edmonton Oilers by a score of 2-5. Now they will be looking to bounce back in this one against the Calgary Flames. Dallas comes into this one with a record of 43-29-5 through their first 77 games of the season. Dallas is currently in fifth place in the Central Division as they are one point behind the second Wild Card spot in the Western Conference.
The Calgary Flames are coming into this one sitting in first place in the Pacific Division. They come into this game with a record of 47-20-10 through their first 77 games of the season. They are closing in on a Pacific Division title and will likely clinch before the end of the week at this pace. They are a serious favorite in the Western Conference to bring home the Stanley Cup finals. As for the result of this game, I’m taking the Calgary Flames to get the win.
Tony’s NHL Pick: Calgary Flames (-215)
Chicago Blackhawks @ Los Angeles Kings – 10.30PM ET
The Chicago Blackhawks are in the middle of their three game road trip tonight when they travel to Los Angeles for a game against the Kings. The Blackhawks have been out of playoff contention for a long time now, and will solely be looking to get to the off season. The Kings, on the other hand, have a big fight on their hands, but it is a fight that they look like they are going to win, they currently sit in third place in the Pacific Division, with a record of 41-27-10.
Marko Nadin
The Los Angeles Kings are seventh in the Western Conference with a 41-27-10 record and still haven’t secured a playoff spot. The Kings have won 3 of the last 4 games and are coming off a 2-1 win over the Anaheim Ducks. Los Angeles is ranked 21st in the league scoring 2.8 goals per game and 12th allowing 2.9. They are ranked second in shots allowed per game with 28.7. The Kings have won 7 of the last 10 games against the Chicago Blackhawks and 6 of the last 8 games against teams with a losing record under 40%.
The Chicago Blackhawks are 14th in the Western Conference with a 26-40-11 record. They have won 2 of the last 4 games after losing 8 straight. The Blackhawks are coming off a 4-3 overtime win over the Arizona Coyotes. Chicago is ranked 26th in the league allowing 3.6 goals per game and 27th scoring 2.7 goals per game. The Blackhawks have lost 36 of the last 52 games, 36 of the last 51 games against Western Conference opponents and 7 of the last 8 games played without a day off.
Marko’s NHL Pick: Los Angeles Kings -1.5 (+112)
Tony Battalio
The Chicago Blackhawks are playing the second game of a back to back in this one. In the first game of the back to back they faced off with the Arizona Coyotes in a matchup of two teams sitting at the bottom of the Central Division. The Chicago Blackhawks got a 4-3 victory in overtime against Arizona. Now they will be looking to make it two wins in a row against the Los Angeles Kings in this one. As they look to build towards next season through free agency and the draft over then offseason.
The Los Angeles Kings are in the middle of a playoff race as the regular season is winding down. They come into this game with a record of 41-27-10 through their first 78 games of the season. With only four games remaining on their regular season schedule, they sit in third place of the Pacific Division and hold a five point lead over the Vegas Golden Knights. The Kings are a dark horse team to win the Stanley Cup playoffs but I don’t think they can get it done. However, I do have them getting the win in this game.
Tony’s NHL Pick: Los Angeles Kings (-245)
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*Odds and spreads correct at time of writing, courtesy of FanDuel.
