Free NHL Picks Today for Tuesday, December 5th, 2023

Our free NHL picks are out for Tuesday, December 5th 2023! Make sure you check our NHL picks before the action kicks off.

Look below to find our free NHL picks for the best games on today’s schedule!

New York Rangers @ Ottawa Senators – 7PM ET

Tony Battalio

The New York Rangers are off to a solid start to the regular season and they will be looking to keep the momentum rolling here on Tuesday night north of the border in Ottawa. New York has been a contender over the last couple years, but they have not really been taken seriously as they tend to collapse once the playoffs come around, but they will be looking to change that narrative throughout this season. They will be looking to get a solid early season victory against Ottawa here on Tuesday night as they look to position themselves at the top of the Metropolitan division, heading into 2024 and they will be looking to extend their lead within the division with a quality performance in this game as well. New York comes into this game with 18 victories through their first 23 games of the regular season and they will be looking for their 19th victory of the year here on Tuesday night on the road. 

It has been a slow start to the regular season for the Ottawa Senators, but they have the opportunity to pick up a huge momentum boosting victory here on Tuesday night at home against the New York Rangers. Ottawa comes into this game with 10 losses through their first 19 games of the regular season and they will be looking to get things going in the right direction with a victory here at home on Tuesday against a quality Rangers team. Despite only playing 19 games this season while other teams in the league have played as much as 23, Ottawa still finds themselves in the last place of the Atlantic division coming into this game on Tuesday night against the Rangers. They will be looking to climb out of the basement with a crucial victory at home here in this one, but they will need to play a perfect game of hockey to get the job done. Unfortunately for the Ottawa Senators, I don’t see that happening here on Tuesday night as I look for the New York Rangers to pick up the win and cover the spread. 

Los Angeles Kings @ Columbus Blue Jackets – 7PM ET

Tony Battalio

The Los Angeles Kings come into this game looking to grab a solid victory on the road in Columbus here on Tuesday night. Los Angeles has been one of the most consistent teams in the league over the last several seasons, and they will be looking to hold through to that narrative with another quality victory here in this one against a struggling Blue Jackets team. The Los Angeles Kings come into this game with 14 victories through their first 21 games of the regular season and they will be looking for their 15th win of the season here in Columbus. Los Angeles currently sits third in the Pacific division behind the Vegas Golden Knights, and the Vancouver Canucks, and they will be looking to gain ground by stringing some victories together throughout the early part of December. They have plenty of momentum coming into this game as they are on a one game-winning streak, and they have won four out of their last five as well.

Despite coming into the regular season with high expectations, Columbus has looked very underwhelming throughout the early part of the regular season. Once again, they have issues at the goalie position that has cost them several games throughout the early part of the year as well. They will be looking to overcome that and pick up a much-needed victory here on Tuesday night at home as they host the Los Angeles Kings. It would be a massive momentum boost for the Columbus team if they could find a way to get the job done hearing this one at home as they look to climb back up the standings in the Metropolitan division. Columbus has won two out of their last three games at home on the season but they are coming off of a loss on the road in Boston in their previous game. They will be looking to get back on track and grab a victory here in this one against Los Angeles. Unfortunately, I don’t see that happening as I look for the Los Angeles Kings to pick up the victory and cover the spread on the road against the Blue Jackets.

Detroit Red Wings @ Buffalo Sabres – 7:30PM ET

Tony Battalio

The Detroit Red Wings come into this game on Tuesday night on the road in Buffalo looking to pick up a solid early season victory over a lower tier Eastern Conference team. Detroit is off to a respectable start this season as they come into this game three games above the .500 mark and they will be looking to grab another victory here on Tuesday night on the road. as the Red Wings come into this game with 13 victories through their first 23 games of the regular season and they will be looking for win number 14 here on Tuesday against the Sabres. Detroit comes into this game currently occupying a playoff position in the Atlantic division. Now they will be looking to put more distance between them and the five teams behind them with a quality game here on the road on Tuesday night. Detroit comes into this game with plenty of momentum as they are currently on a two game winning streak, and they have won four out of their last five as well.

Buffalo comes into this game looking to get a huge momentum boosting victory at home against Detroit here on Tuesday night as they look to get things rolling in the right direction. They come into this game five games below the 500 mark through their first 25 games of the regular season and they will be looking for their 11th victory of the year here at home against a solid and streaking Detroit team. If they want to find long-term success throughout the regular season, they will need to clean up their play on the defensive end of the ice as they are giving up around three goals per game throughout the early part of the year. Buffalo is in desperate need of a victory as they come into this game after losing four out of their last five including each of their last three. They have been less than competitive over this current stretch, and they will be looking to get things rolling in the right direction with a much-needed victory. Unfortunately, I don’t see that happening as I look for the Red Wings to pick up the victory on the road.

Minnesota Wild @ Calgary Flames – 9PM ET

Tony Battalio

Minnesota is off to a rough start to the regular season and they will be looking to pick up a victory north of the border in Calgary here on Tuesday night. Minnesota has been one of the most consistent teams in the league over the last several seasons, and they will be looking to maintain that narrative as they look to continue racking up victory throughout the early part of the year. However, they have struggled throughout the first month and a half of the regular season. Minnesota comes into this game with a losing record, and they will need to get things back on track and it starts with grabbing a victory here on Tuesday night against the Calgary Flames in Canada. Minnesota is averaging three goals per game on the offensive end of the ice but they’re downfall has been their play on the defensive end of the ice as they are giving up nearly 4 goals again and that is certainly not sustainable for long-term success throughout the year. 

Calgary is having a rough start to the regular season as well which is weird because they have been a legitimate contender over the past couple of seasons. They come into this game four games below the .500 mark through their first 24 games of the regular season and they will be looking to grab a huge victory here on Tuesday night at home. They have looked very rough on the defensive end of the ice as they are giving up around three goals per game this season, and that is not sustainable for any type of success. They will be looking to improve on that throughout the season and they need a huge victory in this one to get some momentum rolling in the right direction heading into the month of December. Calgary will be looking to snap a one game losing streak with a victory in this game and pick up their third victory in their previous four games with a quality performance here on Tuesday night. Regardless of the result of this game on Tuesday night I look for Minnesota and Calgary to combine for the over on goals.

New Jersey Devils @ Vancouver Canucks – 10PM ET

Tony Battalio

The New Jersey Devils are having a rough start to the regular season and they will be looking for a huge victory here on Tuesday night north of the border in Vancouver. New Jersey was off to a solid start to the regular season until Jack Hughes got hurt, and then the train derailed off the tracks while he was dealing with injuries. They will be looking to get things rolling in the right direction once again when they quality performance here on Tuesday night against this solid Vancouver Canucks team is New Jersey looks for a huge momentum boosting victory early on in the regular season. New Jersey comes into this game sitting right at .500 through their first 22 games of the regular season and they will be looking for their 12th victory of the year here on Tuesday night in Vancouver. They will be looking to bounce back after having their three game-winning streak snapped in their previous game against the San Jose Sharks. 

It has been a solid start for the season for the Vancouver Canucks, and they will be looking to keep the momentum rolling with another quality performance here on Tuesday night at home against the New Jersey Devils. A long and lengthy rebuilding process has finally paid off for the Vancouver Canucks and they will be looking to grab another victory here in this one as they look to further establish themselves as a legitimate threat to win a Stanley Cup this season. Vancouver comes into this game with 16 victories through their first 25 games of the regular season and they will be looking for their 17th one of the year here on Tuesday night at home against the New Jersey Devils. They have been very tough to beat at home this season, and they will be looking to further prove that narrative to be true with another quality game here in this one. That is exactly what I expect at Vancouver as I look for them to pick up the victory over New Jersey here on Tuesday night.

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