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 @ New Jersey Devils – 7.00PM EDT
The Calgary Flames are looking to add to their three game winning streak when they take on the New Jersey Devils. After losing the first two games of their season, the Flames have come back in a big way, winning their next three, and last time out they won against the Rangers 5-1. The Devils are also having a pretty decent start to the season, with a record of 3-1-0, and last time out they won against the Sabres, 2-1, in overtime.
Denis Kirilov
The Calgary Flames travel to Newark to face the New Jersey Devils. Such games will be of great importance for both teams, if they want to qualify for the Playoffs. Calgary and New Jersey are looking sharp ahead of this game as they both had a positive start to their campaign. Although the Flames started off with 2 losses, they managed to pick up fast with 3 straight wins against tough opponents like the Washington Capitals and the New York Rangers.
The Devils, on the other hand, managed to get 6 points out of their 4 matches. However, these points came off games against weaker opponents like the Buffalo Sabres, the Seattle Kraken, and the Chicago Blackhawks. They weren’t even dominant in these fixtures as all three games came down the wire. The Flames don’t have any injuries to key players, while Jack Hughes and Miles Wood will miss the upcoming game. Looking at the odds and at the additional information I am eager to go with the Flames.
Denis’ NHL Pick: Calgary Flames (-106)
Tony Battalio
The Calgary Flames come into this game after beating the New York Rangers last night. With last night’s victory the Flames improved their record to 3-1-1 on the season. For the New Jersey Devils they come into this game off of a couple days rest, having last played on Saturday night in a game where they defeated the Buffalo Sabres 2-1 in Overtime.
Mamma Mia 👀 pic.twitter.com/jwLOE9Z0Va
— Calgary Flames (@NHLFlames) October 26, 2021
New Jersey is 3-1-0 for the season with wins over less than impressive teams, outside of Buffalo, this may be another early test for them to prove just how good they are. Both teams are exceeding the expectations that were placed upon them in the 2021-22 preseason. There is a chance both of these teams can find a way to backdoor their way into the Stanley Cup playoffs if they keep up this level of play. As far as this game is concerned, I like the New Jersey Devils moneyline to hit.
Tony’s NHL Pick: New Jersey Devils (-110)
Michael Lantz
The Calgary Flames are currently on quite the hot streak. After a sluggish start to the season, this renowned offense has been getting the goals many expected from their talented offense. They beat the Capitals 4-3 in OT on Saturday and followed that with a 4-1 beatdown of the New York Rangers. The scariest part? Star players Matthew Tkachuk and Johnny Gaudreau have one goal between them so far. Once they heat up, the Flames will keep on burning.
Their opponent Tuesday night is the New Jersey Devils, a team that’s shown some great promise as well. The Devils have been getting solid play across the board, and while inconsistent, they’ve made huge improvements over last season’s squad. Calgary is playing back to back games, whereas the Devils have had a few days rest and will happily be playing at “The Rock” in front of a home crowd. That being said, I think the Flames will keep scoring, but expect the Devils to at least keep it close. I’m thinking this one hits the over.
Michael’s NHL Pick: Over 6 (-118)
Tampa Bay Lightning @ Pittsburgh Penguins – 7.00PM EDT
The Tampa Bay Lightning are looking to bounce back after a difficult loss last time out, when they take on the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Lightning are struggling to their feet so far this season, surprising many, with their season record currently standing at 2-3-1, and last time out they were embarrassed by the Sabres, 1-5. The Penguins continue their solid form, and are yet to lose a game in regular time. Last time out the Penguins demolished the Maple Leafs, 7-1.
Denis Kirilov
The Tampa Bay Lightning have had a typical start for a Champions team in the NHL. They haven’t yet recorded a clear win as they have 2 victories after overtime, 1 loss after penalty shoot-out, and 3 horrific losses, the last of which coming against the Buffalo Sabres, 5:1. The team knows perfectly well that the season is long enough in order to make some changes in their tactics and strategies. However, if they continue like that, they will have a pretty hard time not only reaching the top spots in the playoffs, but also getting into the playoffs in the first place.
The Penguins showed both consistency and dominance throughout their first 5 games of this campaign. They demolished teams like the Lightning and the Maple Leafs. With the 2:6 victory over them in the season’s opener they managed to stop a 4-game losing streak against them and now the Pittsburgh Penguins are looking to make it two in a row. Although players like Sidney Crosby, Jeff Carter, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang will miss the game, I am still reluctant to trust the Penguins in their march for final success.
Denis’ NHL Pick: Pittsburgh Penguins (+126)
Tony Battalio
Tampa Bay comes into this game after being shocked by the Buffalo Sabres on Monday night. The Lightning certainly do not look like a team coming off back to back Stanley Cup victories. Next up for them is a team who absolutely demolished them on opening night while being down their 3 best players, the Pittsburgh Penguins. Tampa Bay currently sits at a record of 2-3-1 which is not something people could have predicted before the season started just a few short weeks ago.
As for the Pittsburgh Penguins they currently hold a record of 3-0-2 and have looked like an offensive juggernaut through 5 games, totaling 23 Goals. Leading the way for those impressive numbers is 3 players who all have netted 3 Goals, O’Conner, Rodrigues, and Heinen. Even without the contributions of Crosby so far this season they look set for a deep playoff run in 2021-22. As for this game, due to Pittsburgh being home and already ahead in the season series 1-0, and the Lightning’s current form I am taking the Pittsburgh Penguins in this one.
Tony’s NHL Pick: Pittsburgh Penguins (+126)
Michael Lantz
It’s a rematch of the season’s first game; last time this one got ugly. The Penguins were without their stars Sidney Crosby and Evengi Malkin, but it didn’t turn ugly for them. The defending champions Tampa Bay Lightning started off their 2021-22 campaign with an embarrassing 6-2 loss to a depleted Penguins team.
Now Tampa Bay gets another shot; this time at the Penguins barn. The only thing is, Tampa has been anything but predictable thus far. The NHL’s most dominant team over the past two seasons are off to a 2-3-1 start and have been victims of multiple blowouts. Now, after winning back-to-back Stanley Cups, Tampa Bay may just have some tricks up their sleeve. They know when to turn it up and I’m not sure if they’ll take this one, so take the Penguins to cover the spread.
Michael’s NHL Pick: Pittsburgh Penguins +1.5 (-210)
Vegas Golden Knights @ Colorado Avalanche – 8.00PM EDT
The Vegas Golden Knights are on the road when they take on the Colorado Avalanche. The Golden Knights have not got off to the start they would have hoped for, with their current record standing at 1-4-0, and last time out they lost, 0-2, to the Islanders. The Avalanche are also slightly struggling at the moment, with their season record at 2-3-0, but last time out they did get an all important win against the Lightning, 4-3, in a shootout.
Denis Kirilov
Two of the top contenders for the Stanley Cup Trophy are coming up against each other on Tuesday night in Colorado. The Vegas Golden Knights find themselves in a pretty unusual spot for them since the start of the season. They have only managed to take their opener against the Seattle Kraken and later on, conceded 4 straight losses. Many would say that they have faced other title contenders like the St. Louis Blues, the New York Islanders, and the Edmonton Oilers, but I’d rather blame their defense. A team like the Golden Knights cannot afford to concede 5 goals against the Oilers, 6 goals against the Kings, and 3 goals against the Kraken.
The Colorado Avalanche are off to a slow start of this campaign as they have recorded 2 wins and 3 losses. The victories came against a weak team of the Tampa Bay Lightning and against one of the outsiders in the NHL, the Chicago Blackhawks. They have also dropped a game against the St. Louis Blues, while the Washington Capitals and the Florida Panthers were the other two teams against which they suffered a defeat. I wouldn’t take the risk to pick a winner from this game. However, I’d rather trust the fact that both teams’ offense is greater than their defense and hope to see many goals.
Denis’ NHL Pick: Over 6 (-105)
Tony Battalio
The Las Vegas Golden Knights will be heading to snowy and cold Denver, Colorado for a game with a fellow Western Conference and Stanley Cup title contender the Colorado Avalanche. However both of these franchises have not got off to the start that they were hoping for after a week and a half has passed in this young 2021-22 National Hockey League season.
“It’s just how I play. I try to play on the edge and play physical.”#GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/CrVgCAJhWD
— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) October 25, 2021
Vegas has staggered to a 1-4-0 start which includes losses to the New York Islanders, Edmonton Oilers and St. Louis Blues, two of which are among the hottest teams in hockey right now. Their only win came on opening night against the brand new expansion franchise the Seattle Kraken. As for the Colorado Avalanche they are currently sitting at 2-3-0 following a shootout victory over the two time defending Stanley Cup champions, the Tampa Bay Lightning, who themselves are struggling early on in the season. As for this game, both teams will be looking for a win to get back on track, this is a toss up pick at best. Due to the home ice advantage, I am picking the Colorado Avalanche in this one.
Tony’s NHL Pick: Colorado Avalanche (-190)
Michael Lantz
A preseason favorite for the Western Conference Finals matchup, both Colorado and Vegas have struggled a bit early on. Luckily for Colorado, they might have broken out of that slump. After three games in which they lost to three great teams, the Avs had a gritty, breakthrough win against the defending champion Tampa Bay Lightning in Tampa Bay. The Avs “Big 3” came to play as Nathan MacKinnon, Gabriel Landeskog, and Mikko Rantanen all had a goal apiece.
Vegas on the other hand hasn’t tallied a win since their season opener against the expansion team, the Seattle Kraken. They just can’t seem to connect; in games where they played great defense they’ve failed to score goals and when they scored three against the Oilers, Edmonton rocked them for five. It doesn’t let up for Vegas, as they face a Stanley Cup favorite in Colorado who finally seem to be clicking offensively. As much as it doesn’t seem right for Vegas to start 1-5, I just can’t go against this on fire Avalanche team at home.
Michael’s NHL Pick: Colorado Avalanche (-190)
San Jose Sharks @ Nashville Predators – 8.30PM EDT
The San Jose Sharks continue their mammoth road trip in Nashville when they take on the Predators. The Sharks were actually undefeated until last time out, with they lost to the Bruins, 3-4. The Predators on the other hand, are struggling at the moment, with their season record at 2-4-0, but last time out they did get a good win against the Wild, 5-2.
Denis Kirilov
The San Jose Sharks will face the Nashville Predators on Tuesday night at Bridgestone Arena. The team from California are off to a great start of the season as they took off with 4 straight wins against some of the best teams in the League. Amongst the defeated ones are teams like the Maple Leafs, the Senators, and the Jets. They have also demolished the Canadiens away from home, 0:5. In their last game, the Sharks had to accept the loss against the Boston Bruins as they were down 4:1 after the 2nd Period. However, they fought right until the end of the game and the final result was 4:3.
The Nashville Predators clinched an important 5:2 win against the unbeatable Minnesota Wild over the weekend. However, the team seems to have mixed periods with ups and downs. They played well against one of the best teams in the NHL, the Carolina Hurricanes, but eventually lost the game, 2:3. They went on to win their first game against the Kings (2:1), but later on, they suffered 2 straight defeats against the New York Rangers and the Winnipeg Jets. That being said, I would go with the more consistent team and the better one at the moment in my opinion – the San Jose Sharks.
Denis’ NHL Pick: San Jose Sharks (+118)
Tony Battalio
Up until losing to the Boston Bruins, the San Jose Sharks were surprising the league with an undefeated start. Shockingly they rolled off 4 big wins in a row over expected playoff teams like the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Montreal Canadiens. However they were brought back to reality for now following a close loss to the previously mentioned Boston Bruins. As for the Nashville Predators they have started off on a slippery slope, they are currently sitting at 2-4 following a huge win over the previously undefeated Minnesota Wild.
Nashville is hoping they can jump start their season coming off such a big win, by following it up with a win that is just as huge so early on in the season. This will be a home game for the Nashville Predators, as well as the 5th straight game on the road for the San Jose Sharks. Thankfully for San Jose they will return home before their next game, after this massive road trip which included 3 straight games north of the United States border and has spanned several time zones. As for this game I fully expect those same San Jose Sharks to pull this one out to close the road trip with a record of 4-1.
Tony’s NHL Pick: San Jose Sharks (+118)
Michael Lantz
San Jose has sneakily been one of the best teams in the NHL through the first two weeks. The Sharks are 4-1 with their first loss of the season occurring Sunday, in a hard fought 4-3 loss to the Bruins. In what now seems like a fairly wide open race in the Pacific Division, the Sharks are a team to keep an eye on.
The Nashville Predators have been a bit disappointing—until Sunday night. The Preds’ beat a previously undefeated Minnesota Wild team on the road. This may be a win that jump starts their season as they head back to Nashville to take on San Jose. The Sharks have shot the puck pretty well on the road; considering they’ve played their last four away from home, and it looks as though they may be getting comfortable. So, Nashville can’t rely on home-ice advantage to win this one, but I think getting over an early rut in the last game against the Wild will help them carry momentum over to this one.
Michael’s NHL Pick: Nashville Predators (-138)
Minnesota Wild @ Vancouver Canucks – 10.00PM EDT
The Minnesota Wild are on the road when they take on the Vancouver Canucks. The Wild were another team that was undefeated until their last game, where they lost to the Predators, 2-5. The Canucks are starting to find their groove now, and they have won two games in a row, against the Blackhawks, and the Kraken.
Denis Kirilov
The Minnesota Wild will try to make up for their first defeat during this season in their upcoming match. They lost to a healthy Nashville Predators’ team, 2:5. Although they were the better team on the ice on Sunday night, ice-hockey once again proved its glory to be one of the most unpredictable and exciting sports in the world. Before this game, the team was off to a great 4-0 run and everything looked bright for them. They have registered victories against the Ducks, the Jets, and the Kings.
On the other hand, the Vancouver Canucks have mainly defeated the weakest teams in the League in the likes of the Seattle Kraken and the Chicago Blackhawks. They suffered losses against the Buffalo Sabres and the Detroit Red Wings. Their first two games were their best ones in my opinion as they had to face top teams like the Edmonton Oilers and the Philadelphia Flyers. Both of the matches were decided after a penalty shoot-out with the Canucks getting the win against Philly and suffering a defeat to the Oilers.
The Canucks are struggling with injuries and although these players have recorded a single game during this campaign, I believe that their absence will become more and more crucial in the upcoming games. The match is in Canada and this will give the Canucks a slight advantage, but I personally think that the Minnesota Wild will overcome this challenge.
Denis’ NHL Pick: Minnesota Wild (-118)
Tony Battalio
This game is another case of a team who was previously undefeated until stepping on the ice for their last game. Minnesota was rolling heading into the Nashville game and they came to a full stop as the Nashville Predators blasted them by a score of 5-2. Meanwhile the Vancouver Canucks have seemed to hit a stride and welcome Minnesota, north of the border, while on a two game win streak.
“WHAT A SAVE BY DEMKO” –ya, we’re used to hearing that!#Canucks | @BBMACofficial pic.twitter.com/XdBHlRaLo9
— Vancouver #Canucks (@Canucks) October 26, 2021
Despite those two wins being against less than impressive teams, it was much needed for the Canucks. As they struggled to find their form early on in the 2021-22 National Hockey League season. The Minnesota Wild are the favorites in this one, at least in my opinion. However with the way the Vancouver Canucks have been playing this game could very well go either way. Due to the fact that this game is at home for Vancouver, I am taking them because I believe they are the safer bet in this game.
Tony’s NHL Pick: Vancouver Canucks (+100)
Michael Lantz
After an inconsistent start, the Vancouver Canucks have put up four goals in each of their past two games. Both have occurred late, and even prior to these games Vancouver had shown some late game energy early on. While not something they can depend on the whole year, it is encouraging to see such resilience from this fairly young squad.
The Canucks now face a Minnesota Wild team that looked very good through four games before taking a tough loss to the Nashville Predators. Hey, it was bound to happen and now Minnesota gets that first loss out of their system on what appeared to be just an off night. But now, they travel to Vancouver where they face a Canucks team that’s gaining confidence by the day. I think this one is going to beat tight, but I’ll pick the Wild to get back on track.
Michael’s NHL Pick: Minnesota Wild (-118)
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*Odds and spreads correct at time of writing, courtesy of FanDuel.
