NHL Picks & Predictions

Here is a free guide for your 24/25 NHL picks and betting tips. Keep reading to boost your hockey betting knowledge and make smarter picks this season!

24/25 NHL Presentation and Picks

The highest standard of ice hockey in the world, the NHL is home to the sport’s best players. Contracts are lucrative, crowds are packed, and the pressure is sky-high for everyone involved with the sport.

Each of the 32 teams play in 82 regular-season games. It’s a grueling campaign with plenty of travel and little time to recover between contests. The ultimate aim for each team is lifting the Stanley Cup, which goes to the winners of the NHL playoffs.

Such a lengthy season means NHL is a great sport to bet on. There’s a huge number of betting opportunities throughout the year with games taking place pretty much every day of the regular season. Futures markets are available year-round, too. 

There are plenty of factors to consider when analyzing NHL picks throughout the year. Injuries are inevitably a factor in such a physical sport with an unrelenting schedule, and the amount of rest a team has can prove pivotal.

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NHL Prediction: Who will win the 24/25 Stanley Cup?

Winning the Stanley Cup in 2024/25 will require grit, high skill levels, and a portion of good fortune. The NHL season is a challenge in mental and physical fortitude. With the demands of the campaign, it is an achievement to even reach the postseason, and then it takes a huge push through the spring months to qualify for and win the Stanley Cup Finals.

Teams have to wrestle with local and divisional rivalries. There are two divisions of eight teams in each conference, with eight teams from each conference making it into the postseason. The top three teams in each division are automatically in the playoffs – they are joined by two wild-card teams. 

After a 52-24 regular-season record, the Florida Panthers won the Stanley Cup Finals in a dramatic Game Seven. Florida were the favorites going into the postseason but were taken all the way by the Edmonton Oilers. At the time of writing, the Oilers are the betting favorites to win the 2024/25 Stanley Cup. 

The New Jersey Devils had excellent underlying numbers in 2023/24 and should be well rested after missing the playoffs last time around. While the Oilers are being backed by many to follow the Panthers’ path from runners-up to champions, there is a stacked field across the NHL this season.

With Connor McDavid leading the way, the Oilers are well-placed to become the first Canadian team to lift the Stanley Cup in over three decades. A rematch of last season’s Finals is the most likely outcome according to the betting markets, while the Toronto Maple Leafs, Devils, and Carolina Hurricanes also have a fighting chance of reaching the Finals.

Our prediction for the Stanley Cup: Edmonton Oilers

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24/25 NHL Western Conference Prediction

After losing the 2023/24 Stanley Cup Finals in Game Seven, the Oilers are the betting favorites to win the Western Conference. Each of the last five NHL seasons have seen a team repeat as Stanley Cup finalists after the Lightning’s three-year run and the Panthers’ back-to-back appearances.

Viktor Arvidsson and Jeff Skinner were good additions for the Oilers. Losing Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway to the St. Louis Blues was a bit of a disappointment, and some were surprised they didn’t match at least one of the offer sheets, but this Oilers roster unquestionably had enough talent to go all the way in 2024/25. 

The Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars, Vegas Golden Knights, and Nashville Predators are expected to be in the mix. All of that quartet made the postseason last time around, with the Stars falling to the Oilers in the conference finals.

Dallas’ offseason wasn’t the most impressive. Joe Pavelski retired; Christopher Tanev departed. Matt Dumba, Brendan Smith, and Ilya Lyubushkin were added to the roster. The Stars were fourth in expected goal difference last season, though, so there’s something to work with this season.

The Golden Knights were champions in 2023, but there’s no question they took a step back this summer. Jonathan Marchessault, Anthony Mantha, Michael Amadio, and William Carrier were among a group of players to depart as free agents. Goalie Logan Thompson was traded. Las Vegas is always eyeing a big move, but it will take something drastic to elevate them into legitimate contention for the Western Conference.

Colorado’s chances depend on the availability of Gabriel Landeskog after a lengthy injury absence. The Predators, who had the fourth-best expected goal difference last season, had an exciting offseason, adding Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault, and Brady Skjei. 

Odds for the NHL Western Conference Winners

• Edmonton Oilers +390
• Colorado Avalanche +500
• Dallas Stars +550
• Vegas Golden Knights +700
• Nashville Predators +750
• Vancouver Canucks +1100
• Los Angeles Kings +1100
• Winnipeg Jets +1200
• Minnesota Wild +1200
• St. Louis Blues +3400
• Seattle Kraken +3500
• Utah Hockey Club +3900
• Calgary Flames +9500
• Chicago Blackhawks +11000
• Anaheim Ducks +15000
• San Jose Sharks +15000

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24/25 NHL Eastern Conference Prediction

Having represented the Eastern Conference in consecutive Stanley Cup Finals, it’s no surprise the Florida Panthers are favored to make it three consecutive appearances in the final series of the year. The New Jersey Devils, New York Rangers, Toronto Maple Leafs, Carolina Hurricanes, and Tampa Bay Lightning are also expected to be in contention.

The Devils look to have had the best offseason of that group, adding depth on the defensive side of the ball and bolstering their options on offense. Turnover from the Lightning leaves them facing some uncertainty after seeing Steven Stamkos join the Nashville Predators and Mikhail Sergachev become a star name for the newly formed Utah Hockey Club. 

Christopher Tanev and Oliver Ekman-Larsson were shrewd additions by Toronto, who have not won the conference since 1967. The Maple Leafs haven’t even reached the conference finals in over 20 years. While the talent is there to go on a run, bettors are bound to be wary of a team that has struggled in the postseason so consistently.

There is optimism the Panthers can keep battling atop the Eastern Conference, but they lost several players, including Ekman-Larsson and Brandon Montour. They are definitely beatable both when it comes to regular season win total and the playoffs.

Odds for the NHL Eastern Conference Winner

• Florida Panthers +500
• New Jersey Devils +550
• New York Rangers +600
• Toronto Maple Leafs +700
• Carolina Hurricanes +700
• Tampa Bay Lightning +850
• Boston Bruins +850
• Ottawa Senators +1900
• New York Islanders +2300
• Detroit Red Wings +2700
• Pittsburgh Penguins +2800
• Buffalo Sabres +3000
• Washington Capitals +3600
• Philadelphia Flyers +3900
• Montreal Canadiens +11000
• Columbus Blue Jackets +15000

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Prediction for the 24/25 NHL Hart Trophy

Connor McDavid, the consensus best player in the league, is the clear favorite to win the 2024/25 Hart Trophy. McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, and Auston Matthews are in a tier of their own at the moment, which is reflected in the betting markets. 

MacKinnon edged out Nikita Kucherov to the award in 2023/24. McDavid in 2020/21 and 2022/23, however, with Matthews claiming the hardware in between. It’s worth noting that Alex Ovechkin is the last player to go back-to-back as MVP, which counts against MacKinnon in this market. You have to go all the way back to 2000 for the last time a defenseman won the award – this is reflected in the odds.

Centers have accounted for 55 of the Hart Trophy winners. No other position has topped the voting more than 18 times. It’s two decades since a player won the regular season MVP and the Stanley Cup in the same season – could McDavid break that streak?

23/24 NHL Hart Trophy Odds

• Connor McDavid +150
• Nathan MacKinnon +500
• Auston Matthews +850
• Jack Hughes +1100
• Nikita Kucherov +1800
• Leon Draisaitl +2000
• Cale Makar +2000
• David Pastrnak +2000
• Kirill Kaprizov +2000
• Connor Bedard +3000
• Matthew Tkachuk +3000
• Jason Robertson +4000

Odds provided by FanDuel.

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23/24 NHL Calder Trophy Prediction: Who will be the best rookie player this season?

Matvei Michkov is the clear betting favorite to win the Calder Trophy in 2024/25. Handed to the NHL’s best rookie each year, Michkov is aiming to become the first Philadelphia Flyer to receive the honor. Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard was the winner in 2023/24.

If Michkov does top the balloting, he will be the first player listed as a right winger to win since Patrick Kane in 2007/08. Only two wingers (Kirill Kaprizov, Artemi Panarin) have won the Calder Trophy in the last 11 years.

Mackin Celebrini, first overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, is among the contenders. The Canadian, who was selected by the San Jose Sharks, is looking to become the third consecutive center to be named Rookie of the Year.

Odds for the 23/24 Calder Trophy

• Matvei Michkov +250
• Macklin Celebrini +450
• Logan Stankoven +550
• Cutter Gauthier +550
• Lane Hutson +600
• Will Smith +750

Odds provided by FanDuel.

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How to Bet on the NHL?

Betting on the NHL is an exciting experience due to the fast-paced nature of the sport and the high amount of upsets each season. That being said, there is a trio of popular bets that NHL bettors typically gravitate towards. The three most common NHL bets are Money Line bets, Puck Line bets, and Goal totals. 

Money Line bets are straightforward bets on who will win the match. These are the go-to bets for anyone looking to keep things simple and have a clear favorite for the matchwinner. Puck Line bets are the second most popular NHL bets which spice things up a bit by offering a goal spread. This spread is usually set at +/- 1.5 goals, meaning that you’re not just predicting the match winner but by how many goals. Betting on the favorite? They will need to win by 2 goals or more for you to win your bet. Fancy the underdog? You’ll win your bet if they either pull off an upset or keep the game within a single goal. 

The third most popular NHL bet is the Goal Totals bet (also known as a traditional over/under). Here you’ll bet on the the total number of goals to be scored by both teams in any given period or throughout the match. The sportsbook will set the expected amount before the match and the bettor decides if they think it will be over or under that number. 

Each of these three types of bets offers a different way to increase the thrill of an NHL game. Whether you’re new to NHL betting or a seasoned pro, understanding these common bet types will make your NHL viewing much more exciting. 

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NHL Betting Tips for Beginners

Getting started with NHL betting is an exciting new adventure that can be as thrilling as a game-winning overtime goal. For beginners, making sense of all of the new terms, betting options, and betting strategies can be a bit overwhelming. Here are a few essential tips to keep in mind when starting out as a new NHL bettor. 

• Understand the basics
• Start small
• Do your homework
• Shop for the best odds
• Manage your bankroll

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Tip #1: Understand the basics

Before you go about placing a bet, be sure to familiarize yourself with the fundamentals of the NHL match you’re thinking about wagering on. Check team standings, injuries/absences, and recent performance trends. Having a good grasp of this basic info along with an understanding of the different bet types available will go a long way in determining your betting success. 

Tip #2: Start small

As a new bettor, it’s easy to get carried away with excitement, especially when you see a potentially profitable line. It’s always wise for new bettors to start with small, manageable bets. Allow yourself a chance to gain some experience without risking a significant portion of your bankroll. As you become more comfortable and have a few wins under your belt, you can gradually increase your stakes.

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Tip #3: Do your homework

Unfortunately, sheer love for the game isn’t enough to make you a successful sports bettor. Be sure to take time to research teams, players, and head-to-head records. Pay attention to factors like home advantage, rivalries and inter-division records. Having a good grasp of this info will pay dividends. You need to study this point before all hockey picks you make.

Tip #4: Shop for the best odds

There are several great online sportsbooks available to US bettors. Each book will offer different odds for each match, future, or player prop. Shopping around for the best odds on a line you’d like to take is essential in increasing your potential return on investment. Taking the time to compare odds will have a significant difference in the long run. 

Tip #5: Manage your bankroll

Our final tip for beginners is perhaps the most important, bankroll management. Effective bankroll management is setting aside a specific amount of money for betting and sticking to it. It’s about avoiding that temptation to chase losses with bigger bets or splurging on that new line because of the potential payout. This often leads to a slippery slope of risky betting behavior. Remember that sports betting should be enjoyed more as a hobby and shouldn’t put your financial well-being at risk. 

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What Not to Do for NHL Predictions

Steering clear of common pitfalls is just as important as following best betting practices. When the stakes are high, a misstep can quickly derail your strategy and lead to an unnecessary loss. Here are some common betting mistakes to avoid when betting on the NHL: 

• Ignoring team schedules or back-to-back games
• Overvaluing home ice advantage
• Chasing losses
• Overreliance on star players
• Ignoring Defensive metrics
• Failing to shop for the best betting lines
• Disregarding the special team's performance

Taking these seven things into account when placing your NHL bet will help you make sure that you’re making the best decisions possible. Don’t forget that losses are part of the sports betting experience. How you react to a loss however can end up making all of the difference. 

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Stats to Consider for Your NHL Predictions

To help you place your bets on the current NHL season, here are some interesting figures and statistics that may help you make the difference with your bets. As it's not easy to find them elsewhere on the web, we've calculated them for you. Here are the most important data from the last season played:

• Average goals: 6.20 goals per game
• Average goals scored at home: 2.99 goals
• Average away goals scored: 3.21 goals
• Average goals in 1st half: 1.79
• Average goals in 2nd half: 2.09
• Average goals in 3rd period: 2.12
• Home wins (including extra time): 46% of matches
• Away wins (including extra time): 54% of matches

Don't hesitate to consult these figures regularly to get ideas for interesting bets to play on this 2024-2025 season and to spot attractive odds on sports betting sites.

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Conclusion: How to Get Your NHL Predictions Right Today?

Given the unpredictability of the NHL, where superior stats don’t always guarantee playoff success, it’s key for bettors to approach their picks with a nuanced understanding. As you refine your NHL predictions, remember the importance of considering a broad spectrum of factors, including schedules and roster changes. Let this guide serve as a stepping stone for success and remember to check out our free expert predictions available for each match of the 24/25 NHL season.

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Our current NHL predictions

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NHL: Best Odds

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