NHL Must Bet Games in Week 12: Heading into Christmas Week

It is always interesting to look at the NHL standings at any given time in the season, as it gives you some real insight into the nature of the season, which is a long one.

Look right now, and you will see that there are several teams on long winning streaks, as well as those that are on the opposite end of the scale, such as the Buffalo Sabres, who have now lost 13 in a row.

NHL Must Bet Games in Week 12 Analysis

Check the standings a month for now, and you will likely see different teams in each of those categories, telling us that highs and lows are a natural part of an 82-game season.

Who will rise and fall this week? It’s tough to say, but’s lets’ take a look at the best games on the schedule over the next few days.

Tampa Bay Lightning at Florida Panthers

Monday, December 23, 2024, 6:00 PM | ESPN+

Heading into Christmas Day, we have a jam-packed schedule on Monday, with several matchups that could have made this list. I am going with this one between the Lightning and the Panthers, simply because we have a great battle going on in that division. Tampa is down in 4th right now, 8 games off the lead, and while they lost their last game, they are 7-3-0 in their last 10.

After slipping out of the lead for a moment, the Panthers are back on top, winning 4 in a row and going 7-2-1 in their last 10 games. The Panthers won 4-2 in an earlier meeting this season.

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NHL Top Games Week 12 Lines provided by MyBookie

Minnesota Wild at Dallas Stars – Friday

Friday, December 27, 2024, 7:00 PM | ESPN+

After a few days off for the holiday season, the league returns to action on Friday to kick off a busy weekend. We are heading to the Western Conference to focus on a Central Division matchup between a pair of teams in the playoff conversation.

Minnesota is heading in the wrong direction, losing 4 in a row to fall 5 points off the pace at the top, although they are still in 2nd. The Stars have lost 2 in a row and are 6 points back of the Wild, so it goes without saying that both teams could use a win here.

Edmonton Oilers at LA Kings

Saturday, December 28, 2024, 3:00 PM | ESPN+

We are following a theme here, as we have yet another divisional matchup to look at. This time, we are in the Pacific Division, where both of these teams are in the mix for a division crown.

The Oilers are currently in 2nd after winning 3 in a row and 8 of their last 10 games, while the Kings are hot on their heels, sitting a point back of Edmonton, albeit losing 2 in a row in the process. This is the first of 4 meetings between these teams this season.

New York Islanders at Pittsburgh Penguins

Sunday, December 29, 2024, 4:30 PM | ESPN+

We are essentially at the midway mark of the regular season, so it is not ridiculous to start talking about the playoff standings. If the season ended today, both of these teams would miss out, but both are close enough to the cut line to still have hope.

The Islanders have some ground to make up, as they are a couple of points back of the Penguins, and they are coming off a win to go 5-4-1 in their last 10. Pittsburgh is 3 points out of the final Wild Card spot in the Easter Conference, but they have been decent of late, going 6-3-1 in their last 10.