Top NHL Betting Picks of the Week – January 8th Edition

While temperatures all over the U.S. and Canada are setting record lows, the 2017-18 regular season is starting to heat up in a big way as it moves closer to the annual all-star break. With teams in both conferences starting to reveal who they really are, besides what the latest NHL odds have to say, it’s time for another round of top NHL betting picks of the week.

Top NHL Betting Picks of the Week – January 8th Edition

11 points separate the first-place @NHLJets and the last-place @NHLBlackhawks in the Central Division.

It’s going to be a bonkers race to the finish. 🏁 https://t.co/Vn1BQLFQLA — NHL (@NHL) 8 de enero de 2018

Carolina Hurricanes (19-14-8) at Washington Capitals (26-13-3)

• When: Thursday, January 11, 2018, 7:30 PM ET
• Where: Capital One Arena, Washington, DC
• TV: CNSW

Carolina has gone 6-3-1 over its last 10 games but hits the new week coming off a 7-1 blowout loss to Boston on Saturday. Washington is on a nice roll, having gone 7-2-1 over their last 10 while entering the new week riding a four-game winning streak that includes a hard-fought 4-3 overtime win against St. Louis on Sunday. For this Thursday night matchup, I’m going to advise you to back Alex Ovechkin and the Caps to get the home win simply because they’ve been better at both ends of the ice than Carolina all season. Washington ranks an encouraging 10th in scoring (3.1 gpg) and respectable 15th in goals allowed (2.8 gpg) while Carolina ranks 21st in scoring (2.7 gpg) and 20th in goals allowed (3.0 gpg). As a reference to how badly the Hurricanes are struggling offensively right now, no one on their roster has more than the 33 points that left winger Teuvo Teravainen has racked up while Washington has gotten a stellar 45 points from Ovechkin, 39 points from center Evgeny Kuznetsov and 35 points from fellow center Nicklas Backstrom. The Caps win this one by at least two goals. NHL Betting Pick: Carolina Hurricanes 2 – Washington Capitals 4

Winnipeg Jets (25-11-7) at Chicago Blackhawks (20-15-6)

• When: Friday, January 12, 2018, 8:30 PM ET
• Where: United Center, Chicago, IL
• TV: CSNC

Winnipeg is playing solid hockey having gone 7-2-1 over their last 10 games while riding a two-game winning streak into the new week that includes a 4-1 smackdown of San Jose on Sunday night. Chicago has posted a respectable 5-4-1 mark over their last 10 games and enters the new week coming off a 4-1 win over the struggling Edmonton Oilers. While Chicago is ranked a very respectable 11th in scoring (3.0 gpg), 13th in goals allowed(2.8 gpg) and has gone 11-6-2 at home this season, I’m going to encourage you to back visiting Winnipeg simply because they’ve outperformed the Blackhawks at both ends of the ice this season. The Jets are ranked a stellar third in scoring this season (3.3 gpg), equally impressive ninth in goals allowed (2.7 gpg) and have gotten some absolutely stunning play from right winger Blake Wheeler (50 points) and a trio of other front liners that have all scored at least 32 points this season. Patrick Kane has 40 points for Chicago, but Jonathan Toews has just 29 points as the Blackhawks’ next highest scorer. Winnipeg has gone a modest 9-8-6 on the road this season, but I like them to improve on that mark by nailing down the win in this one! NHL Betting Pick: Winnipeg Jets 4 – Chicago Blackhawks 3

Edmonton Oilers (18-22-3) at Las Vegas Golden Knights (29-10-2)

• When: Saturday, January 13, 2018, 10:00 PM ET
• Where: T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, NV
• TV: AT&TSN

For my third and final NHL expert pick of the week, I’ve got a super easy pick for the red-hot Vegas Knights to stay on fire by taking down the underachieving Edmonton Oilers on Saturday night. While the Oilers have struggled in going 4-5-1 over their last 10 and enters the new week riding a two-game losing streak that includes a 4-1 loss against Chicago, Vegas has won nine of their last 10 games and two straight heading into the new week including their hard-fought 2-1 win over the Rangers on Sunday. The Knights are scoring like crazy as they rank second in the NHL (3.4 gpg) while also ranking a very solid 11th in goals allowed (2.7 gpg). Edmonton has been pretty awful at both ends of the ice as they rank 22nd in scoring (2.7 gpg) and an even more discouraging 26th in goals allowed (3.3 gpg). If you didn’t know, Vegas goalie Marc-Andre Fleury is making Pittsburgh’s decision to expose him to the expansion draft look absolutely foolish! NHL Betting Pick: Edmonton Oilers 2 – Las Vegas Golden Knights 5