NHL Odds, Picks & Predictions: Monday (10/14)
It's the first full week of the NHL season and we have a large slate to choose from. There are a few interesting matchups, so let's look at the games to target.
Monday’s Best NHL Picks
(Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook)
Florida Panthers (+102) at Boston Bruins (-122) | O/U 5.5 (-120/+100)
These two teams met on opening night, and they'll go at it again a week later.
That night, the Panthers raised the banner for their Stanley Cup championship, which they beat the Bruins to get there and immediately proved why they were champions.
There was a lot of offense to start, as Florida would get four goals in the first period. They were playing aggressively through the neutral zone. Instead of setting up near the blue line, they attacked the crease. Going against backup Joonas Korpisalo led them to find the back of the net. They wound up scoring six times that evening.
Unfortunately, they haven't been able to achieve that same success, as they've scored only three goals in their last two games.
That first game is the only blemish for Boston, as they won their next two. They will be a contender again this year with an incredible blue line, one of the best goalies in the league and forwards that can score.
Elias Lindholm has been a great addition to that top line with David Pastrnak and Pavel Zacha. He leads the team with five points (two goals, three assists).
Florida will be without one of their best forwards, with Aleksander Barkov out for the next few weeks. It's always tough to beat the Bruins in Boston.
Pick: Bruins Moneyline (-122)
Los Angeles Kings (+105) at Ottawa Senators (-125) | O/U 6.0 (-108/-112)
The Kings had an up-and-down 2023-24 season, looking great and bad throughout the year. They ultimately lost to the Oilers in last year’s playoffs, which they've done three years straight.
This team had little change because there weren't things they needed to change. Last year, they were third in expected goal percentage and fifth in expected goals against. They are one of the more balanced teams. If this roster stays healthy, they are a contender.
The Senators have some great pieces, with Brady Tkachuk and Tim Stutzle leading the way on offense. They might be one to watch out for if they're in contention because they can add pieces through trades and make a run.
The confidence of having a goalie they can trust will help. They traded for former Vezina Trophy winner Linus Ullmark, who will help at a position this organization has struggled to fill for a long time.
Both defenses are playing well to start the year, but scoring hasn’t been there yet. Both teams can rely on their defense to win, so that’s why we’ll see a low-scoring game.
Pick: Under 6.0 Goals (-112)
Make sure to check out our other best bets for Monday: