The first full slate of the NHL’s young season features nine games on the docket Thursday night. We will highlight four of those contests. Here are our best picks from NHL betting sites in America.
Toronto Maple Leafs (0-1) at New Jersey Devils (2-0)
- Time: 7:08 p.m. ET
- Money Line/Spread: New Jersey (-140/-1.5 (+180)), Toronto (+115/+1.5 (-225))
- Total: 6.5 (over -115/under -105)
- Pick: NJD (money line)
The New Jersey Devils return home for their home opener at The Rock against the Toronto Maple Leafs after a successful season-opening NHL Global Series trip to Prague, Czechia. New Jersey won two games over the Buffalo Sabres, outscoring them, 7-2, during that span.
Six different goal scorers helped the Devils to both wins, highlighted by center Paul Cotter’s two goals and an assist. Right winger Nathan Bastian and center Jack Hughes each dished out two assists apiece.
Toronto opened their season Wednesday and had no goals scored in a 1-0 loss to Montreal. Will they bounce back?
Look for the momentum to continue for the Devils as Hughes will score his first goal of the season and goalie Jacob Markstrom will have a big game in net in his home debut.
Take Hughes (+130) and Nico Hischier (+185) for New Jersey’s anytime goal scorer props.
| Player | Anytime Goal Scorer Odds |
|---|---|
| Jack Hughes | +130 |
| Nico Hischier | +185 |
Montreal Canadiens (1-0) at Boston Bruins (0-1)
- Time: 7:08 p.m. ET
- Money Line/Spread: Boston (-250/-1.5 (+105)), Montreal (+200/+1.5 (-125))
- Total: 6 (over -110/under -110)
- Pick: BOS (puck line)
The Boston Bruins return to New England for their home opener to face their old nemesis the Montreal Canadiens.
It was not a good start to the season for Boston Tuesday in a season-opening road loss to the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers. The Panthers scored four goals in the first period and never looked back in a 6-4 triumph. Pavel Zacha (short-handed), Charlie McAvoy, Trent Frederic, and David Pastrnak (power-play) all scored one goal apiece for the Bruins in the loss.
Montreal won their season home opener Wednesday with a surprising 1-0 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs as Cole Caufield scored in the first period for the only offense of the game. Back-to-back nights, let’s see if Montreal can keep it going. I don’t think they will.
Pastrnak will notch two goals (+500 at most betting apps) for Boston in a rebound win.
Utah Hockey Club (1-0) at New York Islanders
- Time: 7:38 p.m. ET
- Money Line/Spread: New York (-155/-1.5 (+150)), Utah (+130/+1.5 (-185))
- Total: 6 (over -105/under -115)
- Pick: NYI (money line, puck line)
The Utah Hockey Club had quite the debut at the Delta Center Tuesday as they defeated the Chicago Blackhawks, 5-2, at home. Dylan Guenther scored two goals and Nick Schmaltz dished out two assists in the win.
After all the pomp and circumstance on their home ice for their inaugural game in Salt Lake City, can they muster that same energy 2,200 miles away for their first road game ever against the New York Islanders in their season opener?
Goalie Semyon Varlamov (14-8-4, 2.60 GAA, .918 save percentage) will start in the net for the Islanders in place of Ilya Sorokin, who has been cleared to return from back issues but will take another night of rest.
Center Mathew Barzal (23 goals, 57 assists, 80 points) will lead New York’s offense. Makim Tsyplakov will make his debut in the league after playing six seasons in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL), where he scored 31 goals last year.
Take Barzal anytime goal scorer (+260) in a season-opening win for the Islanders.
Columbus Blue Jackets at Minnesota Wild
- Time: 8:08 p.m. ET
- Money Line/Spread: Minnesota (-225/-1.5 (+110)), Columbus (+180/+1.5 (-130))
- Total: 6.5 (over +100/under -120)
- Pick: COL (puck line)
The Columbus Blue Jackets begin their emotional 2024-25 season on the road at the Minnesota Wild. We all know the absolutely heartbreaking and unspeakable tragedy that occurred with the Blue Jackets’ Johnny Gaudreau and his younger brother Matthew back in August.
So, the healing on the ice will continue tonight as Columbus will be under the tutelage of new head coach Dean Evason, who had been the head coach of the Wild before being let go last November. Sean Monahan (26 goals, 33 assists) along with Kirill Marchenko (23 goals, 19 assists) helped lead Columbus offensively last season.
Matthew Boldy (29 goals, 40 assists) and Joel Eriksson (30 goals, 34 assists), along with Kirill Kaprizov (96 points in 75 games played), key the Wild’s offense.
Take Columbus to score the first goal of the game (+120).
