Mark Lammey
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After a scattered start to open the season, it feels good to be back in the flow of things. We’ve got a full slate of action tonight, which means plenty of ways to make it profitable. There are still teams feeling out their new offseason additions and others simply trying to make it work from within. We’ve targeted a mix of both and come up with the best 3 plays for an incredible payout. Before we dive in, be sure to check out our NHL picks for today’s action.
Ottawa Senators ML (-120) over Buffalo Sabres
Just as our title states, the Senators should come out firing over the Sabres tonight. That wasn’t something that could be said often for either team last season, but Ottawa looks poised for a much stronger season. They had one of the most active offseasons and the skaters they added were significant.
First and foremost is Claude Giroux. The former Flyers captain was traded to the Panthers towards the end of last season. He helped them earn the Presidents’ Trophy for the league’s best record and become the league’s highest-scoring team. He had his choice of suitors this summer and chose the Sens. Next up is Alex DeBrincat. The Blackhawks weren’t good last season, but the duo of DeBrincat and Patrick Kane were still as lethal as any. He should bring much more pressure on opposing goaltenders than Ottawa has ever had. Given that the Sabres made no notable acquisitions and are still relying on 41-year-old Craig Anderson in net, expect a Sens win on the road tonight.
Be sure to check out our Ottawa Senators vs Buffalo Sabres predictions
New Jersey Devils ML (-135) over Philadelphia Flyers
The Devils are another black and red team that had their fair share of struggles last season. However, so did the Flyers. These were the bottom 2 teams in the Metro Division, but Philly looks more likely to stay there.
We’ve already discussed how Giroux left the team last season, and the Flyers have yet to replace their former captain. Similarly to the Sabres, they made virtually no additions this offseason and had just 1 goalie on their depth chart until yesterday. The Devils had plenty of improvements to make and they recognized it. They addressed their goaltending situation by bringing in Vitek Vanecek, who helped the Capitals make the postseason last year. New Jersey also added another skater who is all too familiar with the playoffs. Former Lightning Ondrej Palat is now on the team. His absence was already felt by Tampa as they lost their opening game. Now Palat can make his presence felt and help the Devils open up their season with a win.
Be sure to check out our New Jersey Devils vs Philadelphia Flyers predictions
Florida Panthers -1.5 (+196) over New York Islanders
Finally, we’re ironically enough targeting another former team of Giroux. Although he left the Panthers, their roster remains just as stacked as last season and should be more balanced. They made arguably the biggest trade of the offseason with the Calgary Flames. Florida sent Jonathan Huberdeau up to Canada and received Matthew Tkachuk in return.
While missing Huberdeau’s points may seem like a negative off the bat, let’s dig deeper. Tkachuk had 104 points himself, which was the 6th-most in the NHL. However, he provides a much better defensive presence than Huberdeau, which is what the Panthers lacked last season. No one denied their goalscoring ability, but that’s not what wins championships. They also doubled down on a more balanced approach by signing new head coach Paul Maurice. The former Hurricanes coach should have Florida much more stout on the defensive end of the ice to complement their high-flying offense. Meanwhile, the Islanders were the 9th-lowest scoring team in the NHL last season and their biggest move was re-signing Mathew Barzal. It’s going to be too difficult to keep pace with the Panthers without any new offensive additions.
Be sure to check out our Florida Panthers vs New York Islanders predictions
Thursday’s NHL mega parlay (10/13)
Senators ML (-120)
Devils ML (-135)
Panthers -1.5 (+196)
Parlay odds +845
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