Ryan Hodges
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With the majority of NHL teams not suited up on Monday night, you may not have a rooting interest for the night’s modest 6-game slate. In that case, why not give yourself something to root for and place a few responsible bets? There is plenty to watch for on Monday and some strong values on the slate. If you are looking to combine some picks from these games, check out this NHL mega parlay that has +1074 odds with DraftKings Sportsbook at time of publishing.
New Jersey Devils ML (-115)
Oilers vs Wild over 6.5 (-130)
Predators ML and over 6.5 (+255)
Parlay odds: +1074
Get our NHL picks for all of tonight’s games
New Jersey Devils ML over the New York Rangers (-115)
The Devils just refuse to cool off. They remain comfortably atop the Eastern Conference standings and are 7-2-1 in their last 10 games. They beat the Rangers 5-3 a couple of weeks ago at Madison Square Garden. The Devils will not be rattled going back to the Rangers’ barn to get the job done. The Rangers have had a good week, but have been inconsistent as a whole this season. It remains to be seen whether this nice run the Rangers are on is the start of a turnaround or just a good week. On the other hand, the Devils have been a model of consistency since mid-October. We know game over game what they are going to bring. What they will bring is a balanced attack with timely scoring and strong containment. New Jersey is the more reliable play.
Among NHL ranks, New Jersey is 4th in goal scoring and 2nd in goal prevention. Unsurprisingly, both of those rankings are better than that of the Rangers. The Devils also have better numbers than the Rangers in goal differential, shot differential, and save percentage. New Jersey has far better records in home/road splits, against the spread and against common opponents. Early on the Devils have been the much better team. Considering their strong form and consistency, the Devils are a better pick than this volatile Rangers team. New Jersey should defend their prior win at Madison Square Garden.
Be sure to check out our full New Jersey Devils vs New York Rangers predictions
Edmonton Oilers vs Minnesota Wild over 6.5 (-130)
The over has been rolling for both the Oilers and Wild lately. The total has gone over in 7 of Edmonton’s last 8 games, and in 8 of Minnesota’s last 9 games. In home/road splits, the over has hit in 4 of Edmonton’s last 5 road games, and in 5 straight Minnesota home games. The Oilers and Wild have already met twice this season in games that both went over the total, most recently on Friday. In their respective last 10 games, the over is 16-4 in those combined 20 games. Their combined record over that span was 13-7. Whether the Oilers and Wild win or lose against good or bad teams, or are at home or on the road, their game totals are climbing.
Both teams have scored and allowed goals in bunches lately leading to so many high totals. Both the Oilers and the Wild have either scored or allowed 5+ goals in 6 of their last 10 games. The star power in this game alone gives the over a great chance. Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl continue to collect points seemingly at will. Kirill Kaprizov just had a 14-game point streak snapped and has 34 points in 27 games. The high ceiling scoring of both teams combined with their weaker goal prevention makes a good recipe for a high total. Team strengths and current form make for a pure matchup that looks great for another over.
Be sure to check out our full Edmonton Oilers vs Minnesota Wild predictions
Nashville Predators ML and over 6.5 goals (+255)
Folks within the Blues organization are still trying to figure out if something is wrong with the Blues, or if they simply are just not very good. Regardless, the net result this season is they have been losing and allowing goals in bunches to the tune of the NHL’s 3rd-worst goal prevention. St. Louis has 2 wins in their last 10 games. Over that span, they have allowed 49 goals for an average of 4.9 goals allowed per game. In their lone matchup against Nashville thus far this season, the Predators won comfortably by a score of 6-2. The Blues are in such a bad way right now that it almost does not matter what kind of form their opposition is in. They will have an uphill battle.
The Predators are 7-3-1 in their last 11 games. They have gotten the job done against good teams and bad teams, at home and on the road. Nashville has been volatile on both sides of the puck themselves. The Predators have not been in good form on either side of the puck, but go figure that they put up 6 goals against the Blues in their only head-to-head matchup. The Blues’ opponents should be excited to play them right now. Nashville has a good chance to hit the game total on their own again on their way to collecting 2 points. The Blues’ ugly form and trends look great for a Predators win and another high game total.
Be sure to check out our full Nashville Predators vs St. Louis Blues predictions
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