Ryan Hodges
Show Bio
The 2024-25 NHL season is here! The first puck drops over in Prague, Czechia in a 2-game international series between the New Jersey Devils and Buffalo Sabres. What better way to distract yourself on a Friday afternoon than with some regular-season hockey? For those who want to make it a little bit more interesting, there is plenty of betting action available, including in the form of our Devils vs Sabres Same Game Parlay picks at +675 odds! Let’s dive in, while you can also find out our NHL predictions on the side and total for today’s matchup.
Devils ML (-148)
Over 6.5 total goals (+100)
Tage Thompson over 0.5 goals (+165)
Devils vs Sabres Same Game Parlay odds: +675
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New Jersey Devils ML over Buffalo Sabres (-148)
The Devils have a couple of players out of this game for injury reasons. Despite that, they look on paper to be the deeper, more talented overall team. This team is loaded and they should have a chip on their shoulder after a disappointing last season. After being one of the best teams in the NHL in 2022-23, the Devils finished as the 4th-worst team in the Eastern Conference last season. They will be out to prove that what happened 2 years ago wasn’t a fluke.
Along with a talented team with something to prove, New Jersey will also debut their new head coach Sheldon Keefe, who also is out to prove he can be winning head coach after several playoff exits at the helm in Toronto. Whatever strings he can pull for his team to win, he is going to pull them. Without a sample size yet this season, the Devils appear the more reliable play in game 1 of 82.
Read our full New Jersey Devils vs Buffalo Sabres predictions
Over 6.5 (+100)
The Devils have a very deep forward group that has the makeup of an offensively driven team. Last season, what ended up being an achilles heel of this team was their goal prevention. New Jersey allowed the 5th-most goals in the NHL and their penalty kill ranked 22nd in the league. If this Devils team still has a general strength of offense and general weakness of goal prevention, at least until they round into form, their game totals will look attractive.
Their opponent, the Sabres, has a team that also favors offensive production. They have bona fide NHL scoring star power in both their forward and defense groups. If not the Devils, the Sabres should do their part in taking this game over its total. Given that it is the first game of the year, this one could be a bit sloppy as teams work toward getting into a groove on the ice. This one has the makings of a high-scoring matchup.
See our expert’s Stanley Cup best bets, including a pick at +800 odds!
Tage Thompson over 0.5 goals (+165)
In what looks to be a higher-scoring game, the Devils and Sabres will need their superstars to produce. For the Sabres, that superstar is Tage Thompson. Thompson took a step back last year, in part due to injury. But from his prior years, his trajectory was that of a 50-goal and 100-point scorer. If he can stay on the ice, the upside is still there. When fans watch him play, it is easy to see why.
All of the tangibles are there. Thompson has great vision, fantastic hands, a hard shot, and skilled line mates. Regardless of the outcome of this game and individual odds, he has as good of a chance to score as anyone in this game. The game script could only help. This is another player with a chip on his shoulder and something to prove this season. It all starts today.
