NHL Picks

The Toronto Maple Leafs will be kicking off their 2025-2026 by welcoming the Montreal Canadiens to town. Things will be different in Toronto this year as they will be without a key member of their team, Mitch Marner, who signed with the Vegas Golden Knights in the off-season. Without Marner, the goal remains the same for the Leafs, Stanley Cup or bust. Their top-six forwards remain lethal with Auston Matthews and William Nylander, but their bottom-six group has been solidified with the additions of Nicolas Roy and Dakota Joshua. I’m expecting another dominant season from the Leafs.

The Montreal Canadiens showed some promise and a step in the right direction as they found their way into a wildcard playoff spot. This team is going to be tough to play against this year as they have mostly the same roster and will be getting a full season out of rookie sensation Ivan Demidov. I still believe the Leafs have the edge on them offensively and in net. The Leafs will come out flying for their home opener as they look to get off to a good start. I will take the Leafs to get this one done at home.

Canadiens vs Maple Leafs prediction: Leafs ML (-165) available at time of publishing. Playable at that number.

If you’re looking for a new sportsbook, check out Bet365, the world’s #1 sportsbook. They have an amazing sign-up offer where you can INSTANTLY receive $200 in bonus bets from a $5 wager, regardless of whether that bet wins or loses! There’s no catch, it’s really that simple. Join Bet365 right now ⏰ in time to fade or follow our experts’ Canadiens vs Maple Leafs predictions.

The Bruins and Capitals open up their season with a date in Washington. Expectations for each team this season are polar opposite: the Capitals are expected to compete for the top spot in the Metropolitan Division, while the Bruins could very well be a lottery team. We’ll have to wait 82 games to find out if those predictions come true, but for now, let’s focus on tonight.

Boston is going to struggle most nights to score goals. Outside of David Pastrnak, they don’t have anyone who can be a game-breaker and lean on when a goal is needed. Their defense is going to have to stand strong, and we don’t know if Jeremy Swayman will have enough support to bounce back. Washington’s core group is mostly intact, and they look like a team that is ready to run it back. It’s the 1st game, but the Capitals are favorites and for good reason. They have more depth, and that will be on display early. We may not see a blowout, but we will see Washington come away with the win in regulation.

Bruins vs Capitals prediction: Capitals 3-way ML (-120) available at time of publishing. Playable to -125.

Bet like a Caesar with this AMAZING new customer offer from Caesars Sportsbook. If you bet just $1, you’ll receive DOUBLE YOUR WINNINGS on your next 20 bets! Become a Caesars member 👥 using the Caesars promo code PWCONTENT20X, where you can bet on our Bruins vs Capitals picks.

The Calgary Flames hit the road on Alberta Route 2 for the Northlands to face the Edmonton Oilers in the latest installment of their provincial rivalry. This one has the added bonus of being the regular-season opener, too. Calgary picked up a 4-1 win in Edmonton last season as a heavy underdog (+210) on Oct. 13, 2024, and the road team won 2 of the 3 meetings, with the only home win going to the Oilers in a 3-2 OT victory in the most recent battle on March 29. Edmonton has won seven of the past nine in the series, but in the past 10 games since Oct. 15, 2022, 4 of the games have been decided by a single goal, while the underdog has won outright 5 times.

The Oilers made big news this week, agreeing to terms on a two-year extension with superstar Connor McDavid. The defending Western Conference champs are hoping to avoid a slow start which plagued them last season. The Flames are simply trying to get back to the postseason, which they fell just short of doing last season. While these teams certainly have much different goals, talent and previous records go out the window when the Battle of Alberta occurs. It’s a coin-flip kind of a game. We’ll concede Edmonton is likely to get the 2 points, but take the Flames on the puck line as underdogs, as Calgary tends to play its best against Edmonton.

Flames vs Oilers prediction: Flames +1.5 (-140) available at time of publishing. Playable to -150.

Bet like a Caesar with this AMAZING new customer offer from Caesars Sportsbook. If you bet just $1, you’ll receive DOUBLE YOUR WINNINGS on your next 20 bets! Become a Caesars member 👥 using the Caesars promo code PWCONTENT20X, where you can bet on our Flames vs Oilers picks.

The Vegas Golden Knights open their 2025-26 season with a home tilt against the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday. It’s only the first game of the season, but the Golden Knights have a big scheduling advantage over the Kings in this one. Los Angeles plays on Tuesday night against Colorado and then heads to Vegas to face the Golden Knights on Wednesday. Back-to-back games against 2 of the top teams in the Western Conference with travel in-between is a tough draw to start the season for LA. Fatigue most likely won’t be an issue this early in the season, but that’s a wild 1-2 punch to open the new campaign.

Wednesday’s matchup will be the VGK debut for newcomer Mitch Marner, who signed an 8-year, $96 million contract in a sign-and-trade with Vegas. Marner is one of the most dynamic playmakers in the league, and he figures to fit in nicely with the Golden Knights. He is slated to start on the top line with Jack Eichel and Ivan Barbashev. Vegas possesses arguably the best forward depth in the league, which gives Los Angeles a lot to worry about. It’s also worth noting that Vegas could be going up against Los Angeles backup goaltender Anton Forsberg, as Darcy Kuemper is projected to start between the pipes against Colorado on Wednesday. All things considered, back Vegas to win this one in regulation at home.

Kings vs Golden Knights prediction: Golden Knights 3-Way ML (-125) available at time of publishing. Playable to -130.

You can bet on our Kings vs Golden Knights pick with BetMGM, where right now new users can activate your new BetMGM account ⚡ and receive $150 in bonus bets INSTANTLY if your first $10+ wager is a winner!

The Detroit Red Wings open their 2025-26 season on Thursday night when they host the Montreal Canadiens. Detroit GM Steve Yzerman didn’t make any groundbreaking moves over the offseason, but he did add goaltender John Gibson from Anaheim to help Detroit’s efforts between the pipes. It’s a strong addition for Detroit, who has dealth with goaltender struggles in recent seasons. Offensively, the Red Wings owned one of the top power plays a season ago, rocking a 27% conversion rate on the man advantage. However, Detroit struggled 5-on-5, but they should be improved in that area with the addition of depth forward Mason Appleton and another year of growth for Marco Kasper.

Red Wings fans are anxious for a trip back to the postseason, and after 5 seasons of missing the playoffs under Yzerman’s masterplan, the Red Wings need to get off to a strong start in 2025. A full season of Todd McClellan behind the bench helps, and he should have his team ready to roll on opening night. The Canadiens will be on the second end of a road back-to-back after playing in Toronto on Wednesday night. Look for Detroit to find the win column in this one.

Canadiens vs Red Wings prediction: Red Wings ML (-130) available at time of publishing. Playable at that number.