With the 2020 NHL season getting back underway with its restart season on Saturday, it’s time to find out which teams are in action and which matchups look like they are offering the best betting value against their NHL odds. To that end, I’ve got three of Saturday’s five matchups squarely in the betting bullseye.
NHL Odds & Picks – Games Highlights, Top Picks, Previews
Chicago (32-30-8) vs. Edmonton (37-25-9)
When we last saw Chicago, the Blackhawks won five of their last seven and snapped a two-game skid by beating San Jose 6-2 the last time they took to the ice. The Blackhawks rank 18th in scoring (3.0 gpg) and 16th in goals allowed (3.1 gpg) while hitting the hiatus by going 6-4 over their last 10 games. Edmonton dropped their last two games before the break including a 4-2 loss against Winnipeg.
- Pick: Oilers 3 Blackhawks 2
- When: Saturday, August 1, 2020 at 3:00 PM ET
- Where: Rogers Place, Edmonton, Alberta
- Blackhawks Vs Oilers Live: Sportsnet/NBC
- Money Lines: Chicago +135 / Edmonton -160
- Total: 6
The Oilers rank an identical 15th in scoring (3.1 gpg) and goals allowed (3.0 gpg) while going 5-3-2 over their last 10 games before the break. Despite the fact that these two rivals look almost evenly matched, Edmonton has been the more consistent team all season long and they’ll have the best player in this series in 2017 league MVP Connor McDavid. Yes, the Blackhawks are 15-7 in the last 22 meetings, but the favorite is 5-2 in the last 7 meetings. I’m going with Edmonton to get it done in this one!
Florida (35-26-8) vs. NY Islanders (35-23-10)
The Panthers won their final two games before the hiatus including a 2-1 win over the defending champion Blues. Prior to that, Florida dropped six of seven while going 4-4-2 over their last 10. The Panthers rank a stellar sixth in scoring (3.3 gpg), but have been awful defensively in allowing 3.2 goals per contest (29th). The Islanders hit the break having lost seven straight games including a narrow 5-4 loss at Vancouver. The Isles went 2-9 over their last 11 games and come into this affair ranked an uninspiring 22nd in scoring (2.8 gpg), but rock-solid ninth in goals allowed (2.8 gpg).
- Pick: Panthers 3 Islanders 2
- When: Saturday, August 1, 2020 at 4:00 PM ET
- Where: Scotiabank Place, Toronto, Canada
- Panthers Vs Islanders Live: NBCSN, MSG, SN1, TVA
- Money Lines: Florida -105 / NY Islanders -115
- Total: 5.5
While New York is favored in this pairing, I’m not quite sure why and I just don’t have a whole lot of faith in the Islanders seeing how poorly they played before the break. I know Florida has gone 0-4 in the last 4 meetings while the favorite in this rivalry has gone a near-perfect is 5-1 in the last 6 meetings, but I like Florida’s more potent offense and I like the Panthers to get their restart campaign off with a win.
Montreal (31-31-9) vs. Pittsburgh (40-23-6)
The Canadiens lost their final three games before the hiatus including a 4-2 home loss against Nashville while going a modest 4-5-1 over their last 10 games before the hiatus. Montreal ranks an identical 19th in scoring (2.9 gpg) and goals allowed (3.1 gpg). Pittsburgh went a discouraging 3-7 over their final 10 games before the break while snapping a two-game skid by beating New Jersey 5-2 the last time out. The Penguins rank 10th in scoring (3.2 gpg) and 12th in goals allowed (2.8 gpg).
- Pick: Penguins 4 Canadiens 2
- When: Saturday, August 1, 2020 at 8:00 PM ET
- Where: Scotiabank Place, Toronto, Canada
- Canadiens Vs Penguins Live: NBC
- Money Lines: Montreal +145 / Pittsburgh -170
- Total: 5.5
While the Pens hit the break playing some poor hockey, they’ve had plenty of time to regroup and now look like an easy pick to take down a Montreal team that struggles to score and is mediocre at best defensively. Pittsburgh has won two straight and eight of the last 11 meetings in this rivalry. Simply put, Pittsburgh’s explosive offense will be too much for Montreal to handle in this affair.
