In this article, I’ll outline the most noteworthy NHL odds, news, and betting insights from Wednesday’s five-game NHL slate, and I’ll also offer up my best pick of the night.
Pick—Utah Mammoth vs Detroit Red Wings: Red Wings Moneyline -120
Red Wings moneyline
The Red Wings were good to us last Wednesday, as they cashed our best bet at -110 with a 4-3 win over the Calgary Flames. Nothing we have seen since that matchup has changed my belief that Detroit is currently offering a playoff-worthy level of play, which makes me believe they are a good bet once again at a similar price versus a Mammoth side that has generally been overvalued this season.
By no means did I expect the Mammoth to disappoint this season, and if I were to dive into it, I’d bet they were one of the teams these articles have lost the most on so far. It feels like it’s getting close to the point to accept that the preseason hype surrounding Utah is not going to come to fruition.
With a record of 16-19 straight up this season, betting the Mammoth to win each game would have yielded a -19.3% ROI, which is among the league’s worst marks. Now that mark could obviously change at a moment’s notice, but it illustrates the point that Utah’s overall process has seemingly been overrated by online sportsbooks all season long.
Over the last 15 games, the Mammoth are just 6-9-0 and hold an expected goal share of just 48.11% in that span. They are currently without a critical piece in Logan Cooley, who had generated 23 points in 29 games this season while mainly centering the second line and skating on the top power-play unit.
The Red Wings, meanwhile, continue to look like a much more complete team under head coach Todd McLellan, as they have become a much stronger defensive side than in recent years, when they fell off down the stretch and ultimately missed the postseason.
McLellan certainly deserves his flowers, but the Red Wings’ defensive core likely would have been much improved regardless of who coached the team this year. Young talents Moritz Seider, Simon Edvinsson and Axel Sandin-Pellikka were all highly touted draft selections, and after hearing for years that Detroit’s prospect pool was ready to help the team take steps forward, those takes have finally come to fruition this year.
Over the last 15 games, the Red Wings rank third in expected goal share and have played to a record of 8-5-2. Their elite power play and combination of clinical scoring threats have made them scrappy in recent years, but their improved two-way play will likely lead them to their first playoff berth since 2016 this season.
Los Angeles Kings @ Florida Panthers
| Kings moneyline odds | +120 |
| Panthers moneyline odds | –140 |
| Game total | Over 5.5 goals (-120), Under 5.5 (+100) |
| Time | 7 p.m. ET |
Odds courtesy of bet365.
- Darcy Kuemper has been placed on injured reserve after taking a hit to the head in the Kings’ loss to the Dallas Stars Monday. Anton Forsberg will get the start as a result; Forsberg has been roughly league-average this season with a +1.1 GSAx and .893 save percentage in 10 appearances, while Kuemper had been one of the NHL’s best starters.
- Kings centres Quinton Byfield and Philip Danault are both day-to-day with illness.
- Seth Jones avoided supplemental discipline for a very debatable elbow to the head of Brandon Hagel in Florida’s 5-2 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Monday.
- The Panthers have won five of their last six games, and they may be in the midst of a turnaround, which felt inevitable. Matthew Tkachuk has started skating and is expected to return sometime around the Winter Classic on January 2nd.
Carolina Hurricanes @ Nashville Predators
| Hurricanes moneyline odds | -180 |
| Predators moneyline odds | +150 |
| Game total | Over 6 goals (-115), Under 6 (-105) |
| Time | 8 p.m. ET |
Odds courtesy of bet365.
- The Predators are in the midst of an upswing, having played to a record of 7-3-0 over the last 10 games. They have scored 3.90 goals per game in that span and have scored on 14.08% of shots on goal.
- Ryan O’Reilly leads all Predators skaters with 13 points over the last ten games.
- Over the last 10 games Shayne Gostisbehere is the only point-per-game skater on the Hurricanes, with a total of 10 points. Sebastian Aho hasn’t produced at the rate we are used to seeing of late, with just five points over the last 10 games.
- These sides met on December 6th in Carolina, and the Hurricanes won 6-3, and generated 40 shots on goal.
- It seems likely that Pyotr Kochetkov will get the start in goal for the Hurricanes as opposed to the red-hot Brandon Bussi, though at the time of writing that has not been confirmed.
Winnipeg Jets @ St. Louis Blues
| Jets moneyline odds | -150 |
| Blues moneyline odds | +125 |
| Game total | Over 5.5 goals (-110), Under 5.5 (-110) |
| Time | 8:07 p.m. ET |
Odds courtesy of bet365.
- The Jets are 1-0-1 since Connor Hellebuyck returned to the lineup, and the 2024-25 Hart Trophy winner holds a .929 save percentage and 1.96 GAA in those outings. Hellebuyck is currently priced at +1400 (bet365) to win the Vezina Trophy, and that price does seem appealing to me, as he’s made only seven fewer starts than Logan Thompson and should play at a high enough level to get himself back in the conversation once the games played totals level out.
- The Blues have lost three of their last four games played, including two to the Predators by a combined margin of 12-4, and a 5-2 loss to the Boston Bruins.
- Jordan Kyrou, Dylan Holloway, and Jimmy Snuggerud will remain out of the Blues lineup in this matchup. All three typically garnered top-six usage this season.
- The Blues are 6-8-4 on home ice this season, while the Jets are 7-8-1 on the road.
New Jersey Devils @ Vegas Golden Knights
| Devils moneyline odds | +155 |
| Golden Knights moneyline odds | -185 |
| Game total | Over 5.5 goals (-105), Under 5.5 (-115) |
| Time | 10:07 p.m. ET |
Odds courtesy of bet365.
- Brett Pesce is expected to return to the Devils’ lineup and should prove to be a huge addition given that, from strictly a defensive perspective, he is arguably the best member of the team’s blue line. Still, as has generally been the case in recent years, the Devils will be without a few significant skaters, including Jack Hughes, Timo Meier, Simon Nemec, Arseny Gritsyuk and Evgenii Dadonov.
- Jack Eichel left practice early Tuesday and is listed as day-to-day with illness. Shea Theodore is considered doubtful with an upper-body injury.
- At the time of writing, it has not yet been confirmed whether it will be Akira Schmid or Carter Hart starting in goal for the Knights. Hart has played to a -0.4 GSAx rating and .901 save percentage in four appearances this season.
- 13 of the Knights’ 31 games have required overtime this season. I’m a huge believer in the 3-2-1 point system, as teams that win regulation and therefore do not give their opponent a point should be rewarded by claiming all three. It is +300 on bet365 for this game to go to overtime.