NHL Best Bets Today: Expert Picks for Friday, December 27

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Published on December 27, 2024

NHL Best Bets Tonight: Expert NHL Picks for
Friday, Dec. 27

There are eight games on the National Hockey League slate Friday, as the three-day holiday break comes to a conclusion.

We'll have a nationally-televised doubleheader on ESPN2, so let's focus on those two games for our parlay, and we'll toss two more bonus games, too. The Chicago Blackhawks and Buffalo Sabres meet at KeyBank Center at 7 p.m. ET in the first game, while the Colorado Avalanche and Utah Hockey League square off in the late window at 9:30 p.m. ET. Let's get started.

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Best NHL Picks Tonight

Chicago Blackhawks at Buffalo Sabres

The Blackhawks (12-21-2) and the Sabres (12-19-4) resume play in Western New York, and each team is hoping to finish the calendar year strong.

Chicago went into the Christmas break with back-to-back road losses at Calgary and at Minnesota. It put up a strong fight, falling 6-4 to the Flames, and just 4-3 to the Wild. Prior to that, the Blackhawks had a three-game win streak, all at home and all as an underdog.

For Buffalo, it was 0-10-3 in a 13-game span from Nov. 27 to Dec. 21. Prior to the break the Sabres took out the New York Islanders on the road, winning 7-1 as a moderate underdog (+135). The Over cashed in that one, and is 4-1 in the past five outings.

The Sabres have won six of the past seven meetings in this series, although five of those meetings have been decided by a single goal. However, backing Buffalo will be anywhere between the -175 and -185 range, and that's quite a bit expensive for a team playing the way it has lately. Let's just go high on the total.

Over 6.5 Goals (+110 at FanDuel Sportsbook)

Toronto Maple Leafs at Detroit Red Wings

The Maple Leafs (21-12-2) and Red Wings (13-17-4) renew acquaintances in the Motor City. These Original Six rivals have met twice this season already, and the home team has won each outing by two goals apiece.

In the most recent meeting just 13 days ago, the Wings doubled up the Leafs 4-2 as a heavy underdog (+173) at Little Caesars Arena as the total pushed (6) at most shops. Detroit improved to 5-2 in the past seven meetings in this series since Jan. 12, 2023. As far as the total is concerned, the Under is 7-2-1 in the past 10 in the series.

The Leafs entered the break with a 5-2 loss against the Winnipeg Jets, and that came on the heels of a 6-3 loss to Islanders. Since Dec. 6, the Leafs are just 5-5-0, including that loss to the Red Wings.

Let's back Detroit. The Leafs have hit the Over in five in a row, while the Red Wings have hit high at a 2-1-1 clip in the past four outings. However, the trends in this series have been to the Under.

Red Wings ML (+130 at Caesars Sportsbook)
Under 6 Goals (-110 at DraftKings Sportsbook)

Carolina Hurricanes at New Jersey Devils

The Hurricanes (21-12-1) and the Devils (23-11-3) meet at Prudential Center. The Devils picked up a 4-2 win in the most recent meeting in Newark on Nov. 21, halting a six-game win streak in the series by Carolina.

Carolina heads north with a 1-5-1 record in the past seven road games, including that loss to New Jersey. The Under is 6-1 in the past seven games overall for the Canes, too.

New Jersey smoked the New York Rangers 5-0 prior to the break, a second straight shutout by Jacob Markstrom. It is 5-1-0 in the past six games, allowing one or no goals in the victories. The lone loss at Columbus on Dec. 19 was with backup Jake Allen in the crease.

Pyotr Kochetkov (14-6-0, 2.43 GAA, .903 SV%, 1 SO) is expected to be in the crease for the visitors, with Markstrom (18-6-2, 2.12 GAA, .912 SV%, 3 SO) likely for the home side.

Based on the goaltender matchup, let's go low, and based on the solid play lately, let's roll with the Jersey Boys.

Devils ML (-125 at DraftKings Sportsbook)
Under 6 Goals (-120 at Caesars Sportsbook)

Colorado Avalanche at Utah Hockey Club

The Avalanche (21-15-0) meet Utah Hockey Club (16-12-6) at Delta Center in Salt Lake City for the third meeting this season. The road team has won each of the past two meetings, with Colorado winning 5-1 in SLC on Oct. 24, and Utah winning 4-1 as a moderate underdog (+154) in Denver on Dec. 12. The Under (6.5) has cashed in both previous installments.

The Avs have started to piece things together lately, winning three in a row prior to the break, while going 7-2-0 in the past nine outings. The Under is 3-1 in the past four games, and 6-3 in the past nine contest.

For Utah, it suffered a 3-2 loss to the Dallas Stars last time out, but it is still a rather solid 6-1-2 in the past nine outings, including that road upset of the Avs Dec. 12.

While the road team has won each of the first two meetings, Utah has played really well lately. Let's simply focus on the Under.