It’s a jam-packed night of pro hockey Thursday night. Count ’em, there are 10 different NHL games to bet. That’s a lot of options. However, there are three NHL games that absolutely deserve your betting money over the others. Keep reading, and we’ll offer them to you completely free of cost!
This is a fun matchup — and it feels like a real “prove it” game for the Flyers. Despite Philly’s surprising start to the year, 4-2-1, the Flyers are substantial underdogs on their home ice against the Panthers. Here are the current odds across the top betting sites for NHL:
The key cog to Philadelphia’s early success has been the goaltender, Carter Hart. In four games he’s played, only seven goals have gotten past Hart. Moreover, he was rested in the team’s prior game on Sunday so there should be zero fatigue for Hart in this one.
We do have to mention that both these squads met a week ago. Back on October 19, Florida held on to win a 4-3 game at home. But that was without Hart in the net. We foresee the Panthers having bigger struggles to score not only because of Hart, but also being on the back-end of a two-game road (they lost the first to Chicago on Tuesday).
All this leads us to pick the Flyers to pull off the upset. Hart is a true difference-maker, plus we love Philly’s +170 line. We think that’s value given their recent string of performances.
It’s a Pacific divisional battle in the Northwest with this matchup. The bet we’re drawn to in the Vancouver-Seattle game is the over/under, which is set at 6.5 goals — tied for most on Thursday night. The under is the slight betting favorite:
We’re completely bought into Seattle’s leap in year two. They look a WHOLE lot better this season than they did in their expansion year, as evident by its 3-2-2 record. In the past few games, the Kraken has shown a real ability to get into the net. They’re averaging just under four goals per contest.
On the flip side, the win-less Canucks have been torched defensively all year long. They’ve allowed 30 goals in seven games — third-worst in the league. The only reason they’re not dead last? Because the two teams ahead of them have played one extra game. Vancouver isn’t completely bare on talent, which makes it 0-win start somewhat surprising.
When it rains, it pours, and that’s our sentiment toward Vancouver. We think they’re in for a long night in Seattle, which inches us toward betting the over. The Kraken has had shoddy defense of its own so we’re convinced both teams can tally at least seven goals together in this one. Take the over!
The moneyline in this game is completely lopsided, pegging the Maple Leafs as one of the biggest favorites of the night. The line lacks value so much that we’re instead focusing our money and efforts on the Toronto-San Jose puck line. Here’s where the lines stand:
The Sharks have proven to be absolutely pitiful so far into the new 2022-23 campaign. They are 2-7 and are struggling to put together any offense whatsoever. Only 17 goals have been tallied by San Jose in 9 games, making its 1.9 goals per game average the worst in the NHL. It’s early, but you might as well write off the Sharks again. This team hasn’t made the postseason in three years and the number figures to become four by the end of the season.
Toronto should be able to win this game handedly, which is why we’re risking it and taking them on the puck line rather than moneyline. With a front line that includes John Tavares, William Nylander, Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner, the Leafs should have little issue putting it on the Sharks and winning with ease.
Research led us to make the three betting picks above, but of course, you’re free to wager on the other opportunities in hockey tonight if you see fit. To bet on all the NHL has to offer, you’ll want to hit one of the sites listed underneath. As we’ve outlined in our unbiased sportsbook reviews, the features sites are real industry leaders.
One of those leading ways is promotions. You could use a bonus at sportsbooks and enrich yourself with free play. And no, we’re not talking chump change here either. There are hundreds to thousands of free dollars at stake on these sites. Not only is that enough to bankroll your NHL bets for Thursday, but for the coming days too. The underneath table lists some of the top deals available right now!
About the Author
Eric is uniquely suited to be a writer for SBS. For one, he's a journalist by trade. Eric spent a large part of his career, covering sports — high school, college, and professional — for newspapers and online-based sites. However, Eric is a bettor himself too. He has first-hand experience hanging out in smoky sportsbooks and casinos, dealing with the ebbs and flows of gambling, and an understanding of how bookies operate. Both these unique qualities make him an expert bet picker for SBS. You'll also see Eric report on the sports betting industry as a whole.
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