2 NHL Best Bets and Predictions for Wednesday 1/15/25

Whether it's moneylines or total goals, there are plenty of ways to bet on the NHL action all season. It's a long 82-game campaign, meaning that the best selections of each night can be very different based on backup goalies coming into play, injuries that add up, and if teams are due for positive or negative swings.

For additional NHL insights, check out FanDuel Research's daily NHL projections, powered by numberFire.

Let's dive into the best bets for tonight.

Note: Lines are subject to change throughout the day after this article is published. All NHL betting odds and totals are from the NHL odds at FanDuel Sportsbook. All advanced statistics are used from MoneyPuck.com and NaturalStatTrick.com. Lineup notes come from Daily Faceoff.

NHL Betting Picks Today

Get inside the crease and access who is starting in tonight’s NHL matchups and save projections with SportsGrid’s Starting Goalies Page.

Carolina Hurricanes vs. Buffalo Sabres

Sabres Moneyline (+162)

Nothing is going the Buffalo Sabres’ way right now. The Atlantic Division basement dwellers have struggled to string together wins, but that hasn’t prevented them from putting together above-average analytics performances. The Sabres must be at their best if they hope to get past the visiting Carolina Hurricanes on Wednesday night.

Thankfully for Sabres fans, Buffalo has a good track record over its recent sample. They’ve held four of their past five opponents to six or fewer high-danger chances, which has positively impacted their expected goals-for rating. The Sabres have outplayed their opponents in three of those five contests, including two of their last three. Another top-end performance is expected as they settle in for their second of three straight home games.

The Hurricanes consistently find themselves on the elite end of the spectrum regarding analytics. However, there are a few concerning variables to consider ahead of this Eastern Conference clash.

First, the Canes' defensive zone coverage has been lacking recently. They’ve given up 12 quality chances in two of four and have been out-chanced in scoring opportunities in both of those contests. Second, their offense has been less effective. Carolina has tallied two goals in three of its past four. Finally, the Canes’ offensive production takes a serious hit on the road. They’ve been held to nine or fewer high-danger chances in five straight, out-chancing their opponents just once over that stretch.

The price continues to climb on the Hurricanes, but our analysis supports that only amplifies the value on the home side. We see an edge in backing the Sabres in this spot.

Edmonton Oilers vs. Minnesota Wild

Oilers Moneyline (-210)

Two Western Conference foes with divisional aspirations battle it out in St. Paul tonight as the Minnesota Wild host the Edmonton Oilers. Minnesota has been on a modest slide lately, with just one win over its last three. That’s unlikely to change with the high-powered Oilers in town.

The typically stout Wild have seen an influx of chances over their recent sample. Their last two opponents have combined for 49 scoring opportunities, a steep departure from the 20.6 they usually allow. Of more concern, they’ve out-chanced their opponents in two of their last five games. As a result, they’ve seen deteriorating expected goals-for ratings while getting outplayed in three of their past five contests.

The Oilers have been seemingly unstoppable of late. The Pacific Division contenders have outplayed their opponents in seven straight, extracting maximum value at both ends of the ice. Edmonton has gone north of ten quality chances in all but one of those outings while limiting opponents to eight or fewer in five of seven.

The price may be steep, but the Oilers are deserving of it. We still see an edge in backing them as road underdogs against the Wild.

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