3 Best NHL Bets and Predictions for Friday 1/31/25

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

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Nashville Predators vs. Buffalo Sabres

Predators Moneyline (-132)

Two teams that have tragically underperformed expectations meet in upstate New York on Friday night. The Buffalo Sabres and Nashville Predators have fallen well below the mark in 2024-25. FanDuel Sportsbook has installed the Predators as short road favorites, and this is a good spot for them.

Nashville is coming off consecutive defeats, but those outcomes don’t reflect its recent analytics surge. The Preds have outplayed their opponents in six straight games, eclipsing the 60.0% expected goals-for (eGF) rating in all but one of those contests. Altogether, they have dominated their foes, producing a 63.1% eGF rating across that sample. Another elite effort is expected versus a Sabres squad that can’t seem to get anything right in the defensive end.

Most of Buffalo’s issues start in its own end. The Sabres have given up at least 10 high-danger chances in three straight and five of their last seven. Predictably, that ineffective play correlates with a surge in goals against, with Buffalo giving up 25 goals across the seven-game stretch.

That plays into Nashville’s recent uptick in scoring, illustrated by the Predators’ 22 goals over their past five outings.

Nashville is the superior analytics team and should have no problem breaking through the Sabres’ feeble defensive structure.

Vancouver Canucks vs. Dallas Stars

Canucks Moneyline (+150)

The Vancouver Canucks put their modest three-game winning streak on the line against the Dallas Stars on Friday night. While Dallas is on an identical run and is at home, we like the Canucks’ chances of pulling off the upset at American Airlines Center.

Goaltending has made all the difference for the Canucks recently. Kevin Lankinen and Thatcher Demko have combined to stop 87 of the last 91 shots faced for a pristine .956 save percentage. Undoubtedly, that puts the Canucks’ netminders on an unsustainable trajectory, but they’re poised to maintain that streak into Friday’s inter-divisional battle.

Vancouver has played with an improved defensive structure over its recent sample. Opponents have totaled just 12 high-danger and 35 scoring opportunities over their past two games. That coincides with a decrease in the Stars’ production. Dallas has mustered just 15 quality chances and 41 scoring opportunities over its previous two outings, resulting in just three goals at five-on-five.

The under is worth a look, but the more advantageous position is getting a piece of the Canucks’ moneyline. Vancouver’s goaltenders should be the difference in this one.

St. Louis Blues vs. Colorado Avalanche

Blues Moneyline (+158)

The Colorado Avalanche sent the wrong message with their trade of Mikko Rantanen earlier in the week. The Avs moved on from their top-scoring winger, which has precipitated some lackluster metrics. Those concerns follow them into a Central Division clash versus the St. Louis Blues.

The Avalanche return home after a poor 1-2-0 three-game road trip, but their woes extend beyond their most recent stretch. Colorado has struggled to produce lately, recording just four goals at five-on-five across its last five games. As expected, that correlates with ineffective production, with the Avs falling below eight high-danger chances in three of five.

Colorado faces a stiff test in resolving those scoring issues against a defensively responsible Blues squad. Backstopped by Jordan Binnington, St. Louis plays with unrelenting structure in its own end. The Blues have held their opponents to nine or fewer high-danger chances in eight straight, giving up a paltry average of 5.9 chances per game. Likewise, none of those opponents have exceeded 24 scoring chances, yielding a stout average of 19.0 per game.

It’s hard to rationalize how the Avs trading away one of their top scorers will fix their scoring woes, particularly against the defensively responsible Blues. We’re betting scoring will be a persistent issue for Colorado, leaving an edge in backing the visitors on Friday night.

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