3 NHL Best Bets and Predictions for Monday 1/6/25

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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Columbus Blue Jackets vs. Pittsburgh Penguins

Blue Jackets Moneyline (+118)

NHL bettors have a full 10-game slate to look forward to, highlighted by a pivotal Metropolitan Division showdown between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Columbus Blue Jackets.

Columbus struggled mightily through the early part of the campaign, but they’ve been on a heater more recently. The Blue Jackets are 5-2-1 over their past eight, reaching new offensive heights. They’ve outscored their opponents by a 21-18 margin at five-on-five, averaging 4.1 goals per game across all strengths.

Pittsburgh doesn’t possess the defensive faculties to limit the Jackets’ attack. The Pens have given up at least 10 high-danger chances in five straight and 8 of their past 10. More concerningly, they haven’t out-chanced their opponents in any of those contests. Predictably, that correlates with an unbecoming expected goals-for rating of 45.6%.

The Penguins aren’t deserving of this betting price. Their analytics play has suffered, and they continue to get railroaded in their own end. That spells trouble against a fiery Jackets side that has had no problem scoring recently. We see an edge in backing the underdogs in Pittsburgh.

Edmonton Oilers vs. Boston Bruins

Bruins Moneyline (+125)

The Boston Bruins are coming off their worst week of the season. The B’s went 0-3-1 last week, dropping them to third in the Atlantic Division standings. They invite the Edmonton Oilers to town on Tuesday night as the Pacific Division contenders continue a four-game road trip. The betting odds are in the Oilers’ favor, but we see a potential upset.

Boston’s ineffective stretch is contradicted by its metrics. The Bruins outplayed their opponents in three of four contests last week but couldn’t put together a complete effort. When their offense was working, their goaltending faltered. And when their netminders were at their best, the B’s offense couldn’t get anything going. Now insulated at home, we expect a reversal of fortunes in the immediate future.

We all know what to expect from the Oilers’ offense. Their forwards continue to rank as one of the most dangerous groups in the NHL. However, goaltending has been a limiting factor. Oilers’ goalies have combined for a .911 save percentage at five-on-five, ranking 19th in the league. Worse, they fall to .893 across all strengths, underscoring their need for improved play in their defensive end.

Unfortunately for the Oilers, we foresee goaltending being an issue on the road against the Bruins. Boston has tallied eight goals over their last two games, a benchmark that should continue to climb with Edmonton in town. The over might be appealing, but we see the most value in backing Boston as home underdogs.

Nashville Predators vs. Winnipeg Jets

Jets Moneyline (-146)

The Nashville Predators are back in action on Tuesday night, wrapping up a six-game road trip. While they have won in two straight, those wins have come despite deteriorating metrics. We expect them to be at a deficit when they take on the Winnipeg Jets for the second time in a week at Canada Life Centre.

Nashville has been at a sincere disadvantage lately. The Preds have been outplayed in three of four, producing a 48.0% expected goals-for rating. Lackluster defending has been the driving cause of their ineffective play. Opponents have eclipsed ten high-danger in all four outings, with all but one of those teams surpassing 23 scoring opportunities.

The Jets’ offense will be ready to capitalize on those defensive miscues. Winnipeg is averaging 11.3 high-danger chances per game over their past four, correlating with improved output at five-on-five. Moreover, they’ve outplayed their opponents in seven straight, including game scores above 66.0% in two straight.

These teams are trending in opposite directions. Nashville is primed for regression, while the Jets should see more wins, reflecting their on-ice dominance. As a result, there’s an edge in backing the Jets as short home favorites against the Preds. Don’t be surprised if this one gets sorted out in overtime.

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