3 NHL Best Bets and Predictions for Monday 12/16/24

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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Florida Panthers vs. Edmonton Oilers

Oilers Moneyline (-138)

This date has been circled on the Edmonton Oilers’ calendar since the schedule came out. On Monday night, the Oilers host the Florida Panthers in a rematch of last season’s Stanley Cup Final. As we all know, the Panthers hung on by the skin of their teeth, but this is Edmonton’s only chance to exact revenge on home ice.

The timing of this rematch is ideal for the Oilers. Edmonton’s offense is finally hitting its stride. More importantly, their metrics support the idea that there’s still room to grow. Connor McDavid and company have totaled 13 goals over their last two games and are riding a five-game winning streak into Monday’s tilt. Still, they have a below-average 0.992 PDO on the season and are below last year’s shooting percentages, implying sustained success is anticipated.

The Panthers are riding a wave of momentum in the opposite direction. Florida has been shutout in consecutive games and has given up at least three goals at five-on-five in four of its past six. Their production metrics support that an offensive surge is still out of reach. The defending champs have been held to nine or fewer high-danger chances in four of their last five.

These teams are operating on opposite ends of the spectrum. Edmonton has looked unstoppable over its recent schedule, getting maximum offensive production from top to bottom. Conversely, Florida hasn’t scored since three games ago. This is a short price on the Oilers, but we could see it increase as we approach puck drop. For now, there’s still an edge in backing the hosts.

Colorado Avalanche vs. Vancouver Canucks

Avalanche Moneyline (-134)

Formerly, the Vancouver Canucks and Colorado Avalanche competed in the same division. While they find themselves in opposite divisions these days, that doesn’t diminish the importance of Monday’s intra-conference battle between these two playoff hopefuls. Both squads could be vying for the same wild card berth down the road, and a win amounts to a four-point swing in the standings.

The Canucks are coming off a humbling defeat on Saturday night, which could be foreshadowing an impending doom in Vancity. Before that loss, Vancouver’s goalies hadn’t allowed more than one goal at five-on-five in four straight. But that success flies in the face of their less-than-stellar metrics. The 'Nucks have given up nine or more high-danger chances in five straight, averaging 10.8 per game over that stretch. Moreover, they haven’t outplayed their opponents since December 1, a span of six games.

Colorado has built an avalanche of momentum over its recent schedule. The Avs have won four of their past five, flexing their offensive muscles en route to victory. They’ve tallied 18 goals across the five-game sample, with 12 coming at five-on-five. Like the Oilers, there’s even more room to grow for Colorado. The Avalanche have an insignificant 0.980 PDO this season, the third-worst mark in the NHL. As such, we anticipate ongoing success as that benchmark works its way back to average.

We’re using this spot to highlight the value of the Avs’ moneyline. They’re firing on all cylinders right now and should be able to escape Vancouver with a win.

Washington Capitals vs. Dallas Stars

Stars Moneyline (-152)

The Dallas Stars have quietly asserted themselves as a Western Conference powerhouse for the past few years. The former North Stars have made the conference final in two straight years and have been one of the most consistent regular season teams over that stretch. That’s the case again in 2024-25, as Dallas has positioned itself near the top of the Central Division standings. They can continue their climb with another solid showing versus the Washington Capitals.

The Stars have maintained their standard of excellence over their more recent sample. They’ve outplayed their opponents in four of five, producing an expected goals-for rating of 57.3%. Still, their actual results have come up well short of that level. Dallas is skating around with a deflated actual eGF rating of 43.8%, suggesting the Stars are natural progression candidates over their coming games.

While the Capitals have won eight of their past nine, it’s unlikely they maintain that success. Washington has struggled to score at five-on-five, relying on special teams scoring to deliver the team to victory. They’ve been held just one goal at five-on-five in three of their previous five. Worse, they’ve out-scored their opponents in just two of those contests.

The Capitals can’t continue to get out-scored at five-on-five and win games. Moreover, we’re not anticipating a boost in scoring against the Stars' tidy defensive zone play. On that basis, our edge lies in backing Dallas to emerge victorious in this inter-conference affair.

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