3 NHL Best Bets and Predictions for Saturday 1/11/25

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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Tampa Bay Lightning vs. New Jersey Devils

Lightning Moneyline (+130)

The New Jersey Devils are stuck in a mid-season rut. Losers of five of their past six, the Devils can’t seem to get their offense in gear. Unfortunately, that’s unlikely to change against a visiting Tampa Bay Lightning squad that’s operating at peak efficiency.

New Jersey’s recent slump was somewhat expected. They were skating around with a moderately inflated PDO and were operating above expected level in terms of production. While that pendulum will eventually start swinging back in a positive direction, we don’t think the Devils have bottomed out just yet. Their PDO is still floating above average, and they have been outplayed in four of their past seven.

Tampa Bay has suffered no such misfortune. The Bolts have posted a 56.8% expected goals-for rating over their past four, outplaying their opponents in all but one of those contests. More impressively, they’ve exceeded 10 high-danger chances in four of five, averaging 11.8 quality opportunities throughout.

Compared to last year, the Devils have been more reliable in their own end, but we haven’t seen that over their recent sample. As a result, we expect the Lightning to roam freely, presenting as a value underdog pick on Saturday’s slate.

Columbus Blue Jackets vs. St. Louis Blues

Blues Moneyline (-178)

Two former division rivals take to the ice as inter-conference opponents on Saturday night. The St. Louis Blues are looking to avenge last week’s loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets. Our analysis supports the Blues are the right side.

Despite the 6-4 loss, St. Louis outplayed the Jackets as the visitors. That’s reflective of their recent dominance, with the Blues getting the better of their opponents in five of their last six. Across that sample, the Blues have compiled an impressive 56.8% expected goals-for rating. Moreover, they’ve gone north of 11 quality chances in three of their previous four.

Columbus’ recent game scores have the Jackets pointed in the opposite direction. They’ve posted an above average eGF rating just once over their past five, which is contraindicated in the Blue Jackets’ 5-1-0 record. That makes them prime regression candidates as outcomes start to reflect expected values.

The Blues’ moneyline price should be substantially ahead of where it is. On that basis, there’s an edge in backing the hosts to topple the Jackets on Saturday night.

Edmonton Oilers vs. Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks Moneyline (+280)

The Chicago Blackhawks welcome their former General Manager to town as the Edmonton Oilers conclude their brief three-game road trip. Edmonton’s output is severely diminished on the road, negatively impacting its chances of bouncing back after Thursday night’s loss. As a result, bettors should set their sights on the Chicago.

The Oilers’ five-on-five scoring has been abysmal on the road lately. Over their past six outings, Edmonton is scoring on just 8.0% of shots. That puts them below their season-long average and casts doubt on their ability to break free against an improving Blackhawks side. Those offensive concerns are compounded by ineffective play in their own end. Three of Edmonton’s last five opponents have exceeded 10 quality chances.

Chicago’s growing pains continue, but there are green sprouts in their recent performances. The Hawks have held six of their previous nine opponents to nine or fewer high-danger opportunities. That coincides with a modest increase in scoring with Chicago netting 12 goals over its past four, with eight of those tallies coming at five-on-five.

There’s nothing the Blackhawks would like more than defeating their former GM in his return to Chicago. Thankfully, our analysis supports there’s an edge in backing them as steep home underdogs against the Oilers.

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