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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Ottawa Senators vs. Vegas Golden Knights

Over 6.5 +104

For some reason, bettors think there will be a shortage of goals when the Vegas Golden Knights host the Ottawa Senators on Friday night. Both teams feature efficient offenses and get a little reckless on defense. Consequently, this inter-conference affair should feature a plethora of scoring.

As is typically the case, the Golden Knights are scoring at will. Vegas has the third-best shooting percentage at five-on-five and the top mark across all strengths. But as good as they’ve been offensively, the Knights have more concerning defensive metrics. Their last five opponents have all gone north of ten high-danger chances for a hefty average of 12.8 per game. Not surprisingly, three of those teams have exceeded four goals.

The Senators can extend those defensive woes at T-Mobile Arena. Ottawa has been one of the top-scoring teams over the past couple of weeks, tallying 18 goals over their previous four outings. While a hefty chunk of those came in an 8-7 win over the Los Angeles Kings, the Sens have recorded at least four goals in all but one of those contests. But like the Golden Knights, we’re seeing deteriorating defensive metrics. Two of the last three teams the Sens have played have reached double-digit high-danger chances.

Elite offenses stand toe-to-toe on Friday night, precipitating what should be the highest-scoring game on the docket. With the over sitting at plus money, that leaves a bettor-friendly entry point for anyone who wants a piece of the total.

Nashville Predators vs. Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks Moneyline +142

There are two key factors bettors should be aware of ahead of this Central Division tilt. First, the Nashville Predators are not as good as everyone expected. Second, the Chicago Blackhawks are better than most people realize. With that, there’s a significant imbalance with the current betting price.

Chicago has tilted the ice in its favor with its most recent efforts. The Blackhawks have outplayed their opponents in three of their past four, yielding a 54.8% expected goals-for rating. Still, their actual benchmark is 40.0%, and the Hawks only have one win across the four-game sample. Naturally, that makes them progression candidates over their coming games as wins start to follow their above-average performances.

After an offseason of change, the Predators are still trying to find their new identity. Nashville sits with a sub-optimal 49.7% expected goals-for rating through six games. One of the driving causes of their ineffective play is a lack of offensive subsistence. The Preds have the worst five-on-five shooting percentage in the NHL, and there’s no sign of breaking out any time soon. The former expansion franchise has fallen below nine high-danger chances in all but one of their games this season for an average of 7.5 per game.

This betting line is skewed. The Blackhawks have superior metrics over their recent sample and have the added advantage of playing on home ice. As such, they’re undeserving of the underdog price tag against the Preds.

Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Edmonton Oilers

Penguins Moneyline +176

We’ve done this song and dance before. The Edmonton Oilers have earned a reputation for being obnoxiously slow starters. The reigning Western Division champs fell flat on their face to start last season before turning things on in the latter stages. They’re following a similar pattern to open the 2024-25 campaign, putting them at a disadvantage against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Nothing is going right for the Oilers right now. They’ve been ineffective in scoring at five-on-five, recording one or fewer goals in five of their seven games. Worse, their once-vaunted power play has been unable to generate any production to boost production. Goaltending has also been an inhibiting factor. Stuart Skinner has an awful 86.6% save percentage, contributing to a 3.74 goals-against average. As a result, Edmonton has fallen to 2-4-1 to start the year.

Pittsburgh is off to an equally disastrous start, but a few green sprouts are poking up in its metrics. The Pens have outplayed their opponents in four of their past five. An unrelenting offense has been the foundation of their analytics success, with the Penguins recording more than 14 high-danger chances in all but one of those contests. That correlates with increased scoring, an upward trajectory that carries them into Friday’s battle in Edmonton.

Edmonton needs to find a way to break out, but we don’t think that’s happening against a feisty Pens squad operating at peak efficiency. That means the Oilers' unbecoming start will likely extend at least one more game.

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