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.

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.

NHL Best Bets Today

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Winnipeg Jets vs. Edmonton Oilers

Over 6.5 +102

The Edmonton Oilers are looking to recapture the magic that took them within one game of hoisting the Stanley Cup. They start that ascent with Wednesday’s tilt versus the Winnipeg Jets. As usual, we’re expecting a robust offensive performance from the Oilers, a standard that the Jets should be able to match.

Winnipeg was one of the most defensively bankrupt teams last season, and that’s unlikely to change in 2024-25. The Jets were constantly chasing the puck in their own end, allowing the 14th-most high-danger chances at five-on-five. As expected, that metric increases when we factor in their special teams play. The number of high-danger chances allowed jumps from 9.1 at five-on-five to 12.1 across all strengths, playing into one of the Oilers’ most prominent strengths.

Edmonton gets a lot of scoring out of its power-play unit, and the Jets won’t have a defense. The Oilers recorded the fifth-most power-play goals last season, ending the campaign with a 26.3% success rate. Conversely, Winnipeg was one of the worst at killing penalties, posting a 77.1% kill rate.

All of that is without even considering the Oilers' uncanny ability to generate scoring at five-on-five. Changes to Edmonton's defensive corps may help the Jets keep pace at five-on-five. Still, power-play scoring should push this Western Conference affair over the total.

Colorado Avalanche vs. Vegas Golden Knights

Golden Knights Moneyline -110

Two of the Western Conference's powerhouses take to the ice on Wednesday night, with the Vegas Golden Knights hosting the Colorado Avalanche at T-Mobile Arena. The betting market is torn on this one, with the line currently sitting as a pick'em. Nevertheless, we give an advantage to the hosts in the season opener.

Analytically, these teams aren’t that different. Both play a solid brand of hockey on both ends of the ice, resulting in top-notch expected goals-for ratings. However, like many teams, Vegas’ best efforts come in its friendly confines. The Knights expected goals-for rating jumps nearly 3.0 percentage points at home, with increases in both shots and scoring opportunities at five-on-five.

Colorado enjoyed a relatively unobstructed schedule last campaign, beating up on some inferior teams in the Central Division last season. But their metrics look worse when adjusted for opponent. As the visitors, they fall out of the top 10 in expected goals-for rating. Moreover, they struggled to score at five-on-five on the road, showing an increased reliance on power-play goals to steal wins. That’s an unsustainable way of winning games, particularly against the top competition in the West.

Vegas’ home-ice advantage can be the difference in this one. Tomas Hertl now centers the third line, meaning the Knights can run three scoring lines. That depth can be a difference-maker tonight.

New York Rangers vs. Pittsburgh Penguins

Penguins Moneyline +114

There are only so many opening nights that Sidney Crosby has left until he calls it a career. We expect him and the Pittsburgh Penguins to make the most of them, starting with tonight’s Metropolitan Division clash against the New York Rangers.

The Rangers reigned atop the NHL in the regular season last year, going 55-23-4 and claiming their first Presidents' Trophy since 2014-15. However, that success is contraindicated by their underlying metrics. The Broadway Blueshirts finished with the 11th-worst expected goals-for rating a year ago, substantially overachieving with the 16th-ranked actual goals-for percentage. That puts them on a fast track toward regression at the outset of this season.

The Pens are firmly positioned on the opposite end of the progression-regression spectrum. Pittsburgh put up the 13th-best expected goals-for rating last year, falling below their anticipated benchmark with a below-average PDO. With improved depth scoring around him, Crosby should lead the Penguins back up the standings in 2024-25.

This is a good spot to back the underdog home side. Despite posting top-end metrics last year, the Pens didn't get top-end results. They should bounce back with an improved campaign this season. Meanwhile, the Rangers will have a hard time matching last year’s success without meaningful improvement to their analytical profile.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.