NHL Betting Picks and Player Props to Target: Sunday 1/28/24

Sunday in the NHL during football season is usually quiet, and today is no different with just two games. How can we find value amongst them?

Whether it's moneylines, total goals, or player props, there are plenty of ways to bet on the NHL action all season long. It's a long 82-game season, 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.

My favorite picks are on the way, but don't forget to check out FanDuel's Parlay Hub to see other trending bets in all sports -- including ice hockey.

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 come from FanDuel Sportsbook.

NHL Best Bets

Los Angeles Kings at St. Louis Blues

Under 6.5 (-124)

I wish there was more to work with in this first of two contests, but it just profiles to be a defensive battle.

In the past 30 days, the Los Angeles Kings are just 14th in expected goals per 60 minutes (3.11), and the St. Louis Blues hold the second-worst mark in the league (2.47). L.A. is 28-18 to the under this season, and St. Louis is 28-19. This is kind of their thing.

The goaltending is exceptional here, too. In the same 30-day period, L.A.'s David Rittich is 10th across the NHL in goals saved above expectation (6.04 GSAx), and Jordan Binnington ranks 2nd (12.10 GSAx) in the Blues' net.

numberFire's model projects an under 62.1% of the time in this tilt, so don't be afraid to drink a bit of juice to take it.

Columbus Blue Jackets at Seattle Kraken

Over 6.5 (+100)
Jared McCann Anytime Goal (+185)
Johnny Gaudreau to Record a Point (-106)
Zach Werenski to Record a Point (-104)

Here's where I think we can have some fun.

The Columbus Blue Jackets have scored nine goals and ceded seven in their last two contests on this road trip, and the Seattle Kraken are a pretty organic match for a shootout. In the past month of play, Seattle has ceded the 10th-most expected goals per 60 minutes (3.15).

Notably, the goaltending should be putrid here, too. Seattle will dust off Philipp Grubauer for the first time in over a month due to injury, and Gru posted the 12th-worst overall GSAx in the NHL (-4.49) prior to exiting the lineup. As for the Jackets, Daniil Tarasov will get the nod in the back-to-back situation, and he's posted the sixth-worst GSAx (-4.90) in the past 30 days.

As a result, numberFire's value-based model is targeting a rare over, expecting this one to hit 50.9% of the time. There are a boatload of props showing value, as well.

Jared McCann is a pretty safe pick for a tally as the betting favorite on FanDuel (+185) to light the lamp. He's on the favored Kraken's top forward line in all ice conditions with 25 total shots in 11 January contests. numberFire would set his odds to score at -163, so the plus money was too much to ignore.

As for Columbus, you get their two highest-volume skaters as a pick 'em to find the score sheet in any manner. Only two Jackets logged over 20:00 TOI last night -- John Gaudreau and Zach Werenski. Both have a point rate of at least 50.0% this month, too.

CBJ is a huge underdog in this game, but the model also likes a play on their puckline. If I'm expecting offense and can get Columbus' top-two skaters around even money, that's too good to pass up in both cases. nF would set both at -317 to record one given a projection of 0.76 points. We love to see it.

Looking for more NHL betting opportunities? Check out all of the NHL odds at FanDuel Sportsbook.

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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.