NHL Betting Picks: Thursday 11/2/23

We've got a massive 12-game slate to dive into. That has to mean there are a few bets we'll like tonight.

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

Florida Panthers at Detroit Red Wings

Panthers ML (-115)

The Florida Panthers have had an up-and-down start to the season. They lost their first two games but have since won four of their next six. They'll face a division rival that's off to a hot start.

Florida had solid underlying numbers last season, which made them a dark horse contender at the start of the 2022-23 playoffs. It's true again to start this year, as they are the eighth-best team in shot-attempt rate at five-on-five.

The Detroit Red Wings' hot start has been driven by a high shooting percentage. They are currently shooting 12.94% -- slightly more than one percentage point better than the best shooting percentage in the league last year. Unless the Wings are somehow significantly better at finishing than last season's Edmonton Oilers, this is going to regress.

Detroit is the seventh-worst team in shot-attempt rate at five-on-five.

Florida is the better team and will be facing backup goaltender James Reimer. Reimer allowed 6.84 goals above expected last season.

Laying -115 is not too bad. Before the season, Florida would have been a much bigger favorite --but Detroit's unsustainable hot start has changed the odds.

Dallas Stars at Edmonton Oilers

Over 6.5 (-120)

We all know about the explosive offense the Oilers have. This season, their defense has also been contributing to the potential of games going over. They've allowed four goals per game, the second-most in the league.

The Dallas Stars, on the other hand, are not usually a team that we'll target for overs. They have a stingy defense and one of the best goaltenders in the game. Tonight, we won't see Jake Oettinger in goal for Dallas, and Scott Wedgewood is definitely a downgrade for them.

Dallas played a game with seven total goals in it last night against the Calgary Flames, a much slower-paced team than Edmonton. That was with Oettinger in net. Now, the Stars will face the Oilers with their backup goalie, and the pace for this game could be much higher.

With Connor McDavid back, the Oilers have the most offensive talent of any team. Going against a Dallas squad that could be tired from playing last night, Edmonton could explode offensively. They also can give up a few goals to the Stars, which gives this game a good chance of going over the total.

Nashville Predators at Seattle Kraken

Predators ML (-102)

The Nashville Predators aren't off to an amazing start at 4-5-0.

Surprisingly, though, they have posted some elite possession numbers. They are controlling 56.76% of the expected goals at five-on-five. What's been letting them down is the fifth-worst five-on-five shooting percentage.

They should benefit from facing a Seattle Kraken team that has Philipp Grubauer in net. Grubauer has been below league average since joining Seattle in 2021.

Seattle benefited from shooting 11.57% last season despite not really having the talent to back that up. Regression has smacked them in the face to start this season, as they are shooting just 7.52%.

If backing a team, I'd always want a goalie like Juuse Saros on my side. He's third in the NHL in goals saved above expected since the start of the 2021-22 season.

With the goaltending advantage and some solid five-on-five play to start the season, the Predators are looking much better than the Kraken. I don't mind backing Nashville on the road tonight at close to even money.

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.