NHL Picks Today: NHL Best Bets, Prediction and Props for Avalanche vs. Wild Game 4

Top NHL Picks at a Glance

• Avalanche Moneyline
• Over 6.5 Goals

Whether it's moneylines, goal props, or who lights the lamp, there are plenty of ways to bet on 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 player prop projections, which are powered by numberFire.

Let's dive into the best bets for tonight.

NHL odds come from FanDuel Sportsbook and may change after this article is published.

Today's Best NHL Betting Picks and Props

Avalanche vs. Wild Game 4 Prediction and Picks

The Colorado Avalanche visit the Minnesota Wild tonight for Game 4 of their Western Conference Semifinals series. Colorado leads the series 2-1, with puck drop set for 8:10 p.m. ET.

Step-by-step Avalanche vs. Wild analysis

1. Series momentum: Minnesota answered, but Colorado still has the series edge

Colorado opened the series with a wild 9-6 win, followed it with a 5-2 Game 2 victory, then Minnesota responded with a 5-1 Game 3 win at home. Through 7 total meetings this season and playoffs, Colorado is 4-2-1 against Minnesota, so the matchup history slightly favors the Avalanche.

2. Odds and market read

Colorado is the better full-season team at 55-16-11 while Minnesota finished 46-24-12. The Avs being slight road favorites makes sense.

3. Player performance edge: MacKinnon and Makar remain the matchup drivers

Nathan MacKinnon has historically produced against Minnesota, with 70 points in 55 regular-season games against the Wild and 10 points in 7 playoff games entering this series. Cale Makar has also posted 26 points in 29 games against Minnesota. That star-power edge matters in a Game 4 where Colorado needs a response.

4. Minnesota’s scoring threat is real

Minnesota’s top-end talent is why this is not a blind Avalanche play. Matt Boldy entered the series leading the Wild with 6 playoff goals, while Kirill Kaprizov led the team with 7 assists and was tied for first with 9 points. Minnesota also showed in Game 3 that it can punish Colorado mistakes, scoring twice on the power play in a 5-1 win.

5. Injury and lineup context

Colorado’s injury report lists Josh Manson and Joel Kiviranta as day-to-day, while Scott Wedgewood and Mackenzie Blackwood are listed as the Avalanche goalies. Minnesota has been dealing with major injury questions around Joel Eriksson Ek and Jonas Brodin, who missed the first two games of the series with lower-body injuries and had not skated as of late last week.

6. Total betting profile

This series has already produced totals of 15, 7 and 6 goals. That makes the over tempting, but the Game 3 result showed a slower, tighter version of the matchup is possible.

Best Bet #1: Avalanche Moneyline

Colorado is the best straight-up side. The Avalanche have the better season-long profile, the deeper star core, and a strong response angle after getting beaten 5-1 in Game 3.

The biggest reason to back Colorado is the high-end talent gap. MacKinnon and Makar are elite play-drivers, and both have strong historical production against Minnesota. The Avalanche have also already scored 14 goals through the first three games of this series, proving they can break down the Wild’s defensive structure.

Minnesota’s Game 3 win was impressive, but Colorado still leads the series and has won 4 of 7 meetings against the Wild this season.

Best Bet #2: Over 6.5 Goals

The total is high, but this series has leaned toward offense. Game 1 finished 9-6, Game 2 finished 5-2, and Game 3 still totaled on six goals despite Colorado scoring only once. Both teams have enough top-end talent and power-play quality to push this over.

The Avalanche bring MacKinnon, Makar, Gabriel Landeskog, Martin Necas and Valeri Nichushkin into a matchup they have already exploited for big scoring nights. Minnesota counters with Kaprizov, Boldy, Zuccarello and Quinn Hughes, and the Wild just generated a 5-goal home performance in Game 3.

There's a lot of attacking talent, and I think we see another high-scoring clash.

NHL Betting -- Frequently Asked Questions

What is the moneyline in NHL betting?

The moneyline is a straight-up bet on which team will win the game — no spread involved. Favorites are listed with a negative number (e.g., -160), meaning you'd need to wager $160 to win $100. Underdogs carry a positive number (e.g., +140), meaning a $100 bet returns $140 in profit.

What is the puck line?

The puck line is hockey's version of a point spread. It is almost always set at 1.5 goals. The favorite must win by two or more goals to cover, while the underdog can lose by one goal and still cover.

How does the over/under (total) work in hockey?

FanDuel sets a total number of goals for the game (including overtime and shootout goals). You bet whether the actual combined score will go Over or Under that number. NHL totals typically range from 5.5 to 6.5 goals. The shootout winner will have a goal added to their total. For example, if the score is 2-2 after regulation, and one team wins the shootout, the final score for settlement purposes is 3-2. However, some prop bets are settled on regulation time only — always check the specific rules for each bet at your 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.