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Nashville heads to Seattle for a Western Conference matchup at Climate Pledge Arena on Thursday night, January 1, with puck drop set for 10:00 PM and the game airing on ESPN+. The Predators are 18-17-4 and sitting in the playoff mix, while the Kraken are 16-15-7 and trying to climb in a crowded middle tier. This is the kind of game where the market usually lands tight, and it has. Seattle is a slight favorite at home, Nashville is right there, and the entire handicap comes down to which team controls 5v5 shot quality and whether special teams tilt a one-goal game. These are the current betting lines, and bettors should monitor updated NHL odds as goalie confirmation and late

Dallas heads to the United Center on Thursday night, January 1, with puck drop set for 8:30 PM on ESPN+. The Stars are 25-8-7 and sitting near the top of the Central, while Chicago is 14-19-7 and trying to stop the bleeding in the division race. This is a classic spot where the market wants you to pay a premium for the better team, but the puck line and total offer the real decisions. Dallas is priced like the side that should control most of the game. The question is whether they finish clean enough to cover -1.5, and whether Chicago’s offense can do enough to push this total off 6. These are the current betting lines, and bettors should

Tampa Bay heads west to open the new year against the Kings at Crypto.com Arena on Thursday, January 1, with a 7:00 PM start on ESPN+. The Lightning are 23-13-3 and playing like a team that expects to be there in April, while Los Angeles is 16-13-9 and trying to climb in the Pacific with a home game that actually matters in the standings. The market has the Kings favored at home, which is a nod to their defensive profile and the way they can squeeze games into low-event scripts. Tampa is the kind of opponent that can still win those, though. This handicap comes down to who controls 5v5 pace and whether the Lightning’s blue line injuries force them

Montreal opens 2026 on the road in Raleigh, visiting Carolina at the Lenovo Center on Thursday night at 7:00 PM with ESPN+ carrying the broadcast. The Canadiens are 21-12-6 and playing confident hockey right now, while the Hurricanes are 24-12-3 and sitting on top of the Metro, even after a rough result in their last outing. The market has Carolina priced like the superior team at home, which makes sense given their shot-volume identity and the way they can smother opponents shift after shift. The bet is whether Montreal’s special teams and finishing can hold up against that pressure, especially with both lineups dealing with key absences. These are the current betting lines, and bettors should monitor updated NHL odds