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NHL Predictions
At ScoresandStats, we cover the NHL season every week, providing previews, predictions and matchup breakdowns in our blog section. Every user has access to these picks and previews, regardless of subscription status.
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NHL predictions on Scores and Stats start with the 2026-27 regular season, which opens on Tuesday, 29 September 2026. None are published for the new season yet, and each one will appear in the grid below as it goes up.
A prediction on this site names a side and gives the reasons for it. Until opening night, this page gives you the league as it stands: the new schedule, how the 2025-26 season finished and a link to all 32 team pages.
Hockey NHL Previews and Predictions Every game on the board, priced and picked before it starts
The Golden Knights won 20 of 41 at home last season. At +205, take the Blackhawks. The Vegas Golden Knights are -250
The Canadiens won 24 of 41 on the road last season. Take them at -105. The Toronto Maple Leafs are a small
The Oilers won 22 of 41 at home and are priced like a far better home team. Take the Canucks at +215.
The Hurricanes won 29 of 41 at home last season. Take them at -130. The Carolina Hurricanes are -130 against the Florida
The Bruins opened at -142 and are -120 now. At -120, take the Bruins. The Boston Bruins are -120 against the New
Our number leans to the Islanders, but not by enough. No bet. The Toronto Maple Leafs and the New York Islanders are
Our number and the price agree to within 4.3 points. No bet. The Colorado Avalanche are -180 against the Los Angeles Kings
Our number has this at close to even. At +110, take the Penguins. The Philadelphia Flyers are -130 against the Pittsburgh Penguins
The Mammoth won 22 of 41 at home last season and are priced at -198. Take the Blackhawks at +164. The Utah
The Flyers won 23 of 41 on the road last season and are priced as underdogs. Take them at +124. The New
The Kraken lost 26 of 41 on the road last season. Take the Flames at -115. The Calgary Flames are -115 and
The Rangers won 14 of 41 at home last season. Take the Lightning at -135. The Tampa Bay Lightning are -135 against
Our number and the price are 1.6 points apart. No bet. The Edmonton Oilers are -198 against the Vancouver Canucks at +164
The Panthers lost 24 of 41 on the road last season. Take the Sharks at +114. The Florida Panthers are -135 and
The Sabres won 24 of 41 on the road last season. Take them at -105. The Columbus Blue Jackets are -115 and
Our number leans to the Predators, 4.7 points short of a bet. No bet. The Minnesota Wild are -148 at DraftKings and
The Stars are the right favourite, and -205 is about the right price. No bet. The Dallas Stars are -205 against the
Our number leans to the Jets, but 4.7 points is not enough. No bet. The Boston Bruins are -115 and the Winnipeg
The Rangers won 20 of 41 on the road last season. Take them at +120, and no shorter. The Detroit Red Wings
The Sabres should win this, and -218 already says so. No bet. The Buffalo Sabres are -218 against the Chicago Blackhawks at
Our number and the price agree to within 2.4 points. No bet. The Minnesota Wild are -175 against the Boston Bruins at
Our number leans to the Canadiens by 4.9 points, a tenth short of a bet. No bet. The Pittsburgh Penguins and the
Our number has the Lightning 2.6 points above the price, about half of what a bet needs. No bet. The Tampa Bay
Our number and the price are one point apart. No bet. The New York Islanders are -120 and the New Jersey Devils
Our number leans to the Kraken, but 4.7 points is short of a bet. No bet. The Seattle Kraken are -135 against
The Ducks won 24 of 41 at home last season and are the underdog. Take them at +105. The Florida Panthers are
Our number leans to the Blues by 2.6 points. No bet. The St. Louis Blues are -115 and the Chicago Blackhawks -105
Our number makes this an even game, and the price is close to even. No bet. The Carolina Hurricanes are -118 and
Our number and the price are 0.7 points apart. No bet. The Florida Panthers are -125 against the Los Angeles Kings at
This week’s NHL predictions
Every NHL prediction for a game still to be played, in date order, listed 25 September 2026.
NHL right now
The league is in its preseason. ESPN’s 2026-27 schedule, read 23 September 2026, has 84 regular-season games for every team, up from 82 last season, and 1,344 games in all. The regular season runs from 29 September 2026 to Saturday, 10 April 2027, when all 32 teams play.
Opening night has five games:
- Florida Panthers at Carolina Hurricanes
- Montreal Canadiens at Toronto Maple Leafs
- New York Rangers at Boston Bruins
- Vancouver Canucks at Edmonton Oilers
- Chicago Blackhawks at Vegas Golden Knights
No 2026-27 standings exist until those games are played. The table is where last season ended: the top four in each conference by points.
| Conference | Team | W-L-OTL | Points | Goals for | Goals against |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| East | Carolina Hurricanes | 53-22-7 | 113 | 296 | 240 |
| East | Buffalo Sabres | 50-23-9 | 109 | 288 | 241 |
| East | Tampa Bay Lightning | 50-26-6 | 106 | 290 | 231 |
| East | Montreal Canadiens | 48-24-10 | 106 | 283 | 256 |
| West | Colorado Avalanche | 55-16-11 | 121 | 302 | 203 |
| West | Dallas Stars | 50-20-12 | 112 | 279 | 226 |
| West | Minnesota Wild | 46-24-12 | 104 | 272 | 240 |
| West | Vegas Golden Knights | 39-26-17 | 95 | 265 | 250 |
Final 2025-26 regular-season standings, ESPN, read 23 September 2026.
Last season
The Carolina Hurricanes won the 2026 Stanley Cup, beating the Vegas Golden Knights four games to two. They closed it out 3-0 in Game 6 in Vegas on 14 June 2026, and went 16-3 across the playoffs after sweeping Ottawa and Philadelphia in the first two rounds.
Colorado had the league’s most points, 121, and allowed the fewest goals, 203. Vegas swept them 4-0 in the West Final. Two games of the Stanley Cup Final went past regulation: Carolina won Game 2 in overtime, and Vegas took Game 3 in double overtime.
How NHL betting works here
Hockey is low scoring, so most NHL betting starts with the moneyline. You pick the winner, and the price tells you how likely the sportsbook thinks that is: a price with a minus sign is what you risk to win $100, and a price with a plus sign is what a $100 bet wins.
The puck line is hockey’s point spread, and it is almost always set at 1.5 goals. Take the favorite at -1.5 and they must win by two or more. Take the underdog at +1.5 and you win the bet if they win outright or lose by one. Because so many NHL games are decided by one goal, the favorite’s puck line usually pays better than its moneyline, and the underdog’s usually pays less.
The total is the number of goals both teams score combined, and you bet over or under it. At most US sportsbooks, the moneyline, puck line and total all include overtime and the shootout, but house rules differ. Check how your book grades a game that goes past 60 minutes before you bet.
NHL teams
Every team page, grouped by division as ESPN lists them:
- Atlantic Division: Boston Bruins, Buffalo Sabres, Detroit Red Wings, Florida Panthers, Montreal Canadiens, Ottawa Senators, Tampa Bay Lightning, Toronto Maple Leafs
- Metropolitan Division: Carolina Hurricanes, Columbus Blue Jackets, New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders, New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Washington Capitals
- Central Division: Chicago Blackhawks, Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars, Minnesota Wild, Nashville Predators, St. Louis Blues, Utah Mammoth, Winnipeg Jets
- Pacific Division: Anaheim Ducks, Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers, Los Angeles Kings, San Jose Sharks, Seattle Kraken, Vancouver Canucks, Vegas Golden Knights
The hockey predictions hub covers the sport as a whole. If you are choosing a paid picks service, read our handicapper site reviews before you pay for one.
NHL prediction FAQ
Are 2026-27 NHL predictions up yet? No. The regular season starts on 29 September 2026 with five games, and predictions start with it.
Do you publish a prediction for every NHL game? No NHL predictions are up for this season yet, so there is no count to give you. This page lists each one as it is published.
How many games does each team play this season? 84, according to ESPN’s 2026-27 schedule. Last season it was 82.
When does the regular season end? Saturday, 10 April 2027, with all 32 teams in action that day.
Who won the Stanley Cup last season? The Carolina Hurricanes, 4-2 over the Vegas Golden Knights, finishing with a 3-0 win in Game 6 on 14 June 2026.
What is the puck line? The NHL’s point spread, set at 1.5 goals in almost every game. The favorite has to win by two; the underdog covers by winning or by losing by one.
See what our experts like today.
Browse today’s picks before the action begins.
