NHL Betting Guide: Daily odds, injury news, predictions and best bets for Saturday, January 21st

Welcome to VSiN’s NHL Betting Guide for Saturday, January 21, featuring odds, predictions and best bets. The guide also includes the latest news, projected starting goaltenders, and important injury updates. Whether you’re a seasoned NHL bettor or learning how to be on hockey, this guide is an essential resource for making informed bets on NHL games.

Today’s NHL Odds

• Anaheim Ducks (+210) at Buffalo Sabres (-250)
• Tampa Bay Lightning (-105) at Calgary Flames (-105)
• Minnesota Wild (EVEN) at Florida Panthers (-120)
• Toronto Maple Leafs (-280) at Montreal Canadiens (+240)
• San Jose Sharks (+115) at Columbus Blue Jackets (-135)
• Philadelphia Flyers (+125) at Detroit Red Wings (-145)
• Winnipeg Jets (-135) at Ottawa Senators (+115)
• Carolina Hurricanes (-165) at New York Islanders (+145)
• Los Angeles Kings (-105) at Nashville Predators (-115)
• Arizona Coyotes (+290) at Dallas Stars (-350)
• St. Louis Blues (-255) at Chicago Blackhawks (+215)
• Edmonton Oilers (-165) at Vancouver Canucks (+145)
• Washington Capitals (EVEN) at Vegas Golden Knights (-120)
• Colorado Avalanche (-105) at Seattle Kraken (-115)

Today’s NHL Predictions

Home team’s projected win probability. Subject to change based on starting goaltenders and injury news.

• Buffalo Sabres – 73.2 percent (-273)
• Calgary Flames – 50 percent (EVEN)
• Florida Panthers – 51.6 percent (-106)
• Montreal Canadiens – 23.5 percent (+325)
• Columbus Blue Jackets – 41.4 percent (+141)
• Detroit Red Wings – 54.3 percent (-119)
• Ottawa Senators – 42.4 percent (+136)
• New York Islanders – 40.6 percent (+146)
• Nashville Predators – 51.4 percent (-106)
• Dallas Stars – 72 percent (-257)
• St. Louis Blues – 67.8 percent (-211)
• Vancouver Canucks – 35.4 (+183)
• Vegas Golden Knights – 45.9 percent (+118)
• Seattle Kraken – 53.2 percent (-114)

Today’s Best NHL Bets

Here are today’s best NHL bets:

Washington Capitals (Moneyline) EVEN

Washington comes into Saturday having gone 4-6 in their last 10 games, but they’re still a top-10 team by expected goal percentage over the last month, and beyond. Tom Wilson and Nicklas Backstrom only have six games under their belt, but they’ve found chemistry with linemate Sonny Milano and it’s only a matter of time before things start to click for that line offensively. The Capitals are tough to play against at even strength, their power play has been improving and Darcy Kuemper does his job most nights.

Vegas, meanwhile, is reeling after losing another key player (captain Mark Stone) to injury. The Golden Knights have lost four out of their last five games and rank 26 in expected goals percentage and 25 in shot attempt percentage since Dec. 27, a 10-game stretch. Vegas isn’t scoring (seventh in goals per 60 in last 10 games) and they aren’t generating great looks as the 24 best team in terms of generating expected goals.

Goaltending was a strong point for the Golden Knights earlier in the season, when they were playing well, but now they’re playing like one of the worst teams in the league (seventh-worst in shots against per 60) and Logan Thompson has barely been hanging on. I’m not counting the Golden Knights out, but the Capitals should be the favorite in this game, not the underdog.

All bets tracked on third-party app Betstamp.  

Wins: 54

NHL Schedule

*Indicates that a team is playing the first half of a back-to-back

Today’s Starting Goaltenders

No goaltenders are confirmed unless otherwise stated. Projections are based on factors like rest, venue, opponent and upcoming games. Projected starters underlined. for updates.

• Anaheim – John Gibson played the final forty minutes of Thursday’s game in Columbus after Anthony Stolarz allowed three goals on 15 first-period shots.
• Buffalo –Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen is projected to start.
• Tampa Bay – Brian Elliott got a start in versus the Canucks, so Andrei Vasilevskiy is expected to be back between the pipes on Saturday.   
• Calgary – Dan Vladar hasn’t started since Jan. 14, and the Flames haven’t won since then.
• Minnesota – Filip Gustavssonwill start in goal for the Wild on Saturday.
• Florida – Maybe Alex Lyonearned himself a start.
• Toronto – Ilya Samsonovhas been confirmed to start for the Maple Leafs.
• Montreal – Samuel Montembeaultis in tough with Jake Allen still on the shelf.
• San Jose – The Sharks are about to play two games in two days, and it seems like the team still considers James Reimer the starter. San Jose will be in Boston on Sunday and, therefore, Kaapo Kahkonen is projected to start on Saturday.
• Columbus – Joonas Korpisalois back with the team after dealing with a personal matter. He hasn’t started since Jan. 12.
• Philadelphia – Although Samuel Ersson impressed in his time as the Flyers’ backup goalie, the organization risked losingFelix Sandstromto waivers if they did not call him up and send Ersson down. The Flyers play the Jets on Sunday.
• Detroit – Ville Hussois the projected starter.
• Winnipeg – The Jets will take on the Flyers in Philadelphia on Sunday, so it’s unclear whether Connor Hellebuyck, or David Rittich will start in goal on Saturday. I’m going with the latter, for now.
• Ottawa – Cam Talbot starter in Pittsburgh on Friday which meansAnton Forsbergwill likely be facing off against the Jets on Saturday.
• Carolina – Frederik Andersenis the projected starter.
• Islanders – Ilya Sorokinwill likely be back in the cage against the Hurricanes.
• Los Angeles – The Kings will be in Chicago on Sunday, so Phenoix Copley is projected to start on Saturday.
• Nashville – I don’t see any reason why Juuse Saroswouldn’t be the Predators’’ starter.
• Arizona –Karel Vejmelka has been confirmed as the Coyotes’ starter.
• Dallas – Scott Wedgewood might have earned himself another start before the All-Star break.
• Chicago – Petr Mrazek bounced back with a win after a bad performance, but with Los Angeles on deck, maybe Alex Stalockstarts on Saturday.
• St. Louis – This is a good spot for Thomas Greiss to start again.
• Edmonton –Stuart Skinner will start according to reports.
• Vancouver – Collin Delia started against Colorado on Friday, which means Thatcher Demko is likely not ready and we’re probably going to see Spencer Martin in goal.
• Washington – Darcy
• Colorado – Pavel Francouz will likely be in goal for the Avalanche after Alexandar Georgiev played on Friday.

• Montreal –Cole Caufield is out for the rest of the season with a shoulder injury. 
• Vegas – It’s unclear if captain Mark Stone will miss a lot of time or not.
• Carolina – Forward Max Pacioretty suffered a torn Achilles on Thursday, just five games into his stint with the Hurricanes, and will be out long term.
• Anaheim – Mason McTavish missed Thursday’s game and is listed as day-to-day.
• Colorado – Cale Makar has missed the last two games due to injury, but he is travelling with the team.
• Dallas – Roope Hintz has been out longer than expected.
• Florida – Eric Staal is out for at least a week and Sergei Bobrovsky is considered day-to-day.
• Detroit – Tyler Bertuzzi is day-to-day.
• Seattle – Justin Schultz and Jaden Schwartz are day-to-day.
• Los Angeles – Gabriel Vilardi is day-to-day. Arthur Kaliyev and Trevor Moore remain out.