Top NHL picks January 16: Bet on Rangers to beat Blue Jackets
There are 11 NHL games on Monday’s slate for Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
The pregame narrative: The hockey starts early, and we’re looking to the Buffalo Sabres to top the Florida Panthers in a matinee. We’re also counting on a bounce-back performance from the New York Rangers against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Lastly, we’re riding the New Jersey Devils’ offence.
Find our top NHL picks for January 16 below.
Odds as of 8:52 a.m. on 01/16/2023.
NHL picks
Best Bet: Sabres moneyline (+110)
There’s an important two points on the line between Florida and Buffalo in Western New York on Monday.
We’re taking the Sabres in this one because they’ve been playing quality hockey despite middling results. They’re producing the seventh-best expected goals percentage (55.56%) over the last week, according to Natural Stat Trick.
They’re doing this by continuing to be one of the best offences in the league, ranking third in expected goals per 60 (3.98) during this time.
The reason they’ve been stuck in neutral, though, is goaltending. Buffalo’s .883 team save percentage during this stretch puts the team in 24th during the last seven days.
The good news about this matchup is Florida’s netminding situation isn’t much better. The Panthers are only marginally better at 20th in the NHL in team save percentage (.892)across the last week. They also own a noticeably worse expected goals percentage (50.77%) in the same time span.
Take Buffalo to win at home in a key matchup.
Key stat: Florida owns the seventh-worst road record (9-14-1) in the NHL.
Quick picks
Rangers -1 (-125): New York leads the league in expected goals percentage (59.41%) over the last seven days and has won five of its last seven contests.
Columbus, meanwhile, places 27th in expected goals percentage (44.32%) and has lost three of four.
The Rangers are playing their second game in as many nights, but being on the road is a comfortable spot for this squad. They own the best sixth-best away record (13-5-3) in the NHL.
Devils over 3.5 goals (-122): New Jersey’s become an excellent offence to back and San Jose can’t keep the puck out of its own net.
The Sharks have allowed four goals or more in nine of their last 12, while the Devils have scored four-plus markers in seven of their last eight.
New Jersey leads the NHL in expected goals per 60 (4.27) over the last seven days.
