This article is part of our NHL Picks series.
NHL Best Bets: Expert Hockey Picks for Thursday, October 26
We have an 11-game slate in the National Hockey League on Thursday night. It's not quite a full house like Tuesday's amazing array of games, featuring staggered start times and every team in the league, but there are still a lot of great matchups and betting opportunities. We'll sift through the schedule trying to find winners in every game.
For last Thursday's full boat, we ended up 9-3 (+489), which wasn't too shabby. Let's continue to stay in the black and build that bankroll for the weekend to pay hockey league fees...err, for a new stick and hockey pants...uhh, for the beer...no, I mean, for the kids and the holidays!
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Sharks 
vs Lightning
The Sharks have resembled basking sharks, rather than great white sharks like the ones near the Farallon Islands. That's because San Jose has been rather toothless offensively, going for exactly one goal in three straight games, all losses, and five of six games overall. The Under is 4-1-1 in those outings.
The Lightning are coming off a shutout victory over the Carolina Hurricanes, the only team San Jose managed to score more than a single goal against in a 6-3 loss Oct. 17 at SAP Center. Andrei Vasilevskiy is sidelined until at least late November, so it's been Jonas Johansson in between the pipes. He pitched a shutout against the Canes, and he has allowed three or fewer goals in three of the past four outings, so he should throw a blanket on the Sharks.
Under 6.5 (-104 at FanDuel)
Jets 
vs Red Wings
The Jets have racked up consecutive wins for the first time this season, doubling up the Blues last time out, while edging the Oilers in Edmonton Saturday in a 3-2 OT win. As a favorite, Winnipeg is 2-1, while going 1-2 as an underdog, including two losses in regulation.
The Kraken cooled off the Red Wings at Little Caesars Arena Tuesday by a 5-4 count in OT, although the Red Wings grabbed a point for the sixth consecutive outing, going 5-0-1. More important, the Over is 6-1 for Detroit this season. Michigander Connor Hellebuyck returns to his home start to try and shut down the Red Wings, but if he does, it will likely be a high-scoring game. The total went high in each regular-season matchup last season, and the Red Wings are way more prolific this year.
Over 6.5 (-108 at DraftKings)
Kraken 
vs Hurricanes
The Kraken got off to a brutal start, totaling just three goals of offense in the first four games. Seattle has gotten, ahem, its sea legs in the past three outings, going for five or more goals, including a 7-4 win over the Hurricanes at Climate Pledge Arena on Oct. 19.
The Hurricanes look to exact a little revenge in just their second home game of the season after a long journey to the west coast with the North Carolina State Fair forcing the team westward for their annual early-season trip. The Canes looked exhausted by the end of the trip, including a 3-0 loss at Tampa Bay on Tuesday. Side with the road team, who looks to have more pep in its step.
Kraken ML (+164 at FanDuel)
Ducks 
vs Bruins
The Bruins rolled up 65 wins and 135 regular-season points in 2022-23, before a stunning first-round loss in the playoffs. Instead of sulking, or going curling into a ball, Boston looks to be even stronger so far this season, if that's even possible. Boston is 6-0-0 to fire out of the chute, while covering the puck line as a favorite on five occassions. That includes a 3-1 win at Anaheim on Sunday as the Under cashed.
Not only do I like the B's on the puck line again, but for single-game parlay (SGP) bettors, tack on the Under 6.5 and B's -1.5 at BetMGM at +210 for a chance to more than double up.
Under 6.5 and Bruins PL (+210 at BetMGM)
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Avalanche 
vs Penguins 
The Penguins might not have been very good last season, but they ended up sweeping the regular-season series from the Avalanche. As an underdog, Pittsburgh edged Colorado 2-1 in OT on Feb. 7, 2023, and the Pens have won three of the past four home meetings against the Avs.
Colorado has run roughshod over everybody lately, not only topping all six opponents, but covering the puck line in five of six games as the favorite. Pittsburgh was dominated 4-1 by the Dallas Stars, and it is just 1-3 against the Western Conference, losing each game by two or more goals. Pittsburgh is 1-2 in three home dates, too. Despite the dominances of the Pens in this series last season, roll with the Avs.
Avalanche PL (-1.5, +192 at Caesars)
Blue Jackets 
vs Canadiens 
Well, they all can't be winners. This might be the most uninteresting game on the slate. Columbus has made it fun lately, win or lose, splitting a pair of OT decisions in the past two games. Montreal was clobbered by New Jersey at home by a 5-2 score Tuesday, and it is 2-2-0 at home, covering its only game as a favorite. A pick has to be made, and we'll go phone home, but confidence is not high.
Canadiens ML (-118 at FanDuel)
Wild 
vs Flyers
In another east meets west matchup, team's with identical 3-2-1 marks meet in the City of Brotherly Love. The Wild is coming off a, well, wild 7-4 win over the Edmonton Oilers last time out, going Over for the fifth straight games since Filip Gustavsson posted a shutout in the opening game.
The Fly Guys put up quite a fight, just falling in Vegas by a 3-2 count as the Under cashed. Philadelphia is 2-1-1 in four tries against the Western Conference this season. Roll with the home side as short 'dogs.
Flyers ML (+105 at BetMGM)
Senators 
vs Islanders 
The Senators have won three, and the Senators have lost three. But win or lose, all of the games have kept the scoreboard operator busy. The Sens are averaging a healthy 4.2 GPG, while allowing 3.5 GPG. The Over is 5-0-1 through six games to date.
The Islanders have lit the lamp at least three times in three of five outings, all at home, while yielding a total of 15 goals in the past three games overall. It looks like we'll get some fire-wagon hockey on the Island.
Over 6.5 (+104 at FanDuel)
Maple Leafs 
vs Stars 
The Maple Leafs play the fourth game of a five-game road trip through the southeastern states. They have back-to-back road wins over the Tampa Bay Lightning and Washington Capitals, and Toronto has scored four or more goals in four of six games overall. That likely ends in Big D, however, as Jake Oettinger says no.
The Stars have picked up the pace offensively lately, but Dallas has yielded just 11 total goals in five games, or 2.2 GPG. The Under is 4-1 overall, and the low-scoring ways will likely continue Thursday. And if it makes you feel even better, the Under is 4-1 in the past five meetings in this series.
Under 6.5 (-120 at Caesars)
Rangers 
vs Oilers 
The Rangers are a perfect 2-for-2 on the current five-game western road trip, including a 3-1 win over Calgary on Tuesday. The Rangers have allowed exactly one goal in four of six games to date, with Igor Shesterkin turning the trick three times, and Jonathan Quick winning his lone start by a 4-1 count in Seattle to kick off the trip Saturday.
It's feast or famine for the Oilers, going for three or more goals three times, while scoring two or one goal on three occasions. The defense and goaltending has been shabby, though, coughing up four or more goals four times in six tries. Jack Campbell was trampled in Minnesota for six goals in a 7-4 loss Tuesday. The Over has cashed in four of the past five meetings in this series. While the Rangers are playing well, the Oilers have been very giving, so we'll lean high.
Over 6.5 (-102 at DraftKings)
Blues 
vs Flames
The Blues have been rather uneven, alternating losses and wins in the first five outings, while getting doubled up 4-2 Tuesday in Winnipeg to kick off a four-game trip. The Under is 3-1-1 in five outings, perhaps the most consistent thing for St. Louis.
The Flames have been snuffed out in three straight outings, while losing five of six since a 5-3 win over the aforementioned Jets in the opener. Calgary has four total goals of offense in the three-game skid, and two or fewer goals scored in five of the past six. Go low and slow.
Under 6.5 (-138 at FanDuel)
