Check out our NHL Best Bets tonight as hockey fans are treated to a massive Thursday night slate with 28 of the league's 32 teams in action.
All 14 games, which kick off at 7 p.m. ET (4 p.m. ET), stream on ESPN+. And our NHL experts have predictions for the early and late games, so hockey bettors have no shortage of options for tonight's NHL best bets.
Our expert picks feature four moneyline plays, including a big underdog pick for the night's opener, as well as a juicy player prop that offers odds of better than 2-1.
Check out all of the breakdowns and predictions for Thursday, Nov. 30 below.
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NHL Best Bets
The team logos in the table below represent each of the matchups that our NHL betting staff is targeting from today's slate of games. Click on the team logos for any of the matchups below to navigate to a specific bet discussed in this article.
| Game | Time (ET) | Pick |
|---|---|---|
  | 7 p.m. ET | |
  | 7:30 p.m. ET | |
  | 8 p.m. ET | |
  | 10 p.m. ET | |
  | 10 p.m. ET | |
Specific betting recommendations come from the sportsbook offering preferred odds as of writing. Always shop for the best price using our NHL Odds page, which automatically surfaces the best lines for every game. | ||
Blackhawks vs. Red Wings
By Tony Sartori
In one of the early-window games on Thursday's NHL slate, the Detroit Red Wings host the Chicago Blackhawks.
I love catching the price of +180 on Chicago's moneyline in this spot, though early bettors got even better odds.
There are multiple reasons why I like fading the Red Wings in this situation. First, they enter this game on the second half of a back-to-back following Wednesday's contest against the New York Rangers – which also means they have to travel back to Detroit.
Meanwhile, the Hawks will be more well-rested coming off Tuesday's 4-3 victory over the Seattle Kraken. Since the Wings are on the second half 0f a back-to-back, that means backup goaltender James Reimer will guard the cage on Thursday.
A prime regression candidate, Reimer's .917 SV% through six starts is unsustainable. This is a 35-year-old netminder who owns a .906 SV% over the past six years.
Speaking of regression, the Red Wings are also the biggest candidate for offensive regression in the league. Despite ranking fourth in the league in goals scored per game, they rank 30th in expected goals per 60 minutes (xGF/60) at 5-on-5, a mark that is even lower than Chicago's.
This offensive regression is likely to come to fruition on Thursday considering that Detroit will be without its most important offensive player in Dylan Larkin. The newly acquired Patrick Kane is also not expected to suit up against his former team, though his addition is more for leadership, experience and the power play than actually improving the on-ice product at even-strength.
Pick: Blackhawks ML (+180 at DraftKings)
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Islanders vs. Hurricanes
By Greg Liodice
Brock Nelson has been one of the Islanders’ most consistent goalscorers this season – until recently. The quick-shooting center has improved his scoring touch as he’s gotten older, and he doesn’t seem to be slowing down. However, he’s been held goalless in his past three games.
On a team that doesn’t have much consistency, Nelson was always the go-to guy. His line with Pierre Engvall and Kyle Palmieri has generated a lot of scoring chances, and they all seem to have exceptional chemistry – and it shows. Palmieri and Nelson are first and second in scoring chances for (52.04 SCF% and 50.93 SCF% respectively) while Engvall is fourth.
To go with that, all three of them are ranked in the top five on the team in expected goals. So the chances are continuously coming.
Usually when the Islanders struggle to score, Nelson finds a way to come in chip in to give the team some life.
New York’s opponents in the Carolina Hurricanes are not an easy win in the slightest; they’re second in the Metropolitan Division. However, Nelson always seems to be an outlier on a team that mostly struggles to get going. After Tuesday’s debacle against New Jersey, there are some tough times on the Island.
Brock Nelson as an anytime goal scorer at +240 is a solid bet. There will be a lot of opportunities for that line to create chances, and Nelson has a wicked wrister. I can definitely see one of his shots going in tonight.
Pick: Brock Nelson Anytime Goalscorer (+240 at FanDuel)
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Oilers vs. Jets
By Carol Schram
When Connor McDavid is putting up three points a game, it’s time to get on board.
The Edmonton Oilers captain has catapulted himself back into the top 10 in scoring thanks to 15 points in his past five games. And the team is coming off big wins against Washington (a 5-0 shutout), Anaheim (an 8-2 trouncing) and Vegas — a 5-4 shootout win in which McDavid potted the deciding goal.
Edmonton still has a tough journey to get back to a playoff spot in the crowded Western Conference. The urgency to pick up points is already there.
Thursday will be a tough test against a Winnipeg team that had won eight of nine before dropping its last two games. But Kyle Connor has hit a wall with just one assist in his last four games, and that has caused the Jets’ offense to dry up.
Mark Scheifele scored the winner and McDavid picked up two assists when the Jets pulled out a 3-2 overtime victory in Edmonton back on Oct. 21. That was Scheifele’s fourth goal in the first five games of the season. But he has scored only three times since and has just one assist in his last three games.
And when Winnipeg’s top line isn’t scoring, secondary support is in short supply.
Look for the Oilers to continue their hot streak and leave Winnipeg with two points in their pocket on Thursday. At fairly close to even money, Edmonton’s moneyline offers good betting value.
Pick: Oilers ML (-117 at BetRivers)
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Capitals vs. Ducks
The Ducks have come crashing down to earth after a surprising 9-6-0 start with seven consecutive regulation losses.
The reality is Anaheim is going to continue looking more like a lottery team than a playoff one, and we do not need to argue against that here to like them at +105.
The Capitals are extremely fortunate to own a 11-6-2 record, and they still project to play at below a 90-point pace moving forward. They own a -5 goal differential and have received unsustainable puck-luck in the defensive zone.
Both of these teams have displayed well-below-average even-strength play in their last five games. This spot sets up well for a speedy, desperate Ducks team to surprise and own far more of the play versus the NHL's second-oldest roster, though.
I'll bet Anaheim's speed and urgency shows out in this matchup, and that it owns a surprisingly large amount of the play for a +105 underdog.
Give me the Ducks to end their losing skid.
Pick: Ducks ML (+105 at bet365)
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Golden Knights vs. Canucks
By Ryan Dadoun
The Golden Knights got off to a fantastic start to the 2023-24 campaign, but they’ve hit a rough patch, losing their last three games and eight of their last 11.
A big cause for Vegas’ decline is its offense, which has completely dried up. The Golden Knights have averaged just 2.18 goals per game dating back to Nov. 5. To put that into context, that’s an identical pace to the lowly San Jose Sharks over the same span.
To make matters worse, Vegas is starting to run into a bit of injury trouble.
Shea Theodore sustained an upper-body injury that’s kept him out of the Golden Knights’ last three games. The team announced Wednesday he had undergone surgery, so he’s clearly not an option tonight. With four goals and 18 points in 20 contests, losing the offensive defenseman is particularly tough right now.
Vegas might also be without fellow defenseman Alec Martinez, who has missed the last four outings due to a lower-body injury.
Vegas should eventually start to turn things around regardless, but the Golden Knights are on the tail end of a three-game road trip and facing one of the league’s top teams in Vancouver (15-7-1).
In contrast to the struggling Golden Knights, Vancouver is averaging a league-leading 3.96 goals per game. The Canucks have dipped a touch, but not nearly to the same extent as Vegas, scoring 3.58 goals per game dating back to Nov. 5 – a full 1.40 more than Vegas over the same stretch.
Against other teams, Vegas might at least have the edge in goal, but that’s not a given against Vancouver, which is led by Thatcher Demko, who has an 11-5-0 record, 2.10 GAA and .928 save percentage through 16 contests.
Demko has also won his last two starts while saving 53 of 55 shots (.964 save percentage) over that span.
This has the makings of a tough night for Vegas.
Pick: Canucks ML (-118 at DraftKings)
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