Check out tonight's NHL best bets as I share NHL picks and predictions for Monday, January 27.
I'm feeling generous to start the final week of January, which has felt like an eternity. For my biggest NHL Best Bets edition, I'm offering four picks — two moneylines and two over/unders.
Let's see what we have in store for tonight's NHL slate.
NHL Best Bets, Predictions, Picks for Monday, January 27
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 |
|---|---|---|
  | 7:00 p.m. | |
  | 7:30 p.m. | |
  | 9:30 p.m. | |
  | 10:30 p.m. | |
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. | ||
Kings vs. Red Wings
I would say that the month of January was awfully kind to the Red Wings, don’t you think?
Aside from a stretch where they lost three out of four, the presence of new coach Todd McLellan has invigorated a team that was once lost in despair.
Since his arrival, the Wings have gone 10-4-1 and are four points away from the final playoff spot.
They host the Los Angeles Kings who are in a bit of a rut since starting the season red hot. In the past eight games, they’ve traded wins and losses, and most recently lost to the Blue Jackets in overtime.
History would suggest that the Kings pull out a win in the Motor City, but the trend may come to a close on Monday.
Detroit is far from analytic darlings. Despite winning 10 out of its last 15, it’s played to a bottom-12 5-on-5 offense with a 48.6%, has been OK defensively, and is dreadful on the penalty kill.
However, the PK may be turning a corner, converting on its past six penalty kills, which works in its favor since the Kings have only converted twice in the last eight tries.
The one thing the Wings hang their hat on is the power play, as they score at a fifth-best 27.7% pace. While L.A. is solid when down a man, I think the presence of Alex DeBrincat and Lucas Raymond can pose problems for the Kings' back end.
Additionally, Detroit has been solid at home, going 14-11-2, while the Kings are 11-11-5 on the road. I’m banking on the Wings to stay hot in front of their home fans.
Pick: Red Wings ML (+122)
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Canucks vs. Blues
To some, home-ice advantage is just a myth.
That poses true for the St. Louis Blues who can’t seem to get ahead at Enterprise Center. They cap off their three-game homestand where they have yet to win, against the Vancouver Canucks.
The Canucks have been in the news quite a bit amidst the J.T. Miller/Elias Pettersson saga, but they thrive when they’re on the road with a 12-7-4 record.
It’s a pivotal game between these squads as both are fighting for the final playoff spot in the West. Vancouver is three points out, while St. Louis is right behind at five points out.
However, on top of the Blues' struggles at home, it hasn’t been an easy stretch. When St. Louis hired Jim Montgomery in November as its coach there was hope to drive this team back into the playoff race.
But, now that January has hit, the Blues have only gone 5-6 and any hope of a playoff appearance is dwindling. By no means are they out of it, but the inconsistent play is at least a significant concern for fans and Blues bettors.
One thing to look out for in this matchup is goaltending. Personally, I think Joel Hofer is the better option in net than Jordan Binnington for the Blues, but Binnington’s reputation will keep him as the starter.
For Vancouver, Thatcher Demko has dealt with injury issues all season and Kevin Lankinen has filled in admirably with a .905 SV% and a 2.6 GSAx.
Value is the name of the game, and I love the Canucks’ value given their road successes and St. Louis’ inconsistencies.
Pick: Canucks ML (+100)
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Kraken vs. Oilers
It’s the return of Connor McDavid.
After serving a three-game suspension, the NHL’s superstar is back in the fold as the Edmonton Oilers host the Seattle Kraken.
I’m picking the over in tonight’s Pacific Division battle because I think the Oilers are going to slice through the Kraken and fry them like calamari.
If this is your first time reading my best bets, you’ll come to find out how bearish I am on Seattle. General Ron Francis has done such a poor job at building this team, though has created an exceptional prospect pool.
However, the moves he has made in the past have given off “win now” vibes, and given that the Kraken are eight points out of a playoff spot, there’s not a whole lot of winning.
Additionally, Seattle has played at a bottom-three 5-on-5 offensive pace and a bottom 10 defense, in the past two weeks with pitiful season-long special teams numbers.
The Oilers, on the other hand, have the third-best record in the league and are amongst the best all-around teams.
You can’t forget about that power play with McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and Evan Bouchard looming either. Edmonton is scoring on the power play at a 24.6% pace, which is good enough for eighth in the league.
I’ve penciled in the Oilers to score at least four goals, which doesn’t seem out of the question given Seattle’s troubles. I’ve always liked Kraken goalie Joey Daccord, but we haven’t seen Philipp Grubauer in a while and I wonder when he will return.
For Edmonton, Stuart Skinner is a wild card and hard to trust. When he’s on, he’s as good as any goalie, but when he’s off, he’s very beatable. If Seattle can sneak a few past him, this has an opportunity to go over.
Pick: Over 6 (-120)
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Penguins vs. Sharks
Lastly, the final game of tonight’s NHL slate is between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the San Jose Sharks. Two teams in similar situations, but with different outlooks on their future.
Pittsburgh, while not out of the playoff race, is having a massively disappointing season. It’s no surprise that Sidney Crosby is an ageless wonder, averaging a point per game, and Rickard Rakell is playing at a high level.
But what else is there?
No goalie is averaging over .900 SV% and it seems like a team that is holding onto something that is no more.
Ironically, the build of the team reminds me of Seattle. A bunch of over-the-hill vets on lucrative contracts and just barely able to say they’re getting by.
Amidst all of this, Pittsburgh is in the middle of a grueling seven-game road trip and have fared better. It was most recently outscored 9-2 by two non-playoff teams in the Ducks and Kraken.
San Jose, on the other hand, is just a team with limited expectations, but having fun while doing it. The core of Macklin Celebrini, Will Smith, and William Eklund, topped off with solid goaltending from Yaroslav Askarov is something worth watching, even if you know it may not always be a pretty result.
Given Pittsburgh’s lethargy and San Jose’s unpredictability, I don’t expect this to be a high-scoring bout.
Pick: Under 6.5 (-110)
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