Check out the NHL picks and predictions as our experts search for their best bets for games on Friday, October 25.
Hockey fans get an abbreviated four-game slate tonight, and our NHL experts are focusing on 2 games on the schedule with 3 overall picks: Senators vs. Golden Knights (6 p.m. ET, ESPN+) and Islanders vs. Devils (7 p.m. ET, ESPN+).
For their NHL best bets, we're focused on 1 game total and 2 prop predictions, including a juicy anytime goalscorer (AGS) pick at +750 odds.
Below, check out the NHL odds for each matchup with our top picks.
Matchup odds as of Friday afternoon and via BetMGM. Make your hockey bets with our BetMGM promo code!
NHL Picks & Predictions Friday
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 |
|---|---|---|
  | 6 p.m. | |
  | 7 p.m. | |
| 7 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. | ||
Senators vs. Golden Knights
By Greg Liodice
Goals, goals and more goals.
That’s what we’ve seen in more than half of the Vegas Golden Knights games this season. The Knights and their counterparts have reached Over 6.5 goals in five of the seven games played.
They haven’t exactly been a standard of excellence, though, ranking 26th in expected goals with a 46.08 xGF% and defensively ranking 23rd with a 3.51 xGA/60. However, Vegas is well-rounded with studs who can perform on the power play at a high level – scoring at a fourth-best 37% pace.
The big question is what’s going on in net. Adin Hill has not been the goalie we’ve seen over the past few years, and he’s struggling mightily, posting an .851 SV% and a -1.3 goals saved above expected (GSAx).
Vegas (-130) definitely forces its opponents to play to its style and get in a shootout, and I don’t think Ottawa (+110) is opposed to that.
Ottawa seems to be in a similar position, where it keeps winning games but the underlying stats aren’t eye-popping. However, the power-play numbers are. The Senators are scoring on the man advantage at a second-best 41% pace.
There’s a mystery in net, where big offseason acquisition Linus Ullmark has been unavailable for more than a week, but he did practice on Thursday. Regardless, I think the start goes to Anton Forsberg, who’s coming off a massive shutout but is still as inconsistent as ever with a .904 SV% and a 1.2 GSAx.
Both of these teams are also pretty disciplined when it comes to taking penalties, but the instability in net and the magnitude of the power plays make me think we’ll be seeing a high-scoring duel.
Pick: Over 6 (-110 at BetRivers)
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Islanders vs. Devils
The story for the Islanders so far has been their inconsistency in front of goal. The Isles have scored just 13 goals in six games and have already been shut out three times this season.
Part of the problem is the Isles’ inability to create scoring chances, but it’s also down to a lack of finishing and an incompetent power play that has scored just twice on 19 chances.
One player who can do a lot to help alleviate those issues is Noah Dobson, who is coming off of a 70-point season in 2023-24.
Dobson has yet to find the back of the net this season, but he is averaging better than three shots on goal per game, and if he keeps that up, it can’t be too long until he makes his mark.
You could do a lot worse than backing Dobson at +750 to score in Friday’s game in New Jersey.
Pick: Noah Dobson anytime goalscorer (+750 at BetMGM)
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Islanders vs. Devils
By Nick Martin
It's kind of ironic that Jack Hughes' night ultimately ended in embarrassing fashion last night after he skated circles around the Red Wings all evening. With Hughes on the ice, the Devils held a 70.6% expected goal share, and he finished with eight shots on goal from 16 shot attempts.
It surprised me when I checked the opening lines to see that Hughes is priced at a better number to record Over 3.5 shots on goal (SOG) than he was Thursday in Detroit.
The Islanders have allowed the fewest shots against per 60 in the league this season, and that's likely part of it. However, the Isles' schedule has been compiled almost entirely of teams that aren't generating many shots against anyone.
Isles' opponents hold an average rank of 24.83 out of the league's 32 teams in shots-for per 60. I'm not convinced they are actually a true defensive juggernaut, and I think we'll see the top line of New Jersey (-130) generate plenty of chances tonight against New Jersey (+110).
Suddenly, the Devils' goaltending situation looks really messy, and they have offered up some ugly breakdowns in front of goal. I think a fairly common game script in this matchup will be the Devils owning far more of the play – but the scoreline remaining close, which would be great for this prop.
At anything better than -125, I see value in backing Hughes to record over 3.5 shots on goal.
Pick: Jack Hughes Over 3.5 shots on goal (-113 at FanDuel)
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