Nathan MacKinnon is on a tear, and he headlines my NHL goal picks for Wednesday.
The pregame narrative: To go along with the pick on the Colorado Avalanche’s superstar, I’m backing Cutter Gauthier, a surging youngster on the Anaheim Ducks.
Check out my NHL goal picks for Nov. 26.
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NHL goal picks Nov. 26
Best Bet: MacKinnon to score (-143)
To make it clear, MacKinnon is the only player I’d back to score at this price right now and let me explain why:
- He’s off to a historic start to the season. He has 17 goals and 37 points in 22 games.
- That is a 63-goal and 138-point pace.
- Mackinnon also ranks third in the NHL with 94 shots on net (4.3 per game).
This is nothing new for him, either. He has a 140-point season under his belt, so he’s proven this pace is sustainable.
-> Bet on MacKinnon and the Avalanche tonight!
It also helps that the Avs are pretty much unbeatable right now. They’ve lost one game in regulation and average 3.51 expected goals per 60 minutes.
I feel pretty good backing this offence in any matchup.
But I’ll still pick on the San Jose Sharks a bit. This team has played above expectations this season, but still gives up 31.4 shots per game (third-most).
The underlying stats are worrying for the Sharks’ long-term outlook, and I expect MacKinnon to lead Colorado to a high-scoring win.
Key stat: MacKinnon scored in the Avs’ first meeting with San Jose this season.
NHL predictions
Gauthier to score (+140): Gauthier is part of a long list of names tied for seventh in the NHL with 13 goals.
The former third overall pick is living up to the hype, adding 13 assists and a +13 rating. Those stats don’t matter much for this pick, but showcase the complete player Guathier has become so quickly.
Anaheim is stacked with young talent, and he’s part of a top line that features three budding forwards who are all 21 years old or younger.
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The best part about this wager is fading the Vancouver Canucks. They allow the most goals against per game (3.74) and don’t have a viable option in net with Thatcher Demko and Kevin Lankinen sidelined.
Jiri Patera is expected to start after being recalled from the AHL. In his one game with the Canucks this season, he gave up seven goals on 40 shots.
A shot total like that is possible again tonight with Vancouver allowing over 30 per game.
If that’s the case, expect Gauthier to be busy, leading to many opportunities to score.
He ranks second in the NHL with 97 shots this season.
NHL goal picks made at 11:40 a.m. ET on Nov. 26, 2025.
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Spencer is a true sports junkie. A graduate of the Sports Journalism program at Centennial College, he first joined NorthStar Gaming as an intern in 2023. He is now a contributing writer. He loves finding the edge to bet on in all sports but has a deep passion for the NBA and UFC. Previous stops include Sportsnet.