Category: NHL

Thursday’s NHL goal predictions feature two players from Canadian teams.

The pregame narrative: Auston Matthews and the Toronto Maple Leafs are rolling, and I like the captain’s chances of producing against the San Jose Sharks. Elsewhere, look for Jake DeBrusk to come through at plus money against a bottom-feeder.

Check out my NHL goal picks for Dec. 11.

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NHL goal picks Dec. 11

Best Bet: DeBrusk to score (+180)

Saying the Buffalo Sabres are bottom-feeders while backing a player on the Canucks is not unlike the pot calling the kettle black.

Both teams are a mess, but I think Vancouver has a chance to rout Buffalo tonight.

Four games into their current road trip, the Sabres have allowed an alarming number of goals. Nineteen, to be exact.

-> Don’t miss out — wager on DeBrusk at NorthStar Bets!

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen is expected to be in the net, and he’s having a disastrous season.

The sixth-year goalie is posting a career-worst .884 SV%, and the defenders in front of him aren’t doing much to help.

Buffalo is a bottom-10 team defensively in shots, chances, and xG allowed on a 60-minute basis, per Natural Stat Trick.

That leads me to DeBrusk, who has been the most active Canuck offensively, despite his modest eight-goal total. He leads the team in:

• xG (13.62)
• Scoring chances (103)
• Hgh-danger chances (66)
• Shots (85)

DeBrusk’s 9.4 shooting percentage is well below his career average and last year’s 16.4% mark. This seems like a good matchup for him to get off the schneid.

Key stat: Buffalo is allowing the fourth-most goals per game (3.53).

NHL predictions

Matthews to score (+105): The Maple Leafs are rounding into form, despite the lack of primary scoring from guys like Matthews, William Nylander and John Tavares.

Toronto is 4-0-1 in its last five games with just four goals from the trio (three from Matthews).

That’s a good sign for the Leafs, assuming the leadership group gets back on track. Tonight seems like a good time for all three to produce, and I specifically like Matthews’ odds of recording his 13th goal of the season.

-> Bet on Matthews and the Maple Leafs tonight!

The captain is coming off one of his best games of the season, firing eight shots on net and scoring an empty-netter while playing sound defence.

He’s now averaging 4.4 shots per game in his last five outings and is 3-2 against this line.

San Jose ranks 31st in shots allowed per game and is inside the bottom six for chances and scoring chances allowed on a 60-minute basis.

NHL goal picks made at 10:44 a.m. ET on Dec. 11, 2025.

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The red-hot Toronto Maple Leafs welcome the San Jose Sharks to Scotiabank Arena on Thursday night.

The pregame narrative: Toronto is 6-2-2 in its last 10 games with wins over several of the Eastern Conference’s elite. The Leafs are heavy favourites tonight with Dennis Hildeby (.986 SV% in December) between the pipes.

Check out my Sharks vs. Maple Leafs predictions for the game on Dec. 11, featuring a prop bet on William Nylander.

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Sharks vs. Maple Leafs predictions

Best Bet: Maple Leafs -1.5 (+120)

Toronto and San Jose aren’t that different.

Each has elite talent and is among the most defensively irresponsible teams in the NHL.

• The Leafs (30th) and Sharks (31st) rank in the bottom three for shots allowed per game.

• They also both rank in the bottom six for Natural Stat Trick’s chances and scoring chances allowed on a 60-minute basis.

But Toronto is the more seasoned group, has better goaltending, and is at home. I’m confident the Leafs can cover this puck line.

-> Bet on tonight’s Sharks vs. Maple Leafs matchup now!

Hildeby has been fantastic lately, owning a .971 SV% in his last four appearances (three starts). Toronto covered a -1.5 puck line in three of those games.

Most recently, the big Swede turned away all 29 shots he faced against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

San Jose’s netminders, meanwhile, have a combined 3.29 GAA and .901 SV%. Not terrible, but not great, either.

Yaroslav Askarov, the team’s No. 1 option, missed Tuesday’s game with an illness. It’s not clear who will start in Toronto tonight, with Alex Nedeljkovic possibly making a third straight start.

Either way, I like Toronto’s chances of lighting the lamp.

Key stat: The Leafs are averaging the fifth-most goals per game (3.34).

Best NHL prop picks

Nylander over 2.5 shots (-120): Things aren’t going so well for Nylander right now.

The Swede is pointless in December and has been demoted to the third line with Dakota Joshua and Nicolas Roy.

That shouldn’t affect his ability to generate a ton of chances tonight, though. If anything, San Jose is a top-heavy team, and Nylander should thrive against its bottom six.

• The Sharks are allowing the second-most shots per game (31.3).

• Nylander is 4-1 against this total in his last five games vs. San Jose.

• He averaged 4.4 shots in those contests.

-> Bet on Nylander’s shot total at NorthStar Bets

Nylander has topped 40 goals in three straight seasons. This is an elite player who will be itching to break out of a rut. If he can’t get up and dominate tonight, then I’m willing to say there’s a problem.

Sharks vs. Maple Leafs predictions made at 9:02 a.m. ET Dec. 11, 2025.

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Tuesday’s NHL parlay predictions feature one goalscorer prop and one moneyline bet.

The pregame narrative: Leon Draisaitl and the Edmonton Oilers host the bottom-feeding Buffalo Sabres, and I expect the reigning Rocket Richard winner to score. Elsewhere, look for the Dallas Stars to beat the short-handed Winnipeg Jets.

Check out the full +285 NHL parlay predictions Dec. 9.

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NHL parlay predictions Dec. 9

Parlay: Draisaitl to score | Stars moneyline (+285)

Draisaitl to score (+125): There’s a solid case to be made that Draisaitl is the best goalscorer on the planet right now, even if he doesn’t currently pace the NHL leaderboard.

• Draisaitl has three 50-goal seasons in his last four campaigns, scoring 41 in the outlier.

• In that span, his 200 goals are second only to Auston Matthews (202), and the Maple Leafs’ captain has fallen off considerably.

• The German is currently on pace for 48 goals after scoring in three of his last four games.

-> Don’t miss out — Bet on Drasaitl to score now!

The Oilers’ offence has come alive over the last two games, scoring 15 combined goals against the Seattle Kraken and Winnipeg Jets.

Edmonton should avenge its 5-1 November loss to Buffalo emphatically tonight.

The Sabres are a bottom-10 team in shots and chances allowed on a 60-minute basis, per Natural Stat Trick.

And they’ve now lost three straight games, while letting in seven goals to the Calgary Flames last night.

Other pick

Stars moneyline (-138): Dallas is one of the hottest teams in the league, going 13-1-2 in its last 16 games.

Jake Oettinger is in Vezina form, and Mikko Rantanen is top-five in scoring.

Winnipeg is missing its Vezina (and Hart Trophy) winner, Connor Hellebuyck, who was put on the injury reserve on Nov. 24.

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The Eric Comrie/Thomas Milic duo has struggled mightily to fill Hellebuyck’s shoes, posting a miserable .886 SV% in the 10 games since he went down.

Dallas is averaging 3.9 goals during its 10-game point streak (8-0-2) and should get after the rookie Milic tonight.

NHL parlay predictions made at 10:25 a.m. on Dec. 9, 2025.

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I’ve got two NHL prop picks from Monday’s slim five-game slate.

The pregame narrative: Patrick Kane and the Detroit Red Wings close out the action with a late-night matchup against the Vancouver Canucks. I think there’s value to be had in the veteran lighting up the scoreboard.

Check out my NHL prop picks for Dec. 8, featuring a best bet on Calgary Flames defenceman Rasmus Andersson.

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NHL prop picks Dec. 8

Best bet: Andersson 1+ points (+100)

I wouldn’t blame anyone for passing on tonight’s game between the Flames and Buffalo Sabres. Both teams sit near the bottom of their respective conferences and play an unappealing brand of hockey.

But I think there’s a good reason to back Andersson.

The defenceman is one of the few solid players on Calgary’s roster and has garnered some trade interest in the early goings of this season.

• Andersson has 20 points in 30 games, cashing this wager in eight of his last 11 outings.

• One of those matchups was against the Sabres in Buffalo. Andersson had a goal and two assists in a 6-3 blowout victory.

-> Bet on Andersson and the Flames tonight

I wouldn’t be surprised if the Flames pulled off a repeat performance tonight.

The Sabres allow the sixth-most goals per game (3.43) and rank in the bottom for shots and chances (i.e shot attempts) allowed on a 60-minute basis, per Natural Stat Trick.

Andersson and Co. have won six of their last nine, dating back to that matchup against the Sabres, and are in a good spot to keep things rolling.

Key stat: Buffalo is allowing 4.25 goals per game on the road this year.

NHL predictions

Kane 1+ points (-150): I like the value on Kane to record a point, even with these -150 odds.

• The veteran winger is quietly putting together one of his best seasons in years, with 19 points in 20 games.

• He has points in seven of his last eight games, with three multi-point outings in that span.

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Kane plays on the Red Wings’ top power play and is riding shotgun with Alex DeBrincat — a two-time 40-goal scorer who potted 39 last year — at even strength.

That duo should have a field day against the Canucks.

Vancouver ranks in the bottom eight in shots, chances, and high-danger chances against on a 60-minute basis. On top of that, netminder Kevin Lankinen can’t buy a save.

The Finn ranks 49th in both save percentage (.881) and Money Puck’s goals saved above expected.

NHL prop picks made at 11:35 a.m. ET on Dec. 8, 2025.

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