As you continue to check out all the hockey odds at the best NHL betting sites, it's time to start taking the regular season results into account. Enough games have been played. Enough information is at our disposal. New trends are probably new normals. All of which leads us to an important realization: betting odds on the 2021 Stanley Cup need to be re-evaluated.
At the forefront of this call for championship relitigation is the Anaheim Ducks. They must be a primary focus for bettors. We have other NHL picks to offer in advance of Tuesday's slate, but above all, with a matchup scheduled versus the Washington Capitals, it's time to stop sleeping on the 2021-22 Anaheim Ducks.
Before we dig deeper, check out all the latest NHL betting odds below, courtesy of BetOnline:
| Favorite |  | | Underdog |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington Capitals | -130 | +118 | Anaheim Ducks |
| New York Rangers | -173 | +156 | Montreal Canadiens |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | -195 | +175 | Nashville Predators |
| Pittsburgh Penguins | -228 | +204 | Buffalo Sabres |
| Calgary Flames | -117 | +106 | Philadelphia Flyers |
| EdmontonOilers | -108 | -102 | Winnipeg Jets |
| Minnesota Wild | -185 | +166 | San Jose Sharks |
| St. Louis Blues | -285 | +252 | Arizona Coyotes |
| Carolina Hurricanes | -121 | +110 | Vegas Golden Knights |
Whether you're using BetOnline or another top-tier oddsmaker from our sportsbook reviews, it's important to always double-check all NHL odds prior to settling on any NHL betting picks. The lines will continue to shift right up until the opening faceoff.
The NHL Stanley Cup Landscape is Changing
In this edition of our 2021 NHL picks, we'll be focusing on predictions for games we believe to have serious implications in the race to contend for the Stanley Cup. We'll begin with the Anaheim Ducks squaring off against the Washington Capitals and then move on to the rest of our best NHL bets from there.
Anaheim Proves Their Worth Against Washington
Look, we were with the majority at first. We thought the Ducks were an early-season fluke. But they're clearly more. Much more.
The Capitals pose Anaheim's toughest challenge yet. They rank first in the league in shooting percentage plus save percentage by almost a comically sized margin. But the Ducks have not pieced together a top-five offense on accident. They are killing it during power plays, and their puck movement past center ice is next level. We're prepared to invest in an "upset" here.
OSB Prediction: Anaheim Ducks (+118)
Rangers Nab Decisive Win Over Canadiens
There is a lot of noise in the Rangers' opening numbers. They are 9-3-3 with a negative goal differential, which isn't the greatest look. They've also struggled to kill penalties in recent weeks.
Still, they have real talent between the posts, field a bunch of tough defensemen and limit the penalties they commit overall. A better offensive team can make quick work of New York. Montreal isn't that squad.
OSB Prediction: New York Rangers (-173)
Calgary Serves Up Reminder vs. Philadelphia
Nearly everyone is currently talking about Anaheim, Washington and the Carolina Hurricanes when discussing the Stanley Cup race. The Calgary Flames keep falling by the wayside. People are more inclined to focus on the reigning champion Tampa Bay Lightning and their struggles. That needs to change.
According to Simple Rating System, a metric that ranks teams according to their point differential and strength of schedule, Calgary currently grades out as the fourth-best team in the league. They probably aren't about to drop one against the lowly Philadelphia Flyers.
More than anything, the Flames are not just a good nightly bet. They're a real threat to win it all.
OSB Prediction: Calgary Flames (-117)
Keep Riding Edmonton as They Face Winnipeg
Anyone waiting for the Edmonton Oilers to fall off their early-season high better keep waiting. They're not going anywhere.
As we've mentioned before, deepening their offensive rotation beyond Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid is paying huge dividends. The Oilers are first in goals scored per game and power play percentage and even rank second in power play killing percentage.
This is all to say, Edmonton is almost the whole package. And while the Winnipeg Jets are good, they're not that good.
OSB Prediction: Edmonton Oilers (-108)
Roll the Dice on San Jose Beating Minnesota
Close to all of the metrics are begging us to pick the Minnesota Wild in this one. We're going against the grain.
No, the San Jose Sharks are not trustworthy game-to-game bets. Their offense is maddeningly inconsistent. But the Sharks are the best in the league at killing penalties and have shown they can take advantage of short-handed situations in their favor. They should be able to give Minnesota a run for their money and force us to rethink their season trajectory.
OSB Prediction: San Jose Sharks (+166)
Carolina Hands Vegas Another Loss
Few above-.500 teams are as disappointing as the Vegas Golden Knights. Expect the Carolina Hurricanes to add to that dilemma.
Not only are the Knights allowing over three goals per game, but they're among the NHL's worst at scoring during power plays. The Hurricanes, meanwhile, have the best defense around. They're allowing under two goals per game and saving more than 93 percent of the shots that come toward their goal.
Many think Carolina is the best team in the league this season, bar none. And hey: They might be right.
OSB Prediction: Carolina Hurricanes (-121)
Check out this list of the top online sportsbooks so you can decide which ones to use for all your NHL betting:
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