Best NHL Bets Today | NHL Picks, December 29

The final weekday of the Christmas week is set to close with some great games. Among these games are Eastern Conference battles and a cross-conference thriller. These will be the games to keep track of for solid betting opportunities. These oddsmakers are giving great opportunities for fans of the NHL and casual bettors to potentially earn some great winnings tonight through DraftKings.

New Jersey Devils vs. Ottawa Senators

• Time: 7:00 PM E.T. - Friday

• Moneyline: Devils (-115) | Senators (-105)

• Puck Line: Devils -1.5 (+200) | Senators +1.5 (-245) 

• Total: Over 7 (-110) | Under 7 (-110)

Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook. Skate into NHL action with DraftKings – Bet $5, Get $150 in bonus bets!

My Pick: New Jersey Devils (NJ)

One of the earliest games for Friday night's sleep in the NHL is set as the New Jersey Devils (18-1302) go on the road to take on the Ottawa Senators (13-17). The Devils remain a highly efficient explosive offense that can score on any team in the NHL. On the other hand, the senators are still experiencing the traumatic differences of a coaching turnover a few weeks ago. The Senators remain a team that is surprisingly either a close underdog or a surprising favorite against more efficient teams. This should be a great opportunity to put your trust in the more efficient team and take advantage of the unusual odds.

This game projects to be a high-scoring matchup between both teams as the Devils and the Senators rank in the top 10 in goals per game and the bottom five of the league in goals allowed per game. New Jersey averages 3.42 goals per game (ninth in the league) while allowing 3.55 goals per game (fourth-most in the league). Ottawa averages 3.43 goals per game (seventh in the most) while allowing 3.5 goals per game (fifth-most in the league).

The difference maker in this game is going to be the star playing ability of the Devils and Senator Jack Hughes and forward Jesper Bratt compared to the role-playing team that the senators possess. Despite a game-winning streak from the Senators, they were previously coming off a six-game losing streak. The Devils are the more trusted team regarding reliability on the ice. 

Philadelphia Flyers vs. Seattle Kraken

• Time: 10:00 PM E.T. - Friday

• Moneyline: Flyers (+114) | Kraken (-135)

• Puck Line: Flyers +1.5 (-225) | Kraken -1.5 (+185) 

• Total: Over 6 (-115) | Under 6 (-105)

Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook. Score $150 Bonus Bet at DraftKings, Bet $5, Win Big, Act fast!

My Pick: Philadelphia Flyers (PHI)

The final game of the night is set for an interesting Western Conference versus Eastern Conference matchup as the Seattle Kraken (13-14-9) host the Philadelphia Flyers (19-11-4). The Flyers are coming off a huge 4-1 road win over the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday, a team that is significantly better statistically than the Flyers on both sides of the ice. Philadelphia has accounted for an overall record of 8-3 and the 11 games played in December.

The Seattle Kraken had been among one of the most inconsistent and disappointing teams through the first half of the 2023-2024 NHL Season. Seattle had lost 8 consecutive games before their most recent win streak. Since that seven-game win streak, the Kraken have won five of the last seven games, with the only two losses coming to the Dallas Stars and the Los Angeles Kings in overtime. They are on a current three-game win streak and play their first home game in under two weeks.

Not too long ago, the Kraken were among one of the worst teams in the league in defensive efficiency. They are currently ranked 12th in the league in goals allowed per game (3.03), but the Flyers are the more efficient defensive team by allowing only an average of 2.71 goals per game (eighth in the league).

The Flyers have the edge offensively, as well, as they average 3.0 goals per game (21st in the league) while the Kraken are still among the worst teams in offensive production as they only average 2.57 goals per game (28th in the league).

One key reason that Philadelphia could be considered the underdog going to this game is the fact that they had a huge win over Vancouver the night before there might be some hangover for the game against the Kraken. While Seattle is on a winning streak, the Flyers are the more talented team and should be trusted more even after playing a back-to-back.