Top Shelf Picks: NHL Best Bets Today (Predictions for Kings-Islanders, Golden Knights-Blues, Mammoth-Kraken

The NHL continues its normal cadence with a big slate of 12 games on Thursday night.

After a profitable 1-1 night on Wednesday, I’m targeting a home team and a pair of road squads for my NHL best bets on Thursday.

Let’s get right into my NHL best bets – and their odds at the best betting sites – for Thursday, Oct. 22.

NHL Best Bets for Thursday, Oct. 22

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook

New York Islanders (-115) vs. Los Angeles Kings
Vegas Golden Knights (-120) at St. Louis Blues
Utah Mammoth Team Total OVER 3.5 (-110) at Seattle Kraken

New York Islanders (-115) vs. Los Angeles Kings

The Kings finally got into the win column last time out in Washington, but I don’t see them making it two in a row tonight.

The Islanders have figured things out in recent games after an up-and-down start to the season. They’re 3-0-1 in their last four games, including two straight wins in Toronto and at home against the Ducks. New York is now 4-1-0 at home this season, with the lone loss coming against Tampa Bay.

Even if the Kings do generate some chances, Ilya Sorokin will be in the crease to clean them up for the Isles.

I’ll be fading the Kings as long as the market gives them this much respect. I just don’t see it working in Los Angeles this year as the post-Kopitar era begins.

Vegas Golden Knights (-120) at St. Louis Blues

I had to triple-check the injury reports to make sure that Vegas wasn’t missing any of its key players for tonight's game. Nope, only Kai Uchacz, Victor Olofsson, and Parker Wotherspoon remain out for the Golden Knights.

Vegas will be hungry to bounce back after a rare home loss to the Lightning on Tuesday night. The Knights outshot the Bolts 34-21, and if they put in that effort again tonight, they’ll get a better outcome.

The Blues are another team that I’m fading early on. They’ve had a few decent wins, but lost the final two games on their road trip before squeaking out a 2-1 win against the Jets – yet another team I’m not high on, especially without Josh Morrissey.

Vegas has won six of the last eight meetings against St. Louis, including two of three matchups last season.

Utah Mammoth Team Total OVER 3.5 (-110) at Seattle Kraken

Seattle is off to a strong start this season, but I don’t see it continuing. The Kraken have the fifth-lowest expected goals share at 5-on-5, per Natural Stat Trick, with Utah boasting the third-best xGF%. That’s due to a fourth-highest 3.46 expected goals per 60 minutes for Utah, and second-worst 3.32 expected goals against for Seattle.

Utah has scored four goals in four of its last five games, and Seattle has allowed a total of 15 goals in its last three contests.

We hit on this play in Utah’s last game as the Mammoth beat the Penguins 5-4 as -185 home favorites. I was in between the Mammoth money line and OVER for that game, so I split the middle, and all three bets would’ve cashed. Let's hope for the same tonight.

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Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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