Top Shelf Picks: NHL Best Bets Today (Predictions for Lightning-Devils, Senators-Blue Jackets, Bruins-Jets)

Breaking down the best NHL bets on the ice for the 13-game slate on Thursday, December 11.

The Lightning are road favorites in New Jersey on Thursday night. / Eric Bolte-Imagn Images

There is a huge slate in the NHL on Thursday night with 13 games on the docket, including a few key matchups.

My best bets for tonight are targeting a pair of road favorites and a familiar underdog pick.

Let’s get right into the best bets – and their odds at the best betting sites – for Thursday, Dec. 11.

NHL Best Bets for Wednesday, Dec. 10

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook

• Tampa Bay Lightning (-135) at New Jersey Devils
• Ottawa Senators (-115) at Columbus Blue Jackets
• Boston Bruins (+130) at Winnipeg Jets

Tampa Bay Lightning (-135) at New Jersey Devils

The Lightning have battled through a rash of injuries in recent weeks, but now have Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point back up front. Victor Hedman left last game and Andrei Vasilevskiy is still on the shelf, but this Tampa team is back on track after a dominant 6-1 victory in Montreal on Tuesday night.

The Devils have had their fair share of injuries, too, headlined by Jack Hughes along with a few depth pieces. They also got back on track on Tuesday night, although it wasn’t as lopsided of an affair as they were outshot 38-32 in their 4-3 win.

The teams have split the two meetings so far this season, but Tampa Bay won the last one 5-1. 

This is a good spot to back the Bolts as they’ve gotten a few key offensive pieces back while the Devils have struggled to score without Hughes up top.

Ottawa Senators (-115) at Columbus Blue Jackets

The Senators and Blue Jackets come into tonight’s matchup on three-game losing streaks. In fact, Ottawa has lost five of its last six games and six of its last eight.

However, the Sens have played better than their record shows as of late. They outshot both the Devils and Blues in their last two losses, and were even with the Rangers in that loss. They now have the best expected goals share at 5-on-5 in the last 10 games at 59.18%, while the Blue Jackets are in the middle of the pack, per Natural Stat Trick.

Columbus is also on a slide with losses in seven of its last nine games, although a few of those losses did come in overtime. Still, the Blue Jackets have been getting outshot and mustered just one total goal in their last two games.

The Senators are simply the better team right now, and Columbus is just 6-3-3 at home.

Boston Bruins (+130) at Winnipeg Jets

If you’re a regular reader of this article, you know we’ve been able to cash in on the Bruins as underdogs time and time again this season. Boston is 18-13-0 on the year, including 16-11 as underdogs, and 7-7 as road underdogs.

The B’s are riding a three-game winning streak after getting David Pastrnak back on Tuesday night in St. Louis. Charlie McAvoy is nearing a return as well, so the Bruins are getting healthy as we get into the thick of the season.

On the flip side, Winnipeg has lost two in a row, four of five, and are 2-7-1 in its last 10 games. In fact, the Jets are just 5-11-1 in their last 17 contests.

They’re feeling the effects of not having a Hart Trophy-winning goalie in net, and the B’s have value once again as road underdogs tonight.

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Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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