Top Shelf Picks: NHL Best Bets Today (Predictions for All 4 Games on Friday, Oct. 17)

Breaking down the best NHL bets on the ice for all four games on Friday, October 17.

Alex Ovechkin and the Capitals are a good bet at home on Friday night. / Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

The NHL takes a breather on Friday night with just four games on the docket. However, despite the small slate, there are plenty of bets worth making throughout the night.

My best bets for Friday night are targeting home teams to dominate.

Let’s get right into the best bets – and their odds at the best betting sites – for Friday, Oct. 17.

NHL Best Bets for Friday, Oct. 17

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook

• Detroit Red Wings (+130) vs. Tampa Bay Lightning
• Washington Capitals (-125) vs. Minnesota Wild
• Chicago Blackhawks (+114) vs. Vancouver Canucks
• Utah Mammoth -1.5 (+105) vs. San Jose Sharks

Detroit Red Wings (+130) vs. Tampa Bay Lightning

The Tampa Bay Lightning are off to a slow start this season, going 1-2-1 through four games, and they nearly blew a three-goal lead in their lone victory. The Red Wings, though, are 3-1-0 to start the year with three straight wins following their opening night loss.

Detroit’s recent wins have been impressive as well, sweeping a home-and-home against the Maple Leafs before a 4-1 win over the reigning Stanley Cup champions on Wednesday night.

The Red Wings have outshot the opposition 91-61 on home ice this season, while Tampa Bay got outshot 33-23 in Boston and 28-19 in Washington.

Finally, Detroit went 22-16-3 at home last year and Tampa Bay was just 18-19-4 on the road. I’ll take the Red Wings as home underdogs on Friday night.

Washington Capitals (-125) vs. Minnesota Wild

After a disappointing 3-1 loss to the Boston Bruins to open the season, the Washington Capitals have found their game. They’ve won their last three games, two on the road and then a 3-2 overtime win over the Lightning earlier this week at home.

Minnesota, meanwhile, has alternated wins and losses through four games. The Wild have scored nine goals in their last three games, but all of them have come on the power play. They’ve also allowed four power-play goals in the last three games.

Washington hasn’t taken a ton of penalties this season, so if it keeps that up, it’s going to be tough for Minnesota to score.

The Capitals are a tough team to play against, especially in Washington. I’ll take them as slight home favorites against a Wild team still trying to find their 5-on-5 game.

Chicago Blackhawks (+114) vs. Vancouver Canucks

The Blackhawks catch the Canucks in a bad schedule spot after Vancouver was down in Dallas on Thursday night. The Canucks won that one 5-3, and are favorites here, but perhaps they shouldn’t be on no days rest.

Vancouver went just 2-8-0 in the second half of back to backs last season, getting outscored 32-20 in the process. 

Add in the fact that Kevin Lankinen allowed four goals in his first start of the year, and the Blackhawks coming off an 8-3 win in St. Louis, and I’ll take Chicago as home underdogs all day long here.

Utah Mammoth -1.5 (+105) vs. San Jose Sharks

The Mammoth opened up their home schedule with a 3-1 win over the Flames, but the game wasn’t as close as the score indicates. Utah outshot Calgary 32-20, but failed to score on any of its six power plays.

Utah has an even easier matchup on Friday night, and is once again a huge home favorite for the second straight game.

The Sharks forced overtime in their first two games of the season despite getting outshot 31-23 and 44-23, then got dominated by the Hurricanes in a 5-1 loss.

San Jose had just eight road wins last season and Utah is playing great hockey right now. The Mammoth should win this one by margin at home.

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Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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