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Expert NHL Handicapping Roundup for 10/31/2025

by Ryan Cobbett - 10/31/2025

Expert NHL handicapping roundup Logan Cooley Utah Mammoth

Here is our first NHL Roundup piece of the 2025-2026 season. We have seen some surprising starts from teams like the Pittsburgh Penguins and Detroit Red Wings, but there has been no bigger surprise than the Utah Mammoth. In addition to our surprise teams, there is a new Hart Trophy contender this season. And thanks to one particular big-name addition, this contender has been thrust right into the heart of the MVP conversation. There are also some unfamiliar names atop the goalie rankings in the league. With so much to get to, let’s dive in and break down some surprising storylines around the NHL, and identify some money-making trends.

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Mammoth Sized Odds

The Utah Mammoth have been one of the biggest surprises here at the start of the new campaign. They have won eight of their 11 games and are in a three-way tie for first place in the Central Division. Utah entered the season as a team hoping to be in the playoff conversation, but they have started the year like one of the best teams in the league. Nick Schmaltz is near the top of the league in points thus far. He has seven goals and 10 assists and has tallied six points on the power play. Logan Cooley has shown he can be one of the most dangerous goal scorers in the NHL, as he has eight goals to his name, three of which have come on the power play. However, it is far from just Cooley and Schmaltz. Dylan Guenther has five goals, Clayton Keller has four, and JJ Peterka has four, while all three of those players have recorded double-digit points already this season. Mikhail Sergachev is anchoring the blueline and dishing out assists, and Ian Cole has a team best +9 +/- rating. They rank eighth in the league in scoring (3.64 GF/G) and ninth in the league in goals allowed (2.73 GA/G). Despite their early-season dominance, the Mammoth still have swollen odds. They currently have +3500 odds of winning the Stanley Cup, +1700 odds of winning the Western Conference, and +800 odds of winning the Central Division. There is still a lot of hockey left, but the front office will add depth at the deadline if this team continues it’s early-season momentum into the middle part of the year. The Mammoth have proven they are a serious playoff contender, and they have the offensive pieces to be a dangerous out for any opponent in the playoffs.

Hart Hopeful

While Toronto is on the short end of the stick in the whole Mitch Marner saga, one player is reaping the benefits. That player is Jack Eichel. The Eichel/Marner duo is averaging nearly 21 minutes of TOI/G and both skaters are producing at a high level to start the year. Eichel, specifically, has eight goals and 11 assists, totaling a team-best 19 points. Not only does he lead his Vegas team, but he is also the league leader in points. His nine assists on the power play also lead the NHL. Eichel has really found himself in Vegas and has been producing at a high level since his arrival, but with the addition of Marner, Eichel looks like a real Hart Trophy hopeful. Eichel currently has +500 odds of winning the Hart Trophy this season, behind just Nathan MacKinnon (+220) and Connor McDavid (+340). It helps Eichel’s cause that he is producing at the highest level with one of the premier teams in the league, but his injury issues do cloud his potential of bringing home a league MVP. Eichel is, however, currently on pace to record 155 points, and while inevitably he will fall well below this mark, even with an injury or two, if he stays at this level of production, he will add a Hart Trophy to his resume.

Darth Vladar

The Philadelphia Flyers have had their issues over the years. They haven’t returned to the playoffs in years, have not been able to find a coach capable of leading this franchise long term, and have not had the best success with some of their young and developing players. Despite this, they are off to a solid start to the season. They have 13 points on a 6-3-1 record; they are 6-1 at home, and they have a +6-goal differential thus far. Behind their early-season success is none other than Dan Vladar, who has been a nightmare for opposing teams. The 28-year-old has made six starts this season and has looked elite in every single one of them. Vladar is allowing just 1.67 GA/G, which currently is the second-best mark in the league, and his .939 SV% is tied atop the league rankings. In two starts against Florida, he has limited them to just four goals combined, while also shutting down the likes of Minnesota, Ottawa, Nashville, and Seattle. Vladar (+25000) may not be a serious contender in the Vezina Trophy race due to his limited playing capacity throughout his career, but he is making some money for those who picked the south side of the game total when he is in the crease. When Vladar starts, the under has hit at a 75% rate. Vladar is playing out of his mind right now, and it is time to start capitalizing on his success.

Over’s Galore

While Vladar is keeping the scoring to a minimum, one team that is continuously giving us high scoring games is the Boston Bruins. Through their first 13 games of the season, Boston has hit the over in 10 of those games. David Pastrnak and Morgan Geekie have been a goal-scoring tandem as they have combined for 16 goals already. It also helps that the Bruins have another eight guys who have scored at least twice already. Boston is currently averaging 3.31 GF/G; but their offense isn’t the biggest contributor to the overs their goaltending is. Their goaltending had suffered another atrocious start this season. Jeremy Swayman has lost his touch ever since losing Linus Ullmark. Swayman has allowed 3.45 GA/G through seven starts and has a lowly .886 SV%. Joonas Korpisalo hasn’t done any better. Through six starts, he has allowed 3.49 GA/G and has a .882 SV%. In total, the Bruins are currently allowing 3.62 GA/G, which is the seventh-highest mark in the NHL. Boston is in for a long year, but you might as well cash in on their goaltending woes.

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