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NHL Betting: Hot and Cold Teams ATS and Moneyline 1/26/2026

by Ryan Cobbett - 1/26/2026

NHL betting hot and cold teams ATS and moneyline John Gibson Detroit Red Wings

As we are near the Olympic Break, and the trade deadline looms, let’s dive into the current state of the league. The Buffalo Sabres and Detroit Red Wings have not only made themselves relevant to playoff conversation, but they currently have two of three guaranteed spots in the Atlantic Division locked up. The Los Angeles Kings and New Jersey Devils are falling further and further out of the playoff picture, and we get to talk about the worst two teams in the NHL. Let’s see where the money is being made.

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ATS

Hot

Buffalo Sabres 8-2

Ever since the beginning of December, the Sabres have been one of the hottest teams in the NHL. They have posted a 18-3-1 record and have propelled themselves into the final guaranteed spot in the Atlantic Division. In addition to their domination overall, they are the hottest team in the league at covering. Over the past 10 games, Buffalo has scored 42 goals, tallying five goals in six of those games. Tage Thompson has been a big reason for their recent offensive explosion, as he has 15 points (six goals) during this stretch. On top of the recent offensive success, the Sabres goaltending has been solid. They have allowed just 26 goals and have been winning games by an average of nearly two goals during this 10-game period. Alex Lyon and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen have combined to allow just 2.68 GA/G this season. Buffalo is one more offensive weapon away from being a true playoff threat this year. Don’t sleep on the Sabres. Overall, Buffalo is 29-22 ATS this season.

Detroit Red Wings 8-2

The team atop the Atlantic Division are the Detroit Red Wings, who are tied with Buffalo for the hottest team in the NHL relative to covering. Detroit has picked up points in nine of their last 10 games, and they are now tied with the Carolina Hurricanes with the most points in the Eastern Conference (69). They are averaging 3.6 GF/G, which is much higher than their 3.11 GF/G season average. However, the real strength is their goaltending. They have allowed just 2.1 GA/G over this 10-game stretch. John Gibson has allowed just 14 goals over his last 8 starts. The goaltending has been the strength for Detroit all season as they rank 12th in the league with a 2.96 GA/G mark. They have also done an exceptional job of winning the close games. They have a 16-2-5 record in one score games this season. Overall, Detroit has covered 28 of their 53 games this season.

Cold

Los Angeles Kings 3-7

One of the coldest teams, ATS, is the Los Angeles Kings. They have managed to cover just three of their last 10 games, and one in their last five. Overall, the Kings have a 4-2-4 record with six games during this stretch, needing extra time. The offense has been ice cold of late, averaging just 2.7 GF/G. The Kings have some depth, but they have yet to have a player reach the 40-point milestone on the season. Kevin Fiala and Adrian Kempe have combined for 75 points and 35 goals on the season, but the duo would really benefit from another offensive star to add some speed. Quinton Byfield is having a bit of a down year compared to last season. He has just 28 points on the season and has a -3 +/- rating, the first negative mark he has had as a regular player for Los Angeles. The Kings desperately need some offensive support before the deadline. Overall, the Kings are 18-32 ATS this season.

New Jersey Devils 3-7

The New Jersey Devils are tied with the Kings as the coldest team in the NHL at covering the spread. They have covered in just three of their last 10, and one of their last five. Like the Kings, the Devils have one of the worst offenses in the league. They are averaging just 2.60 GF/G, which ranks in the bottom five of the league. While they have won five of their past seven games, they remain out of the playoff picture, trailing the Boston Bruins by six points. The offense has been extremely limited thanks to Jack Hughes’ extended absence. He has appeared in just 34 games this season, yet he ranks third on the team with 34 points. Jesper Bratt has a -15 +/- rating this season, the worst since his rookie year, and Nico Hischier is barely projected to reach the 60-point mark this season. Something has to give here with the Devils. Overall, the Devils have covered in just 19 of their 52 games this season, which is one of the worst marks in the league.

Money Line

Hot

Utah Mammoth 8-1-1

The Mammoth have been one of the most pleasant surprises of the 2025/26 NHL campaign. They are tied for the hottest team in the league, and they are currently riding a five-game winning streak. While the NHL Central is by far the deepest in the league, the Mammoth sit firmly in the top wild card spot in the Western Conference. They rank in the top half of the league in scoring (3.20 GF/G), while also ranking fifth in the league in goaltending (2.77 GA/G). Their power play has been abysmal this season, but that is the only glaring weakness for Utah. Clayton Keller leads the team with 50 points, with Dylan Guenther leading the way with 24 goals. Though the team has seen a 180-turn in its offense, the true hero for this season’s performance is Karel Vejmelka who is allowing just 2.57 GA/G this season.

Tampa Bay Lightning 8-1-1

The team tied with Utah for the hottest in the league is the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Lightning’s +47-goal differential is second in the league, and the Lightning sit just one point behind the Red Wings in the Atlantic Division. Tampa Bay dominates both sides of the ice. They rank second in the league in scoring (3.48 GF/G), and second in goals against (2.56 GA/G). Andrei Vasilevsky has been dominant once again this season, and even more so during this 10-game stretch. He has allowed just 14 goals over his last eight starts, losing just one of those starts in a shootout. On the year, he has allowed just 2.14 GA/G which is a career best for the 31-year-old. It does help when you have a goal-scoring trio in Nikita Kucherov (26), Brandon Hagel (25), and Jake Guentzel (24) who have all tallied more than 20 goals this season. Tampa Bay is loaded.

Cold

Vancouver Canucks 1-9

It should be no surprise to see Vancouver listed here, as they have thrown in the towel on the season. They have just one win and four points over their last 14 games. Vancouver traded Quinn Hughes earlier in the season and followed that move by shipping Kiefer Sherwood to the San Jose Sharks. While Sherwood has yet to play for the Sharks, Hughes has 25 points in 21 games for Minnesota. The return for Hughes has yielded just eight points. Vancouver is last in the league in goals allowed (3.65 GA/G), and near the bottom in scoring (2.60). They also have other names that could be moved. Not a great time to be a Canucks fan.

New York Rangers 2-7-1

The New York Rangers find themselves as the second coldest team in the league. They are currently in the basement in the Eastern Conference ahead of the Olympic Break. Since Igor Shesterkin’s injury, the Rangers have allowed 45 goals and won just one game. Artemi Panarin is on his way out, and other veteran players will likely follow. Once that domino falls, the Rangers offense will get a lot worse. It is time for the Rangers to erase the board and start fresh.

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