NHL Picks (Today's Free Predictions, Tips, Parlays)

Dallas Stars at Anaheim Ducks Free NHL Picks & Odds
by Tony Sink - 4/15/2014

Anaheim opens up their postseason run as big favorites against Dallas but the Stars actually lead the season series 2-1. Home ice will help the Ducks but the Stars have legitimate hopes of upsetting the top seed in the West. Dallas flip-flopped wins and losses to close out the final 8 games of the year but it was enough to hold off Phoenix as the 8th team into the postseason in the Western Conference.

Columbus Blue Jackets at Pittsburgh Penguins Free NHL Picks & Odds
by Guy Bruhn - 4/15/2014

The Blue Jackets are big underdogs as the wild card in their first round playoff matchup against #2 seed Pittsburgh, especially considering the season series went 5-0 Penguins. Either way, Columbus won 4 of their last 5 to enter the playoffs and aim to shock the world. Pittsburgh lost their last two regular season games but this is a team built for the postseason, with eyes on the bigger prize.

Montreal Canadiens at Tampa Bay Lightning Free NHL Picks & Odds
by Josh Schonwald - 4/15/2014

The 2014 playoffs begin Wednesday for Montreal and Tampa Bay with the Lightning able to gain home ice thanks to a strong late season surge. Tampa Bay won 4 straight games to close out the season to edge out the Canadiens 101 points to 100. Montreal has some work to do to pull off the upset as Tampa owns the season series 3-0-1.

Dallas Stars at Phoenix Coyotes Free NHL Picks & Odds
by Josh Schonwald - 4/12/2014

Heading into Friday night Dallas has a 2 point lead over Phoenix for that final spot. A win by the Stars at home against St. Louis puts them in the playoffs and ends the Coyotes' season. A loss though makes a Saturday night game between San Jose and Phoenix a must have for the Coyotes.

Colorado Avalanche at Anaheim Ducks Free NHL Picks & Odds
by Guy Bruhn - 4/12/2014

Depending on how the weekend plays out, Sunday nights game between Colorado and Anaheim could end up being for the top seed in the Western Conference. Heading into Friday night the Ducks (112 points) hold a 1-point lead on the surging Avalanche (111).

Nashville Predators at Minnesota Wild Free NHL Picks & Odds
by Josh Schonwald - 4/12/2014

Nashville put up a good fight but their 2013/14 season ultimately ends early after officially being eliminated from the postseason hunt. The Predators were playing good hockey but ran out of time to capture the 8th seed and will likely finish just percentage points behind either Phoenix or Dallas.

Calgary Flames at Vancouver Canucks Free NHL Picks & Odds
by Tony Sink - 4/12/2014

The Calgary Flames will miss the postseason for the 5th straight year but hope remains optimistic for the future. Calgary can finish no better than 24th in the 30 team league but 49 of their 80 games so far have been decided by 1 goal. If a few of those pucks go the other way next year the playoffs could be in sight.

San Jose Sharks at Phoenix Coyotes Free NHL Picks & Odds
by Guy Bruhn - 4/11/2014

The San Jose Sharks and the Phoenix Coyotes played in their second straight overtime game the last time they saw each other, but this time the Sharks were able to come away with the 4-3 win. San Jose had 32 hits in the game to Phoenix's 22, while also leading in the shots on goal department 37-32 on their way to a home win.

Chicago Blackhawks at Nashville Predators Free NHL Picks & Odds
by Josh Schonwald - 4/11/2014

The Nashville Predators may be over 20 points lower in the standings than the Chicago Blackhawks, but they were able to outplay their Central division foes the last time they faced each other. The Preds ended up with the 2-0 win on goalie Pekka Rinne's first shutout of the season and moved to 3-1 in the season series against the Blackhawks.

Columbus Blue Jackets at Florida Panthers Free NHL Picks & Odds
by Tony Sink - 4/11/2014

The Columbus Blue Jackets were able to score two goals in all three periods the last time they played the Florida Panthers on their way to a 6-3 victory. Columbus out-shot the Panthers 37-20 in the game and also ended up outhitting them 37-26 for the all-around dominating win.

New York Rangers at Montreal Canadiens Free NHL Picks & Odds
by Guy Bruhn - 4/11/2014

The last time the New York Rangers played the Montreal Canadiens, they were able to get the 1-0 win after fans were treated to two solid goaltending performances. The two teams had a total of 66 shots on goal, but just one second period tally made it to the back of the net.

Winnipeg Jets at Calgary Flames Free NHL Picks & Odds
by Guy Bruhn - 4/10/2014

The schedule makers have done Winnipeg a favor by putting their disappointing season out to pasture early as they wrap up for the year Friday night in Calgary. The Jets could either come out relaxed and excited to be done for the year and play great, laid-back hockey, or they could already be mentally checked out and checking their travel itinerary between periods.

St Louis Blues at Dallas Stars Free NHL Picks & Odds
by Josh Schonwald - 4/10/2014

Only one spot remains in the Western Conference playoff race and it comes down to Dallas and Phoenix battling it out. The Stars draw a tough matchup as the #1 team in the conference comes to town with St. Louis still having an outside chance to catch the Bruins for the top seed throughout the playoffs.

New York Islanders at New Jersey Devils Free NHL Picks & Odds
by Tony Sink - 4/10/2014

There's not much left to play for with just two games remaining for the Islanders, although officially eliminating the neighbor Devils from the playoffs might be a nice way to wrap up the year and head into the off-season. New Jersey has minimal opportunity left to capture the #8 seed in the East and they might be out of the hunt by the time the puck drops.

Los Angeles Kings at Edmonton Oilers Free NHL Picks & Odds
by Tony Sink - 4/9/2014

In the third of four meetings between the Los Angeles Kings and the Edmonton Oilers, the Kings were able to get the 4-2 away win, which was their seventh in a row at the time. The Oilers will be hoping to win on Thursday to avoid being swept by Los Angeles in the season series.

Boston Bruins at Winnipeg Jets Free NHL Picks & Odds
by Guy Bruhn - 4/9/2014

In the only other meeting of the season between the Boston Bruins and the Winnipeg Jets, the Bruins were able to cruise to a 4-1 victory in an early-January matchup. People who watched the game saw what it looks like when one of the best offenses in then league takes on one of the worst defenses.

St Louis Blues at Minnesota Wild Free NHL Picks & Odds
by Josh Schonwald - 4/9/2014

The Minnesota Wild may be a lock to get one of the Wild Card spots in the Western Conference, but they got a taste of what the best of the West was capable of the last time they faced the St. Louis Blues. The Blues were able to cruise to a 5-1 home victory and moved their record against the Wild on the season to 4-0 with the final game between the two coming on Thursday.

Phoenix Coyotes at Nashville Predators Free NHL Picks & Odds
by Guy Bruhn - 4/9/2014

The Phoenix Coyotes played pretty well in the final two periods of their last game against the Nashville Predators, but that was only after the Preds started out hot with a three-goal first period. Only three combined penalties were committed in the game, and Phoenix ended up edging out Nashville in the shots on goal department 31-29.

New York Islanders at Montreal Canadiens Free NHL Picks & Odds
by Josh Schonwald - 4/9/2014

The Montreal Canadiens were able to get the shutout the last time they played the New York Islanders when they pulled off the 1-0 road win. The game featured one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference against one of the worst teams in the NHL, but it was actually a close game and the Canadiens depended heavily on their net-minder to get the job done.

Toronto Maple Leafs at Florida Panthers Free NHL Picks & Odds
by Tony Sink - 4/9/2014

The Toronto Maple Leafs may be quite a bit better than the Florida Panthers this season, but the Panthers have been able to beat them in two of their three meetings this season. The last time they met, the Panthers won 4-1 on home ice thanks to three late goals.