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

St. Louis Blues at Vancouver Canucks Free NHL Picks, Odds and Predictions
by George Monroy - 2/25/2014

Just as the St. Louis Blue were climbing up the Western Conference standings, the NHL season went into hiatus, and the rest of the league was given a few weeks to recharge and regroup for the final stretch of the year. The Blues had won six of their last eight games and were within two points of the struggling Anaheim Ducks for the top seed in the conference. The break may have put a temporary stop to St. Louis’ run, but the squad is ready to resume its winning ways as it will close off the month with two straight road games—one of them against the Ducks later in the week.

Free NHL Picks: Carolina Hurricanes at Buffalo Sabres Odds and Predictions
by George Monroy - 2/24/2014

The NHL season resumes on Tuesday night with a matchup between the Carolina Hurricanes and the league-worst Buffalo Sabres. Most teams will enter the final stretch of the season healthy and ready to make a playoff push over the final 20-something games of the year. Buffalo is still sitting in last place in the Western Conference standings and 26 points behind the Detroit Red Wings for the final playoff spot.

Free NHL Picks: Ducks at Predators Odds
by George Monroy - 2/7/2014

The Anaheim Ducks finally came crashing down to earth after setting a ridiculous pace through December and January. Anaheim went through a stretch where the team won 18 of 19 games, including an eight- and 10-game winning streak. The team, however, has since fallen on harder times and dropped four of its last five matchups and three straight home games. The Ducks are still clinging to the top spot in the Western Conference, but they have Chicago and St. Louis nipping at their heels.

Free NHL Picks: Rangers at Penguins Odds
by George Monroy - 2/6/2014

The Pittsburgh Penguins are ready to head into the Olympic break on top of the Eastern Conference standings with 82 points. Pittsburgh currently has a seven-point lead over the Boston Bruins for the top seed in the East and may be still feeling the sting from last year’s disappointing playoff exit—a sweep at the hands of the Bruins, no less. The squad is ranked near the top of every major team statistic and is on the short list of favorites to win this season’s Stanley Cup title.

Free NHL Picks: Blue Jackets at Kings Odds
by George Monroy - 2/5/2014

The Los Angeles Kings are in a deep slump to start 2014 and may be in danger of falling out of the Western Conference playoff race if their poor play continues. Los Angeles has lost 16 of its last 21 matchups and nine of its last 10. The team dropped to the seventh spot in the playoff standings while also taking up the position of the 29th-ranked offensive squad in the NHL. The larger question, however, is what is wrong with the Kings and how can they fix it.

Free NHL Picks: Stars at Coyotes Odds
by George Monroy - 2/3/2014

The Phoenix Coyotes may be hoping that the second month of the year turns out better than the first. Phoenix limped through January with a 5-10 record and fell to the ninth spot in the Western Conference playoff race. The team, however, will begin February with six home games during its first nine matchups of the month. Phoenix already locked up an impressive victory over Pittsburgh and will be hoping to turn that solid performance into an extended winning streak.

Free NHL Picks: Senators at Maple Leafs Odds
by George Monroy - 1/31/2014

The Toronto Maple Leafs decided to make a few lineup changes after losing four straight games early in the month and immediately reaped the benefits by starting a six-game winning streak. Toronto split up its pair of youngsters, Randy Carlyle and Jake Gardiner, on the first-line and teamed each with a veteran player in different lineups. The move seems to have rejuvenated the Maples Leafs and help push the squad into the fourth spot in the Eastern Conference playoff race.

Free NHL Picks: Canucks at Jets Odds
by George Monroy - 1/30/2014

The Vancouver Canucks are set to start a five-game road trip on Friday night when they visit the MTS Centre to play the Winnipeg Jets. Vancouver has struggled through the month of January, losing nine of 13 matchups, but did not fall too far down the playoff standings as the team currently holds the final playoff position in the Western Conference. The Canucks, however, will not play another home game until after the Olympics, when they host the St. Louis Blues in late February.

Free NHL Picks: Canadiens at Bruins Odds
by George Monroy - 1/29/2014

The Boston Bruins have been dominant on the defensive end behind the excellent goaltending of Tuukka Rask. Boston allows the second-fewest goals in the entire NHL with only 2.2 per game and is back atop the Atlantic Division after starting 2014 by winning eight of its first 12 matchups. The defending Eastern Conference champions are slowly starting to separate themselves from the rest of the division and lead the second-place Tampa Bay Lightning by four points in the standings.

Free NHL Picks: Sharks at Oilers Odds
by George Monroy - 1/28/2014

The San Jose Sharks used a six-game winning streak to get back into the mix for the top seed in the Western Conference. Anaheim leads everyone with a whopping 83 points in the standings, but the second through fourth spots are separated by only two points. When the postseason comes around in a few months, the difference between home-ice advantage and playing on the road might be decided by a single win.

Free NHL Picks: Capitals at Sabres Odds
by George Monroy - 1/27/2014

The Washington Capitals are still in the mix for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, but if they continue to go on extended losing streaks, they might as well begin packing their bags in preparation for a long summer. Washington snapped a seven-game losing streak during its last matchup against Montreal on Saturday after team captain Alex Ovechkin returned from the sidelines due to a lower-body injury that cost the center two games.

Free NHL Picks: Blue Jackets at Hurricanes Odds
by George Monroy - 1/27/2014

The Columbus Blue Jackets changed their entire season with the longest winning streak in franchise history. The Blue Jackets were riding an eight-game winning streak and had won 12 of their last 15 matchups before Saturday’s game against the league-worst Buffalo Sabres. Columbus ended up dropping the game in an unexpected blowout loss, but it did position itself as a playoff contender during its hot streak and moved into the eighth spot in the Eastern Conference playoff standings.

Free NHL Picks: Ducks at Kings Odds
by George Monroy - 1/24/2014

The Los Angeles Kings and Anaheim Ducks will kick off the 2014 Stadium Series during their outdoor matchup inside Dodger Stadium on Saturday night. Los Angeles is on a bit of a slump to start the year and has surprisingly lost seven of its last 11 matchups while falling to the sixth spot in the Western Conference playoff standings. The Kings’ long-time goaltender, Jonathan Quick, has played well since returning from injury but is only 1-3 over his last four starts while allowing only nine goals during that span.

Free NHL Picks: Avalanche at Panthers Odds
by George Monroy - 1/23/2014

The Colorado Avalanche is set to start a three-game road trip against the Florida Panthers on Friday night. The squad is riding a hot streak to start 2014, winning seven of its last 10 matchups and inching closer to the upper echelon of the Western Conference. Colorado still trails the Central Division-leading, and defending champion, Chicago Blackhawks by nine points in the standings, but it still has two more matchups against the team during the second half of the season.

Free NHL Picks: Blues at Rangers Odds
by George Monroy - 1/22/2014

The New York Rangers stepped up their defense during the month of January, and as a result they have won seven of their last 11 games. New York is back in the thick of the playoff race and trails the fourth- and fifth-seeded teams in the East by only two points. Veteran goaltender Henrik Lundqvist has played well to open up the year and has been stingy in front of the net, allowing only 2.12 goals per game during that span.

Free NHL Picks: Blackhawks at Red Wings Odds
by George Monroy - 1/21/2014

The Chicago Blackhawks started out 2014 on a bit of a slump, losing five of their first seven games of the year. It was the team’s worst slump of the season and allowed the Anaheim Ducks to take sole possession of first place in the Western Conference playoff standings. Chicago, however, put an end to its struggles with two impressive wins over the Ducks and Boston Bruins that proved the road to the Stanley Cup still runs through the Blackhawks.

Free NHL Picks: Canucks at Oilers Odds
by George Monroy - 1/20/2014

The Vancouver Canucks are still in playoff contention in the West, but if they continue to play the way the same way they have during the month of January, the Canucks will soon be on the outside looking in. The squad dropped eight of its last 10 matchups and already put a three- and four-game losing streak under its belt not even three weeks into 2014. Vancouver’s lineup has been plagued with various injuries to key players over the last month, but the team’s biggest issue over its recent slump is the simply fact that it plays in a tough Western Conference.

Free NHL Picks: Flyers at Islanders Odds
by George Monroy - 1/20/2014

The Philadelphia Flyers might be accused of ‘picking on the little guy’ after tonight’s matchup against the New York Islanders. Philadelphia’s last three games have been against the two worst teams in the Eastern Conference—the Buffalo Sabres and the Islanders—as well as the third-worst team in the Western Conference—the Nashville Predators. And to make matters worse, the Flyers will face New York for the second straight night in a home-and-home situation.

Free NHL Picks: Avalanche at Predators Odds
by George Monroy - 1/17/2014

The Western Conference is so top-heavy with talent that a squad like the Colorado Avalanche can skate through the season relatively unnoticed. The Avalanche is sitting on 65 points in the standings—which would make them a power house in the East—but wouldn’t host a home series if the playoffs started today. Patrick Roy’s squad has beaten every contender in the West this season and would be a nightmare first-round matchup for any squad.

Free NHL Picks: Ducks at Blackhawks Odds
by George Monroy - 1/16/2014

The Western Conference’s top two teams are headed for a marquee matchup on Friday night when the Anaheim Ducks visit the Chicago Blackhawks in what could be the biggest NHL game of the season. Anaheim is on a merciless winning streak that has seen the team win eight straight games and 18 of its last 19 overall matchups.