We have six games on tonight's NHL slate to get the week started and there are some really heavy favorites in action.

Four of the six games feature money lines at -200 or greater, giving us a few lopsided matchups to sort through. 

 

 

 

NHL Picks, Predictions & Best Bets Today, 11/18

Yesterday's NHL Best Bets were an absolute banger with three of the four picks winning, all of which were at plus money!

Let's keep things rolling today with some picks to get the week started!

 

 

 

Avalanche vs. Flyers Prediction: Monday, November 18th

The Colorado Avalanche have been the definition of up-and-down this season in terms of their record, but they bring a good level of consistency to the prop market. With a matchup against the Philadelphia Flyers on tap tonight, we'll turn to the Avs' best player, Nathan MacKinnon. 

MacKinnon comes in with a team-high 67 shots on goal through 18 games, which is good for 3.7 per game. Those 67 shots on goal are also good for the seventh-most in the entire NHL, a level we are accustomed to seeing from MacKinnon. He's coming off a game against the Washington Capitals where he actually had zero shots on goal, a clear departure for one of the most consistent players in the league. 

I love buying into a bounce-back spot and that's what we have for MacKinnon, who had at least three shots on goal in six straight games prior to the game against the Capitals. 

The matchup is a great one since the Flyers are allowing 63.95 Total Shot Attempts per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations, which is the sixth-worst in the league. The recent game is simply a blip on the radar for MacKinnon and this is the type of matchup he can truly pile up the shots. 

 

 

 

Oilers vs. Canadiens Prediction: Monday, November 18th

The Edmonton Oilers are coming off a rough loss the other night against the Toronto Maple Leafs, but they have a chance to get back in the winning ways versus the Montreal Canadiens tonight. 

The Oilers haven't had the high-flying offense we've seen from them in the past but this matchup against the Habs could help kick-start them in the right direction. This season, the Canadiens allow 3.55 Goals per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations, which is the worst in the league. 

That has led to them allowing a total of 71 goals, which is the second-most in the NHL. Long story short, the Habs have a bad defense and are worth targeting for some goal props. 

Let's turn to Zach Hyman, who is clearly off to a slower start in the goal department compared to his 54-goal campaign from last season. However, if we look at some of his advanced metrics, we will see some encouraging parts. 

According to Moneypuck.com, Hyman comes in with 8.0 Expected Goals, which is the second-highest on the Oilers, but only has three actual goals. He also has 13 High Danger Unblocked Shot Attempts, which is also the second-highest on the Oilers. 

Hyman is doing a lot of things “right” this season but simply isn't getting the puck luck he had last year. I'll buy into that positive regression, especially against a bad defense tonight. 

 

 

 

Best NHL Prop Bets & Other Picks Today, 11/18