3 Best NHL Bets and Predictions for Tuesday 1/28/25

Whether it's moneylines or total goals, there are plenty of ways to bet on the NHL action all season. It's a long 82-game campaign, meaning that the best selections of each night can be very different based on backup goalies coming into play, injuries that add up, and if teams are due for positive or negative swings.

For additional NHL insights, check out FanDuel Research's daily NHL projections, powered by numberFire.

Let's dive into the best bets for tonight.

Note: Lines are subject to change throughout the day after this article is published. All NHL betting odds and totals are from the NHL odds at FanDuel Sportsbook. All advanced statistics are used from MoneyPuck.com and NaturalStatTrick.com. Lineup notes come from Daily Faceoff.

NHL Betting Picks Today

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Boston Bruins vs. Buffalo Sabres

Sabres Moneyline (-105)

The Buffalo Sabres have a long climb back up the Atlantic Division standings. On Tuesday, they take on one of the teams they hope to catch, hosting the Boston Bruins. The B’s have kept their collective heads above water lately thanks to a 5-3-2 record, but more losses should start to pile up in Beantown.

Since its coaching change, Boston rates as one of the worst analytics teams in the league. They rank 20th in expected goals-for rating while posting negative relative metrics virtually across the board. Worse, we’ve seen them come more unglued over their more recent sample. Across their last seven, the Bruins have been outplayed on five occasions with a 43.8% expected goals-for rating.

Buffalo struggles to capitalize on its dominant on-ice play. Still, the Sabres remain positive regression candidates in the short term. They’ve produced a noteworthy 53.9% expected goals-for rating over their past five, outplaying their opponents in all but one of those contests. As a result, the Sabres are vastly out-performing their 1-4-0 record over that span.

This is an ideal spot to get a piece of the Sabres. We like their chances against a faltering Bruins side.

Washington Capitals vs. Calgary Flames

Capitals Moneyline (-142)

The Washington Capitals continue their five-game road trip with another Western Canadian stop. This time, the Caps pop into the Scotiabank Saddledome to take on the fiery Calgary Flames.

Calgary is coming off a decisive loss to the Winnipeg Jets on Sunday, and more losses should follow. The Flames have vastly overachieved lately relative to underlying metrics. Despite getting outplayed in five of their last six, the Flames have a respectable 3-3-0 record. That’s strengthened the imbalance between actual and expected metrics, putting them at risk of negative regression.

No team has the antidote to slow down the Capitals of late. The Metropolitan Division leaders have gone on a 7-1-2 run, strengthening their grip atop the division. Moreover, Washington has a 51.5% expected goals-for rating over its last six despite playing four of those games as the visitors.

Scheduling is the only factor working against the Caps in this one, but it shouldn't inhibit their chances against an underwhelming Flames side. We project an edge on the Capitals in this one.

Anaheim Ducks vs. Seattle Kraken

Ducks Moneyline (+134)

There’s still plenty of time for teams to make a run up the standings, and two Pacific Division foes take to the ice against each other in hopes of making the climb. The Anaheim Ducks travel north for a date with the Seattle Kraken, who will be skating on the second night of a back-to-back.

Anaheim is in fine form. The Ducks are coming off consecutive wins, out-scoring their opponents by a combined 10-3 margin. More importantly, those outcomes are backed up with a string of solid efforts. The Ducks have outplayed their opponents in three of five but remain below their expected goals-for total.

While Seattle has gone 4-3-0 over its past seven, those results are mostly unsubstantiated. The Kraken have been outplayed in all but two of those games, resulting in a dramatic shift between actual and expected metrics. Across the seven-game sample, their actual goals-for rating of 57.7% exceeds their expected value of 40.0%.

Inevitably, more losses should start to follow for the Kraken given their ineffective play. On that basis, we give the Ducks the edge in this Pacific Division battle.

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