3 NHL Best Bets and Predictions for Sunday 12/8/24

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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Columbus Blue Jackets vs. Winnipeg Jets

Over 6.5 (+110)

The Columbus Blue Jackets conclude their five-game road trip with a Sunday tilt against the Winnipeg Jets. Things haven’t gone well for the Blue Jackets on their road trip. The Metropolitan Division representatives have dropped three of their first four games with all but one going over the total. That high-scoring trend should persist for at least one more game against a gassed Jets squad.

Defense isn’t a priority for Winnipeg. They've abandoned defensive responsibility over the past few seasons, trusting Connor Hellebuyck to offset their defensive shortcomings. However, Hellebuyck was between the pipes for Saturday’s tilt versus the Chicago Blackhawks, meaning Eric Comrie will likely get the tap versus Columbus. Comrie doesn’t possess the same skillset as Hellebuyck, posting a 90.3 save percentage and 3.04 goals against average. More concerningly, the Jets have given up at least 11 high-danger chances in six of their past eight.

Similarly, Columbus has fallen apart in its own end recently. Three of their past five opponents have recorded at least 13 high-danger chances, resulting in 19 goals against across the five-game sample. The Jackets’ offense is doing what they can to offset those defensive issues, tallying 16 goals over the same span.

All signs point to a high-scoring affair in Winnipeg. While there may also be value in backing the Blue Jackets to pull off the upset, the most significant edge lies in backing this one to go over the total.

Colorado Avalanche vs. New Jersey Devils

Devils Moneyline (-160)

The Colorado Avalanche have been mired in a slump early this season. Their 15-13-0 record has relegated them to the middle of the Central Division standings, and their metrics don’t paint a rosier picture. That puts them at a pronounced disadvantage against the upstart New Jersey Devils on Sunday night.

The Avs continue to put forward lackluster efforts. They haven’t out-chanced their opponents in high-danger chances since November 29, yielding a 40.6% high-danger chance rating over their past four games. That ineffective play correlates with an increase in goals against. Opponents have totaled 14 goals over that four-game sample with 10 coming at five-on-five. Surely, the Devils will be ready to take advantage at home.

New Jersey has been one of the most proficient analytics teams in the league this year. They rank third in expected goals-for-percentage, a rating that has risen over the past week. The Devils have outplayed their opponents in five of their past six, generating a jaw-dropping 64.6% eGF rating. That success is being driven by elite offensive play. The Metropolitan Division contenders are averaging 12.5 quality chances per game over their last six while exceeding 13 opportunities in all but two of those contests.

The Avs goaltending situation amplifies the Devils’ outlook. Colorado deployed primary netminder Alexandar Georgiev in Saturday’s outing, meaning Scott Wedgewood is the probable starter against the Devils. So far this season, Wedgewood is only stopping 89.3% of shots, which is unlikely to improve with the Avalanche’s current defensive standing.

In reconciling the betting line with these teams’ analytics profiles, we see an edge in backing the Devils.

Calgary Flames vs. Dallas Stars

Under 5.5 (+108)

Goals will be at a premium when the Dallas Stars and Calgary Flames take to the ice at the American Airlines Center. Both teams prioritize a defense-first approach, which should help this Western Conference tilt stay beneath the total.

Dallas and Calgary both rank as top-12 defenses, reputations that are evident over their more recent samples. The Stars have held 8 of their past 11 opponents to nine or fewer high-danger chances. Similarly, scoring chances have been in short supply with only one of their previous four opponents topping 21 scoring opportunities. Likewise, Calgary has allowed more than nine quality chances in two of its last seven.

Predictably, those stout defensive metrics align with some pronounced low-scoring trends. Calgary has stayed beneath the total in 17 of 27 games this season, with the Stars going 14-9-3 to the under. Moreover, Dallas has gone under in four straight and eight of 12 home games.

The plus-money betting price amplifies the advantage in taking the under. With both teams prioritizing their defensive structure, this intra-conference battle should stay beneath the total.

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