NHL Picks: 4 NHL Best Bets, Predictions and Props for Opening Night (Sept. 29)

Top NHL Picks at a Glance

• Montreal Canadiens Moneyline (-104)
• Cole Caufield Anytime Goal Scorer (+140)
• Boston Bruins Moneyline (-118)
• Edmonton Oilers -1.5 (-110)

The wait is over. The 2026-27 NHL regular season gets underway Tuesday with a five-game opening-night slate featuring several marquee matchups.

The defending Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes raise their banner before hosting the Florida Panthers, while the Canadiens-Maple Leafs and Rangers-Bruins renew Original Six rivalries. The night concludes with two intriguing Western Conference matchups as the Canucks visit the Oilers and the Blackhawks travel to Vegas.

Which bets stand out on the first night of the new season? Let's dive into four NHL best bets for Tuesday.

NHL odds come from FanDuel Sportsbook and may change after this article is published.

NHL Predictions Opening Night: Best Picks and Props

Montreal Canadiens Moneyline (-104)

Canadiens vs. Maple Leafs, 7 p.m. ET

The Montreal Canadiens are coming off a 48-24-10 campaign in which they accumulated 106 points and advanced all the way to the Eastern Conference Final, while the Toronto Maple Leafs finished just 32-36-14 and missed the postseason.

The Canadiens were especially impressive away from home, posting a 24-9-8 road record, and they return a core headlined by Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield and Juraj Slafkovsky.

Toronto made significant changes over the offseason, including bringing in Sergei Bobrovsky and No. 1 overall pick Gavin McKenna, so there could be an adjustment period for a new-look roster.

Montreal also won the final three meetings between these clubs last season, and getting the Canadiens around even money catches my eye given the gap between these teams in 2025-26.

Cole Caufield Anytime Goal Scorer (+140)

Canadiens vs. Maple Leafs, 7 p.m. ET

Caufield remains one of the league's most reliable high-volume shooters, and I like him to open his goal account on opening night.

The Canadiens’ winger recorded 258 shots across 81 games last season, an average of roughly 3.2 per contest, while scoring 51 goals for Montreal.

Toronto surrendered 32.45 shots per game last year, so this matchup should provide Caufield with opportunities to fire away, particularly with Montreal's top line remaining intact.

He has also averaged 3.60 shots per game over his career against Toronto, giving us both a strong volume profile and a favorable opponent-specific history.

All in all, I think this is a good spot for him to net a goal.

Boston Bruins Moneyline (-118)

Rangers vs. Bruins, 8 p.m. ET

The Boston Bruins quietly put together a strong 2025-26 regular season, going 45-27-10 while earning 100 points and returning to the playoffs.

The Bruins were particularly good at TD Garden, where they won 29 games, and Jeremy Swayman rebounded to finish 31-18-4 with a 2.71 goals-against average and .908 save percentage.

The New York Rangers, meanwhile, stumbled to a 34-39-9 record and finished last in the Metropolitan Division before undergoing substantial roster turnover this summer. The additions of Pavel Dorofeyev, Oliver Bjorkstrand and Sean Durzi give the Rangers more upside, but Boston's home-ice advantage and more stable returning structure make the Bruins an enticing bet at these odds.

Edmonton Oilers -1.5 (-110)

Canucks vs. Oilers, 10 p.m. ET

Rather than laying close to -300 on the Edmonton Oilers‘ moneyline, the puck line offers a more appealing way to back the Oilers against the Vancouver Canucks.

The Canucks went just 25-49-8 last season and finished last in the NHL with 314 goals allowed, while their 71.5% penalty kill also ranked at the bottom of the league. That is an especially rough matchup against an Edmonton power play that converted 30.6% of its opportunities last season, and the Oilers will open the year with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl together on their top line.

Edmonton won three of four meetings with Vancouver last season and closed the season series with victories of 6-0 and 6-1, giving the Oilers plenty of demonstrated blowout potential in this matchup.

NHL Betting -- Frequently Asked Questions

What is the moneyline in NHL betting?

The moneyline is a straight-up bet on which team will win the game — no spread involved. Favorites are listed with a negative number (e.g., -160), meaning you'd need to wager $160 to win $100. Underdogs carry a positive number (e.g., +140), meaning a $100 bet returns $140 in profit.

What is the puck line?

The puck line is hockey's version of a point spread. It is almost always set at 1.5 goals. The favorite must win by two or more goals to cover, while the underdog can lose by one goal and still cover.

How does the over/under (total) work in hockey?

FanDuel sets a total number of goals for the game (including overtime and shootout goals). You bet whether the actual combined score will go Over or Under that number. NHL totals typically range from 5.5 to 6.5 goals. The shootout winner will have a goal added to their total. For example, if the score is 2-2 after regulation, and one team wins the shootout, the final score for settlement purposes is 3-2. However, some prop bets are settled on regulation time only — always check the specific rules for each bet at your sportsbook.

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Which NHL bets stand out to you today? Check out FanDuel Sportsbook's NHL odds to see the full menu of options.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.