NHL Picks Today: 5 NHL Best Bets and Player Props for Thursday 4/16/26

Best NHL Bets Summary

• Oilers -1.5
• Avalanche -1.5
• Kings moneyline
• Mammoth moneyline
• Sharks +1.5

Whether it's moneylines, goal props, or who lights the lamp, there are plenty of ways to bet on 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 player prop projections, which are powered by numberFire.

Let's dive into the best bets for tonight.

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

Today's Best NHL Betting Picks and Props

Oilers -1.5 (-122) vs. Canucks

Edmonton is 40-30-11 and 21-14-5 at home, while Vancouver is 25-48-8 and just 16-21-3 away. The season series also leans Edmonton 2-1, including a 6-0 Oilers win in the last decisive meeting.

The team-stat gap supports the favorite. Vancouver is scoring only 2.58 goals per game and allowing 3.80, while Edmonton is scoring 3.41 per game and running a 30.1% power play. Even without Leon Draisaitl, that special-teams edge is enormous against a Canucks penalty kill sitting at 72.0%.

Projected lineups matter here too. Connor Ingram is listed as Edmonton’s expected goalie, with Connor McDavid centering the top power-play group, while Vancouver is projected to start Kevin Lankinen and is still without Thatcher Demko and Derek Forbort. That is a big burden on a Canucks team already short on finishing talent.

Avalanche -1.5 (+142) vs. Kraken

Colorado has the best statistical profile on Thursday’s slate. The Avalanche are 54-16-11 overall, 25-9-6 at home, and lead the regular-season series 2-0 over Seattle. They have beaten the Kraken 5-3 and 5-1 already this season.

This matchup is lopsided on both ends. Colorado is averaging 3.65 goals per game and allowing 2.43, while Seattle is at 2.77 scored and 3.15 allowed. The shot profile also favors Colorado heavily: 33.7 shots for per game against only 26.2 allowed, compared with Seattle’s 25.6 for and 29.4 against.

The injury report makes it even tougher for Seattle. Joey Daccord, Philipp Grubauer, Matt Murray, Jared McCann, Jaden Schwartz, and Jared McCann are listed as out. Colorado has a few day-to-day names, but it still projects Scott Wedgewood, who carries a 2.07 GAA and .920 save percentage, and the MacKinnon-led first unit is intact.

Kings Moneyline (-146) at Flames

This is one of the more interesting NHL picks for April 16 because Calgary leads the season series 2-1, but the Kings still look like the better bet. Los Angeles is 35-26-20 and a strong 20-9-11 away from home, while Calgary is 33-39-9 despite a solid 22-13-5 home record. Books still make the Kings the road favorite in the -140 range.

The biggest reason is Calgary’s offense. The Flames average just 2.53 goals per game, one of the weaker marks on the slate, while Los Angeles allows only 2.90. Adrian Kempe leads the Kings with 73 points and 36 goals, and Calgary’s leading scorer is Matt Coronato with only 44 points. That is a major difference in finishing talent.

Projected goalies also help the Kings case. Anton Forsberg is listed as the expected starter for Los Angeles and Dustin Wolf for Calgary. Calgary also has several day-to-day or out names on defense and wing, including Kevin Bahl, Matt Coronato, Zach Whitecloud, Jake Bean, and Jonathan Huberdeau on IR.

Mammoth Moneyline (+106) vs. Blues

Utah is not the flashiest side on the slate, but it is one of the steadier ones. The Mammoth are 43-32-6 overall and 22-15-3 at home, compared with St. Louis at 36-33-12 and just 16-19-5 on the road. Utah also leads the season series 2-1.

The top-end playmakers lean Utah. Clayton Keller has 86 points and 60 assists, Dylan Guenther has 40 goals, and Utah’s projected first power-play group includes Keller, Guenther, Logan Cooley, and Mikhail Sergachev. St. Louis has Robert Thomas at 61 points and Jimmy Snuggerud coming off a two-goal game, but the Blues’ offense is not as deep at the top.

There is also a center-depth issue for Utah, with Barrett Hayton and Jack McBain out, but the market still favors the Mammoth slightly and the home/series split points their way. Vitek Vanecek will start for Utah and Joel Hofer for St. Louis, which keeps the matchup fairly stable in net.

Sharks +1.5 (-196) at Jets

This is my favorite underdog angle among Thursday’s NHL betting picks. San Jose leads the season series 2-0, both by 2-1 scores, and Macklin Celebrini has been one of the league’s breakout stars with 112 points, including 44 goals and 68 assists.

Winnipeg is still favored because it has home ice and Connor Hellebuyck projected in goal, but the Jets are banged up. Alex Iafallo, Neal Pionk, Elias Salomonsson, Gustav Nyquist, and Vladislav Namestnikov are listed as day-to-day.

San Jose’s projected top power-play group is still dangerous even on the road, with Celebrini, Tyler Toffoli, Will Smith, Alexander Wennberg, and Luca Cagnoni. The Sharks are not perfect away from home, but against a Jets team on a losing streak and already beaten twice in the matchup, the puck-line cushion is attractive.

New to FanDuel Sportsbook? You'll receive $250 in Bonus Bets if your first $5+ bet wins! See here for full terms and conditions. Learn about today's other offers at FanDuel Sportsbook Promos.

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

Sign up for FanDuel Sportsbook and FanDuel Daily Fantasy today!

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.