NHL Picks Contest ($100 Prize): Toronto Maple Leafs at Phoenix Coyotes

NHL Picks Contest: Toronto Maple Leafs at Arizona Coyotes

Tuesday, Dec. 22nd It’s funny, but the Toronto Maple Leafs are everything the Arizona Coyotes want to be, right? History and prestige aside, the Toronto Maple Leafs have put a terrible team on the ice and still fill the arena. Oh, why can’t the Arizona Coyotes have the same loyal fans? Woe is the Phoenix Desert.

That said, while both teams are still pretty bad, the future is pretty bright. The Toronto Maple Leafs are still a destination for free agents, while the Arizona Coyotes are starting to assemble enough ...

NHL Picks: New Jersey Devils at Buffalo Sabres

NHL Picks: New Jersey Devils at Buffalo Sabres The New Jersey Devils struggle enough offensively as it is. With Adam Henrique and Travis Zajac out of the lineup, the New Jersey Devils were rather predictably shut out in their last contest. Still, Adam Henrique is skating and looks to return to the lineup tonight, and Cory Schneider is one of the best goalies in hockey. Even a modicum of offensive spark should be enough for New Jersey here.

The Buffalo Sabres aren’t as terrible as they were last year, but they haven’t been a viable threat in the East since ...

NHL Picks: New York Islanders at Columbus Blue Jackets

NHL Picks: New York Islanders at Columbus Blue Jackets I actually really like the Columbus Blue Jackets. It makes me happy that they have a goaltender that makes the Flyers look silly with every successful season he puts together. That said, this year is not going well for the Jackets. A coaching change may have given them a temporary boost, but they are in the midst of another slide.

The New York Islanders, on the other hand, are playing some really great hockey at the moment. They’ve got some serious top-line talent and one of the hottest goalies in hockey ...

NHL Picks: Chicago Blackhawks at Ottawa Senators

NHL Picks: Chicago Blackhawks at Ottawa Senators Supporting Patrick Kane is tough. He’s a rapist (allegedly and then not allegedly and now maybe allegedly again in a civil action). He beats up cab drivers (fact). He scores a point every single game (also fact). He’s on one of the most consistent teams in hockey over the last decade… But do ethics have a role in gambling? Doesn’t a part of you want this guy to fall flat on his face? Like how we kind of all are rooting for Michael Vick to break his leg again in some freak dog-related ...

NHL Picks: Buffalo Sabres at Detroit Red Wings

NHL Picks: Buffalo Sabres at Detroit Red Wings Don’t forget, today features a contest game between the Colorado Avalanche and New Jersey Devils! That game, obviously is not a system pick because I view it as something of a coin flip. The New Jersey Devils are hard to trust with their offense the way it is, and the Devils defense makes them a threat to beat anyone – especially the lowly Colorado Avalanche.

Here, I like the Detroit Red Wings at home. The Red Wings are a great team at home historically, and much of my analysis that led us ...

NHL Picks: Florida Panthers at Detroit Red Wings

NHL Picks: Florida Panthers at Detroit Red Wings I like the Florida Panthers. My greatest hockey memory is probably the double-overtime playoff thriller they hosted against my New Jersey Devils that began their (somewhat) improbable Stanley Cup run a few years ago. They’re young, they’ve got a goalie with personality, and they are on their way up towards sustained mediocrity from the depths of hockey despair a few years ago. You can root for the Florida Panthers, I just won’t be doing it here.

The Detroit Red Wings are the opposite of the upstart Florida Panthers. This is Hockey Town. ...

NHL Picks: New York Islanders at Florida Panthers

NHL Picks: New York Islanders at Florida Panthers This is far from an easy game but it’s hard to deny the value in a pick ’em line between the New York Islanders and the Florida Panthers. The Panthers are struggling right now while the New York Islanders are poised to be one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference this year.

Roberto Luongo makes the Florida Panthers a viable threat. Their young scoring is somewhat dangerous, and they compete. Still, I don’t think theFlorida Panthers should be even money in this one and I see a lot of value on the New York Islanders.

A weak Panthers defensive corps is going to struggle with some of the best scoring in hockey. Speed and skill are the Islanders’ signature the past few season and I think they’ll skate circles around the Panthers and generate a lot of chances. Sure, the Florida Panthers can win this one with goaltending, but I ...

NHL Picks Contest ($100 Prize): Colorado Avalanche at New Jersey Devils

Tuesday, Dec 1st

My biggest preseason wager this season was for the New Jersey Devils to finish with more than 71.5 points. So far, so good, as my Devils have found a way to win games despite having almost no offense whatsoever. Role players are stepping up, a good young defensive corps looks strong, and the goaltending has been reliable.

I also thought the Colorado Avalanche would have a tough time competing in the West. I didn’t think that they would be this awful, though. I merely thought that ...

NHL Picks: New York Rangers at Tampa Bay Lightning

NHL Picks: New York Rangers at Tampa Bay Lightning What happened to the Tampa Bay Lightning? Steven Stamkos, the most exciting forward in hockey? Ben Bishop, the goalie that made this amazing offense a viable threat to win games? This amazing offense? There have been injuries, but the Tampa Bay Lightning have really struggled this year and look to be in trouble already.

The New York Rangers are fulfilling expectations. I had them as the top team in the Metropolitan division and they’re cruising ahead of the rest of the pack. The Rangers are on an exciting win streak and ...

NHL Picks: Dallas Stars at Buffalo Sabres

Both teams are playing excellent hockey recently, but the Dallas Stars, to me, are the much better team. Even on the road taking on the Buffalo Sabres, I like the chances of a team with the type of depth and consistency that the Dallas Stars have. They can suffocate teams with their depth, and they can shock teams with a dynamic offense. Buffalo does not have the pieces to compete with them in either facet of the game.

There may be an element of fatigue here because the Dallas Stars are traveling across the ...