NHL Playoffs Picks: Minnesota Wild at St. Louis Blues

NHL Playoffs Hockey Picks: Minnesota Wild at St. Louis Blues

I don’t really mind Jake Allen being named the starter tonight, even if he was primarily a backup all season. He posted 22-7-4 record and has been exceptional of late. In fact, I think he gives St. Louis an edge because their platoon has faltered in the playoffs and going with the hot hand is the right strategy here.

On the flip side, Devan Dubnyk has given the Minnesota Wild some stability in net this year. While I have never been impressed with him overall, he’s stood out this season ...

NHL Picks: Edmonton Oilers at Minnesota Wild

The Minnesota Wild have been good to us lately. They’ve consistently defeated teams they should be beating, and we’ve made some money on their most recent run. You could feel the momentum building up and the playoff push beginning. It was a great time to back them, and they’ve come through. The Edmonton Oilers are a team the Minnesota Wild should beat. That said, -280 has very limited value for me in hockey.

I like the Wild here, but I’m looking for parlay value and will be conservative with my money line wager. ...

NHL Picks: Minnesota Wild at Edmonton Oilers

The Edmonton Oilers are playing good hockey by their standards. Realistically, even with the Boston Bruins hurting the way they are right now, that was still an impressive win. That said, the Minnesota Wild are playing much better hockey than Boston right now, and I don’t see them letting this one slip away.

Quite simply, if you got in early enough, there’s value here. -160 was my opening line, and even early this morning we had -170. The movement continues to rise, which is a sign of Vegas fearing public money. I like ...

NHL Picks: Minnesota Wild at Edmonton Oilers

NHL Picks: Minnesota Wild at Edmonton Oilers This is a juicy line. It’s probably a trap. The Minnesota Wild have been stumbling, so the gap here is not as large as it might have seemed a month ago. The Oilers finished the first half strong.

That said, this is still a team with a lot of holes. While the Edmonton Oilers are learning, and possibly even improving, they are still that same team that crumbled through the first half of the year on lengthy losing streaks of epic proportion.

The Minnesota Wild are underachieving. This has not been the season they ...

NHL Picks: Anaheim Ducks at Minnesota Wild

NHL Picks: Anaheim Ducks at Minnesota Wild I want to be clear from the start. I’ve got no plays in my system. I also want to bring your attention to our free contest – the first game is tomorrow and the winner gets $100. No risk, might as well participate! Comment on the post pinned to the top of our Facebook page to participate.

So, with no system plays, I almost pulled the trigger on this one, but I couldn’t do it. I lean to the Anaheim Ducks, but I don’t have money on it. That said, it looks like the strongest ...

2014 NHL Predictions: Chicago Blackhawks Return to Central Division Glory

2014 NHL Predictions: Central Division Preview – Chicago Blackhawks, Colorado Avalanche, and St. Louis Blues

One of the dumbest things about the realignment the NHL did last year is that two of the divisions only have seven teams in them. Though their road to the playoffs is comparatively easier with one less team to leap frog, their travel considerations and the talent of these divisions seem to balance things out. The Minnesota Wild spent a lot of money getting back into the playoffs, the Dallas Stars snuck in as the other wild card, and the Colorado Avalanche rose to the top of the division. Meanwhile, the Chicago Blackhawks continued their winning ways and the St. Louis Blues’ defensive system continued to win, getting better after the addition of Ryan Miller (now with the Canucks). With the Preds adding James Neal and getting Pekka Rinne healthy, they should be much improved too. Simply put, the Central Division is loaded.

1. Chicago ...

NHL Playoffs Bracket Round Two: Penguins, Bruins, Blackhawks, Ducks

NHL Playoffs Picks, Round Two: Penguins, Bruins, Ducks, Blackhawks

Most of our bracket is still alive, and both Game Seven losses were destined to fall in the next round anyway so we’re in great shape if anyone followed for their office pools. We also hit three series lengths exactly, and would have had four if the Sharks pulled through. All in all we nailed the first round, but it only gets harder from here.

New York Rangers Vs Pittsburgh Penguins

Pittsburgh reminds me a lot of a cat playing with a mouse. Sure, they could kill it rather easily, but it’s more fun to come out of your net with a one-goal lead in the final 20 seconds, misplay the puck, go to overtime and lose on the first shot from the blue line. The cat often lets the mouse get away and rarely seems to care, but I’d rather be the cat than the mouse here. Pittsburgh has ...

NHL Playoffs Picks, Game Seven: Rangers Flyers, Sharks Kings, Avs Wild

NHL Playoffs Picks: Game Seven Predictions – Rangers Flyers, Sharks Kings, Avs Wild

I’m sticking to my bracket and my basic strategy of flat betting, so these picks should come as no surprise. We’re one more night away from a perfect bracket. Let’s hope these guys can close it out at home.

Rangers over Flyers – I think the back to back helps the deeper team and I trust the Rangers here. I think they have an edge in every major category and should win at home.

I’m on New York. 3-1

Sharks over Kings – Can San Jose really blow this lead and continue their playoff struggles? Maybe these guys just aren’t clutch? I mean all they have is Olympic champions and a Stanley Cup winner in net… that must be it! No, I think the Sharks played well, stole one on the road, then had one stolen back. This isn’t as dramatic as people are making it, and ...

NHL Picks: Boston Bruins and St. Louis Blues Parlay Prediction

I don’t usually recommend parlays as part of a successful system. In most cases, they’re not profitable long term. Few experts are able to rely on them successfully (though a few of them work for us at Z-Code). For me, it represents an unnecessary danger and long-term risk that I avoid.

Here, however, with the lines as sharp as they are down the stretch, I think there’s value. I’m on a parlay here that has strong Z-Code support, but limited value by themselves.

I am a little nervous because the Minnesota ...

NHL Picks and Predictions: Minnesota Wild at Phoenix Coyotes

NHL Picks and Predictions – Minnesota Wild at Phoenix Coyotes

I don’t like the Coyotes anymore. It’s a personal vendetta and I admit it openly. I rode them last year to incredible profits, but I’ve chosen to cut ties with them. I hate the Phoenix Coyotes.

Another personal choice is betting for the Devils every game. It won despite no Z-Code support yesterday, so if you don’t trust me and my angst, let that be proof that it does work at least once in a while.

Z-Code is on the Phoenix Coyotes. One parameter gives a strong signal of 63% ...