Top NHL Betting Picks of the Week (January 22, 2024)

Top NHL Betting Picks of the Week – January 22nd, 2024

By Hank Blaine • January 22, 2024

The Calgary Flames will be without forward Dillon Dube for the foreseeable future as he has taken an indefinite leave of absence to address his mental health, the team said Sunday. The 25-year-old has played in 43 of the team’s 46 games this season, totaling seven points (three goals, four assists), eight penalty minutes and a plus/minus of minus-13. He has an average time on ice of 11:09 per game. Here’s a look at two intriguing NHL matchups early this week.

Top NHL Betting Picks of the Week (January 22nd, 2024)

The Jets remain on top in the latest edition of @Dixononsports's NHL Power Rankings. ✈️

Full breakdown ➡️ https://t.co/TWc4hWScRM pic.twitter.com/QhXrmLKeGv
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) January 18, 2024

Florida Panthers vs. Nashville Predators

When: Monday, January 22nd, 2024, 8:00 PM ET
Where: Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, TN
TV: NHLPP, ESPN+
Radio: KWKW 1330 AM (Panthers) // 99.9 The Fan FM (Predators)
Live Stream: ESPN+
NHL Betting Odds: Panthers (-1.5) // Predators (+1.5)

The Panthers are on a season-high four-game losing streak and will be without star forward Aleksander Barkov as he will miss his third consecutive game with an unspecified lower-body injury. Florida (27-14-4) has dropped its past two games without Barkov — a 3-2 overtime loss to the New Jersey Devils and a 6-4 loss to the Minnesota Wild.

“We all wish he would be here,” said center Anton Lundell, who has taken on top-line duties in Barkov’s absence, “but we need to find a way to win even without him. …Whenever he’s feeling better, we’re happy to take him back.”

Barkov is second among Florida forwards on the team in average ice time (19:21), third in total time playing on the power play (134:20) and fourth in total time playing on the penalty kill (71:54) despite missing five games so far this season. His 35 assists lead the team, as does his plus-minus rating of plus-20.

Fellow forward William Lockwood was suspended for three games by the NHL Department of Player Safety on Saturday for goaltender interference on Minnesota’s Marc-Andre Fleury in Friday’s 6-4 loss to the Wild. Lockwood will be eligible to return Jan. 27 against the Islanders. He has an assist, 14 penalty minutes and 42 hits in 23 contests while averaging 8:22 of ice time this season.

Because Florida is a bit thin at forward, Mackie Samoskevich was recalled from AHL Charlotte on Sunday and likely will be in the lineup Monday. Samoskevich hasn’t picked up a point in three appearances with the Panthers this season.

Nashville comes off a 3-2 loss at Arizona on Saturday in which Roman Josi scored his 167th career goal and surpassed Shea Weber (166) for the most by a defenseman in Predators history. In the process, he also moved into sole possession of third place on the franchise’s all-time goals list. Filip Forsberg (261) and David Legwand (210) hold the first- and second-most, respectively. Josi’s ninth goal of the season additionally extended his point streak to six games (1g-8a).

“Shea has been such a huge inspiration for me as a player,” Josi said. “He was my first captain. I was able to play with him in my second year and played with him for a couple years and just learning from him and seeing him at the rink and off the ice, personally [the record] is pretty cool. He had a huge influence on my career, so I’m definitely grateful.”

It’s the first meeting of the season between the teams. Last year, the Preds won both meetings including 7-3 at home. Josi was the No. 1 star that night with a goal and two assists.

NHL Betting Pick: Predators

Columbus Blue Jackets vs. Edmonton Oilers

When: Tuesday, January 23rd, 2024, 9:00 PM ET
Where: Rogers Place, Edmonton, Canada
TV: NHLPP, ESPN+
Radio: 97.1 The Fan (Blue Jackets) // 104.5 The Team ESPN (Oilers)
Live Stream: ESPN+
NHL Betting Odds: TBA

The Oilers are the biggest story in the NHL right now as they are on a franchise-record 13-game winning streak following a 3-1 decision at Calgary on Saturday. It’s also the longest winning streak ever by a Canadian club. Sam Gagner, Ryan McLeod and Zach Hyman — into an empty net — scored against the Jackets and Stuart Skinner made 26 saves to help Edmonton break the tie with the 1967-68 Canadiens for the Canadian mark. The Pittsburgh Penguins set the NHL mark of 17 in 1992-93.

“It’s very cool,” netminder Stuart Skinner said of the record. “It’s a little bit surprising that it kind of took this long. There’s been so many great Canadian teams that have played, so I’m happy that were able to break it.”

The Oilers are the 12th team in NHL history, and second in as many seasons (New Jersey 13 GP in 2022-23), to post a win streak of 13-plus games. Edmonton also has established a franchise record with nine consecutive road wins. They are the second team this season to post a streak of at least that length following Los Angeles (11 GP) and now sit three contests shy of the longest road win streak in NHL history.

Skinner is 10-0-0 in his last 10 appearances and has tied franchise icon Grant Fuhr (10 GP in 1985-86) for the longest winning streak in franchise history. Skinner is one of seven active goaltenders to have posted a double-digit win streak following Sergei Bobrovsky (14 GP in 2016-17), Andrei Vasilevskiy (3x; longest: 12 GP in 2020-21), Marc-Andre Fleury (11 GP in 2010-11), Louis Domingue (11 GP in 2018-19), Jack Campbell (11 GP in 2020-21) and Vitek Vanecek (10 GP in 2022-23).

Edmonton has allowed two or fewer goals in 11 straight games.

“We’re not losing the games where we don’t score,” Hyman said. “I think that’s the difference. We’re playing sound defensively, we’re not cheating for offense and I think when you’re not scoring as much, it’s because you’re not giving up as much and I think that’s the key. So it’s good to be winning. It doesn’t matter how you win.”

The Oilers also made an addition on Sunday in signing future Hall of Fame winger and one-time Hart Trophy winner Corey Perry to a one-year deal. The 38-year-old had his contract terminated by the Chicago Blackhawks in November. After an internal investigation, the Blackhawks said Perry violated club policies in what was described as a workplace matter. General manager Kyle Davidson declined to disclose specifics but said it was not a criminal matter. Perry, in a statement, apologized for his “inappropriate and wrong” behavior and said he was entering professional treatment for alcohol abuse and mental health.

Columbus has been a disappointment this season at 14-22-9. Top forward Patrik Laine (collarbone) has resumed skating but his return doesn’t appear to be imminent. Laine is about five weeks into his recovery after initially being given a six-week timeline to return. The 25-year-old had nine points and a minus-10 rating through 18 games prior to the injury.

This is the first meeting of the season between the teams. Columbus won both last season in a surprise. Not this time.

NHL Betting Pick: Oilers

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