NHL Picks: Check the Trade News Before Wagering

Schedule Breakdown

Simply, here are the number of hockey games by night. 

• Monday - 5
• Tuesday – 10
• Wednesday – 6
• Thursday – 10

The schedule has some strange oddities. For one, there are five or more games on Monday and Wednesday. That is not a bad thing, to be honest. 

Then, Detroit and Ottawa play twice in a row. Why? Remember that snowstorm? Well, the makeup game is this week. So, yes, four games in five nights are in play. Again, the deadline and the jolts of what has and will happen to make this week a little south of sanity. Here are the teams in the dreaded back-to-back scenario.

• Detroit (Monday, Tuesday)
• Ottawa (Monday, Tuesday)
• Boston (Monday, Tuesday)
• Chicago (Monday, Tuesday)
• Arizona (Tuesday, Wednesday)
• Toronto (Wednesday, Thursday)
• Dallas (Wednesday, Thursday)

Also, again watch out for roster management this week. It will drive some fans and bettors insane. We want you to know even if it has to be repeated a few million times. 

The Early Week Landscape Is Wild

The schedule almost takes a backseat to a two-game series between the Detroit Red Wings and Ottawa Senators. 

Both teams are actively battling for one of the final wild card spots in the Eastern Conference. Ottawa and Detroit are four points apart. The Red Wings and Senators have games in hand, too.

If either team sweeps these two games, they will get a nice leg up on the rest of the week. That will keep things interesting. Better yet, do Steve Yzerman and Detroit buy? Are they close enough to a playoff spot? This early week back-to-back may give him the final advice he needs. 

The presumption is that Patrick Kane will be traded to the New York Rangers sometime this week. That could happen at any time. Also, the mix of trades, intrigue, and, yes, hockey make this a special time.

Colorado vs. New Jersey Coming Up

Wednesday gives us one heck of a clash in Colorado. Fresh after trading for Timo Meier, New Jersey goes on a road trip. Their first stop is to play the Avalanche. 

Colorado is missing a few players (Gabriel Landeskog and Cale Makar). However, their talent level is still Stanley Cup caliber.

Carolina and Vegas play each other in the late game on Wednesday as the Hurricanes still try to acquire more talent before the deadline. If one is betting, look at wagering on Carolina, as the Hurricanes are feeling the heat from New Jersey. 

Also, Vegas does struggle some at home. Carolina has as many road wins (18) as Vegas does at home. The difference is the Hurricanes have just four regulation losses on the road.

We remembered Thursday also offers some matchups between teams in the thick of the playoff race. Also, after Tampa Bay had their lunch handed to them by Pittsburgh on Sunday, they played again on Thursday. No one is saying to bet the farm on Tampa, but placing a wager to ride the Lightning is not bad. 

Finally, the Senators and Rangers play on Thursday, but the real headline grabber from a betting standpoint might be Toronto and Calgary. 

The Flames are in a final fight to make the playoffs. It gets more and more difficult by night. Every point counts, and the Leafs have won seven of their previous ten games going into the week. Toronto’s high pace makes them an attractive road bet. 

Some Quick Points To Consider

• Ottawa and Detroit likely split, with Ottawa winning tonight (-140).
• Colorado, in regulation, is plus money tonight over Vegas (+110).
• Colorado-New Jersey and Vegas-Carolina are the big games of the week.
• Timo Meier on the Devils' power play is scary. Bet New Jersey on Wednesday and the Over.
• Watch that New York and Ottawa game Thursday. Can the Rangers start to get things going truly? Better yet, do they acquire Kane by then?

Good luck, and once again, thanks for reading! We will carry some more plays on social media as conditions warrant.

Thanks to BetMGM for their great early-week lines and TSN for the convenient schedule. The “Coolest Game On Earth” is about to heat up.