NHL Picks: What to Make of Calgary, Vancouver, Montreal and Winnipeg?

Calgary Flames Go Upside Down?

The Flames went upside down this offseason. Brad Treliving could not re-sign Johnny Gaudreau, and Matthew Tkachuk was traded to the Florida Panthers. After all the craziness, the general manager got Jonathan Huberdeau and MacKenzie Weegar in return, along with picks and a prospect. 

Treliving extended both Huberdeau and Weegar for eight seasons. The Flames still have the Edmonton Oilers and Los Angeles Kings to worry about in the Pacific Division. Did Jacob Markstrom get over his fear of both? 

Ontario Sports Bettors should consider Stanley Cup futures for Calgary if they go north of 16. It is OK not to bet on something. Do not wager for the sake of wagering.

Player props are a bit questionable with Calgary, too. However, Tyler Toffoli Over 21.5 goals feels more like a lock at 1.85. There is an outside chance Toffoli could come closer to 30 goals this year. Having Nazem Kadri on the team will only help create space for the winger. 

Canadian sports bettors should be cautious with players like Jonathan Huberdeau. His 115-point “breakout” will not happen again in Calgary. That is fine. Does the forward get to 90 points? It has happened once before. The Under on 28.5 goals at 1.85 may prove a better bet. Huberdeau’s career-high is only 30, and Calgary has more finishers, so assists could be in the 60+ range again. Watch to see if a prop opens for assists anywhere.

Finally, do not look at Darryl Sutter for the Jack Adams award. He won “Coach Of The Year” last year. That will not happen again. Bet the bank on that one.

Anyway, to sum things up, lean the following: 

• Jonathan Huberdeau Under 28.5 goals at 1.85
• Tyler Toffoli Over 21.5 goals at 1.85
• Nazem Kadri Over 24.5 goals at 1.85
• Elias Lindholm Over 72.5 points at 1.85

Next up is the Vancouver Canucks. 

Vancouver Canucks Betting Preview

Again, short and sweet is our goal here. The Canucks played at a playoff-point pace under Bruce Boudreau. Now, the question becomes can they do that over the whole season? 

Vancouver management found a way to extend J.T. Miller for seven years. Again, no bettor cares about that new deal now. The 2022-23 campaign is the concern. Is Miller an 80 or 100-point player? The answer seems closer to the former than what happened last year. Taking the Under of 28.5 goals at 1.86 is not a bad idea. 

Besides, Miller has only scored more than that last season. If one thinks that can happen again, keep dreaming! The winger will come close, but 50-60 assists or more is a good deal, more likely. 

Ontario Sports Bettors should look around when it comes to Vancouver. Making the playoffs at 1.86 is a decent number. That has lengthened a little from 1.75 earlier in the offseason. This may head closer to that 1.75 level if Thatcher Demko and Co. get off to a hot start.

Some Canadian Sports Bettors asked what about Elias Pettersson. A 30-30 season is quite likely again. We will bite here on the Over of 30.5 goals and Over of 70.5 points with Pettersson. If healthy, 35 goals and 75+ points are possible in Bruce Boudreau’s system. 

Props and bets to consider would be:

• Elias Pettersson Over 30.5 goals and Over 70.5 points at 1.85
• J.T. Miller Under 28.5 goals at 1.85
• Vancouver Canucks Yes on the playoffs at 1.86

Montreal Canadiens: What To Think?

We didn't forget about the Canadiens. The goal is to have an open mind regarding teams, not expecting much from a results standpoint. Montreal is not coming anywhere close to making the playoffs. 

There are so many risks with a Martin St. Louis-coached team. Montreal will be entertaining, and the Canadiens will give up a lot of goals. They might score a few more. 

Cole Caufield scored 22 goals in his final 37 games last year for Montreal. Seeing an Over of 30.5 goals is like dangling a carrot. It is worth a small wager at 1.85. If one believes Caufield can get 25+ helpers, parlay the Over of 55.5 points. 

Then, there is Brendan Gallagher. He scored just seven goals in 56 games last year. Gallagher converted shots at a meager 4.9%. If the forward is remotely healthy, that will not happen this year. A few years back, Gallagher shot at just 5.3%, then bounced back with 31 goals. While the Montreal forward may not break 30 goals, 20 is not unreasonable. The Over set at 16.5 is not a bad number. 

Some Montreal numbers to bet on: 

• Cole Caufield Over 30.5 goals and Over 55.5 points at 1.85
• Brendan Gallagher Over 16.5 goals at 1.85
• Montreal Canadiens Under 72.5 points at 1.94

Last but not least is the Winnipeg Jets. 

Winnipeg Jets - The Fast, Fast, Fast Version

The Winnipeg Jets were like a rudderless ship last season, so Rick Bowness was brought in to do the right things. Bowness has a reputation for being a more defensive coach. While that is music to the ears of Connor Hellebuyck, it likely may not be for some of the younger forwards. Blake Wheeler was stripped of the captaincy, with lower expectations for the Jets. 

Canadian sports bettors should be concerned. Dallas drove Rick Bowness out for a reason. Things did get stale quickly. Yes, they hired Pete DeBoer, which was equally wrong. That is for another time. The Jets managed 89 points, and their total is 88.5 points this year. Winnipeg has 2.68 odds of making the playoffs. A slight drop is for the taking here.

Teams are better overall in the West, and Winnipeg plays more of a spread in opponents. Those games will make a difference by just pushing them to the Under. Kyle Connor, the team’s leading scorer, may be forced to play more defense. That could move his numbers to the Under as well. 46.5 goals is a bit high and worth a fractional-unit wager, with the points total set at 89.5. Both are at 1.85, by the way. Winnipeg could struggle to score goals this year and might be sellers at the deadline. Keep that in mind.

Some more bets:

• Winnipeg Jets NO on the playoffs at 1.52
• Kyle Connor Under 46.5 goals and Under 89.5 points at 1.85
• Mark Scheifele Under 76.5 points at 1.85
• Winnipeg Jets Under 88.5 points at 1.85

It is hard to believe that the hockey season on the North American side is just a day away. Good luck, everyone, and start your betting!