NHL Picks: Will Scoring Pick up This Week?

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Chris Wassel

Last Updated: Feb 13, 2023

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NHL Picks: Will Scoring Pick up This Week?

After Super Bowl weekend, the NHL schedule gets a boost, thanks to NBA All-Star Weekend. The good news is that every slate features at least five games. That goes for Wednesday and Sunday, too (both have a half-dozen contests).

Schedule Breakdown

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

Monday - 5
Tuesday – 9
Wednesday – 6
Thursday – 8

OK, do we see Jakob Chychrun finally get moved to Los Angeles? That could come down anytime during the day on Monday.

Then, some teams play back-to-backs, and also below, we look at any three games in four-night scenarios.

Ottawa (Monday, Tuesday)
Florida (Monday, Tuesday)
Tampa Bay (Tuesday, Wednesday)
Chicago (Tuesday, Wednesday)
Colorado (Tuesday, Wednesday)
Detroit (Wednesday, Thursday)

Also, we kept the Monday-Tuesday scenario to help bettors that another Florida team plays early in the week on two consecutive nights. Tampa Bay does it again this week as the Lightning go up against Colorado first and then Arizona. Expect Andrei Vasilevskiy to get the nod in Colorado, with the goaltender getting some rest in Arizona. Then again, never say never.

Gazing At the Early Week Landscape

The schedule is more spread out than usual. There exist fewer yo-yo effects. Some of these road trips could be good. New Jersey gets to play in Columbus and St. Louis. For those wondering, the ESPN game on Thursday comes from St. Louis. Also, the Blues are on ESPN+ Tuesday against Florida.

This week tests some souls because Colorado entertains Tampa, then heads to Minnesota. As we keep an eye on injuries, Ottawa is now without Anton Forsberg for the rest of the season. That is after it was confirmed that the goaltender tore his MCL on both knees.

Could scoring start bouncing back some more this week? At first, scoring was down some. Then, Saturday and Sunday showed an uptick in the goals. As teams enjoy more rest, the quality of hockey should edge upward. There becomes a growing sense of increased scoring and goaltenders making fewer saves.

Will Jack Hughes Give it a Go on Thursday?

Florida and St. Louis should fire up some goals for offense as a Tuesday appetizer. However, St. Louis and New Jersey can be even more insane. With the contest again being on ESPN, does Jack Hughes give it a go? Hughes accompanied the Devils on this road trip. Just because he did not play in Minnesota is not a significant concern.

While San Jose and Erik Karlsson face off against Pittsburgh on Tuesday, their big game may be the one in Vegas. Adin Hill expects to start for the injured Logan Thompson (week-to-week with a lower-body issue).

We remembered games like Florida and Washington, along with Boston and Nashville. Again, fewer back-to-backs need to be quiet. Ideally, this time of year is about spreading the love and enjoying well-placed wagers.

Some Quick Points To Consider Before Betting

Does Bo Horvat keep on finding ways to score? Does Anthony Beauvillier do the same for Vancouver?
Tampa Bay plays in Arizona on Wednesday. A back end of a back-to-back should elevate the Over/Under.
Also, San Jose and Vegas are arguably the game of the week.
Erik Karlsson's props are just almost automatic again.
Pick on Montreal a little as they battle Chicago and then Carolina. Carolina might try to acquire a forward, but do they need to call up Kotchekov? Hmmm.

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. Last but not least, enjoy Valentine’s Day, the love, and yes, all the red lamps err goals.