NHL Picks for Today 1/8/2025

There are 4 games on the NHL schedule on Wednesday, including the Canucks in Washington, DC to face Alexander Ovechkin and the Capitals, the Avalanche at the United Center in Chicago to face the Blackhawks, and the Flames in Los Angeles to play the Kings who are proving to be really had to beat at Home. Here are your betting previews for these 4 matchups complete with Moneyline and Totals odds, Starting Times, TV coverage, Records, Trends, and NHL Picks for Today 1/8/2025: NHL Predictions from the Sides, Totals, and Puck Line markets.

Canucks vs Capitals Prediction

Washington (13-4-3 at Home) welcomes the Canucks (11-4-3 on Road) to Washington, DC on Wednesday night for an interconference skate. In the last 10 series meetings, Washington has gone 7-3 and this is a series, winning 4 of the last 5 (19 GF-12 GA). The Totals results have seen a 5-5-0 split with the Under clicking the last 3 (6, 5, 3). Alexander Ovechkin (872 Goals, 22 from tying Wayne Gretzky) and the hosts are 5-4-1 in the last 10 but have still scored the most Goals in the Eastern Conference (+40). Even though Vancouver is so good away from home, it is just 3-3-4 in its last 10, on a 2-game Losing Streak and playing 3 Time Zones (EST) and 2,900 miles and will be sleeping in a hotel. This Canucks vs Capitals pick backs the Home team with the series Trends going their way and who are playing better this season and lately. Pick: Capitals -162

Avalanche vs Blackhawks Prediction

Chicago (8-11-0 at Home) welcomes Cale Makar and Colorado (13-7-0 on Road) to the Windy City for this Central Division mismatch. In the last 10 series meetings, the Avalanche are 7-3, but going just 2-2-0 vs the Blackhawks in Chitown (15 GF-10 GA). The Under is a powerful 7-3-0, going 6-1 in the last 7 and 3-1 at the United Center (5, 5, 5, 10). This Avalanche vs Blackhawks pick is a no-brainer for me with Chicago an always-fade team at Home, on the Road, or on Mars. This team still has the worst Record in the NHL (13-25-2). The Avalanche are 15-0-1 after leading after 2 periods. Colorado ranks No. 4 in the league in Goals Per Game (3.40) while Chicago is second-to-last (2.53 gpg). Nathan MacKinnon and the Avalanche are No. 10 on Power Play Goals (23.6%) while Chicago is No. 28 in Goaltending (3.53 GAA). Pick: Avalanche -1.5 +105

Panthers vs Utah Hockey Club Prediction

Utah Hockey Club (5-7-4 at Home) plays host to Florida (12-7-1 on Road) in this interconference date in the Beehive State. The first season playing in Salt Lake City is getting a bit ugly, with the future Utah Yeti having just 5 Wins at Home—the fewest in the NHL and pretty sad for a team that moved from Phoenix where they played in three different arenas. This is the first meeting between UHC and Florida, but when they were the Desert Dogs, the Black Cats went 12-9 and won the last 3 skates (15 GF-6 GA), all by 2 Goals or more. This Panthers vs Utah Hockey Club sides strongly with the visitors who lead the NHL in Short-Handed Goals (10), Utah has just 2. Pick: Panthers -135

Flames vs Kings Prediction

Los Angeles (14-2-0 at Home) has been phenomenal at Home at Crypto.com Arena, and Calgary (5-8-4 on Road) has been bad out of Canada and is slumping of late (4-4-2 L10, Lost 2). In the last 10 series meetings in this Pacific Division series, the Flames are 6-4 with the Home team going 9-1-0 with the hosts winning 9 straight. For the Kings, that means a 4-0-0 run (21 GF-9 GA) with explosive Goal games where they scored 4, 4, 5, and 8. The Over is 6-4-0 in that span, with 2 straight Unders and 3 of 5 Overs in Lalaland. This Flames vs Kings pick will keep it simple and back G Darcy Kuemper (11-2-5, 2.23 GAA) and Los Angeles. Pick: Kings -238

Wednesday Parlay: Capitals, Avalanche, Panthers, Kings