The National Hockey League (NHL) has a total of nine games on the schedule for Thursday night. The Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins battle at 7:30 p.m. ET in the first game of a doubleheader on ESPN+/hulu, while the Florida Panthers and Los Angeles Kings battle at 10 p.m. ET in the second game.
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NHL Betting Picks & Parlays: Canadiens vs Devils Insight + Capitals vs Penguins Value Plays
For the latest NHL Odds, including NHL Futures and NHL player props, visit RotoWire's NHL Betting page. For up-to-date NHL player news and NHL Injury Report info, head to RotoWire's NHL Lineups page. You can find more picks at Bookies.com/picks. Here are our NHL Best Bets today, featuring expert NHL picks for an action-packed slate of games.
NHL Betting Picks: Canadiens vs Devils & Capitals vs Penguins
Montreal Canadiens 
at New Jersey Devils 
The Canadiens (9-3-1) versus the Devils (9-4-0) is actually an early-season marquee game, as both teams have really been playing well this season.
Montreal has had a flair for the dramatic lately, playing into overtime or a shootout in each of the past three games, going 2-1-0 in those outings. It lost 5-4 in a shootout against the Philadelphia Flyers last time out as the Over (5.5) cashed for the fifth consecutive game.
In that five-game span, the Habs have scored four or more goals, averaging 4.2 goals per game (GPG) during the impressive span. Montreal has also allowed three or more goals in each of the games, or 4.0 GPG. The Canadiens have scored three or more goals in 11 of the past 12 games, too.
Canadiens Nick Suzuki has been hot all season, going for three goals and 19 points with a plus-12 rating in 12 games, and he has nine power-play points in the span. Cole Caufield has posted three goals and six points in the past three games, too, while Lane Hutson is good for a goal and nine points.
Jakub Dobes (6-0-0, 1.97 GAA, .930 save percentage) is confirmed to start in Thursday's game, as Sam Montembeault allowed four goals on 42 shots in the SOW against the Flyers.
The Devils are expected to turn to Jacob Markstrom (3-2-0, 4.17 GAA, .875 save percentage) in net. Unlike Montreal, New Jersey has struggled with just a single win in the past four games, all on a Western Conference road trip. It is back home for the first time since a 4-3 OTW against the Colorado Avalanche on Oct. 26.
New Jersey has won all five games on home ice this season, outscoring the opposition 19-9, while the Under has a slight 3-2 edge due to the goals allowed.
The Devils have won four in a row in the series, and six of the past seven outings. The Over is 3-1 in the past four games. Even though the Devils have been dominant in the series recently, as well as playing impeccably on home ice, playing Dobes and the Habs at plus-money as moderate underdogs is too tempting to pass up. We'll go low on the total, too.
- Canadiens ML (+135 at ESPN Bet Sportsbook)
- Under 6.5 Goals (-125 at DraftKings and ESPN Bet Sportsbooks)
Don't make any bets on your favorite sports betting apps without first consulting the latest NHL odds.
Washington Capitals 
at Pittsburgh Penguins 
The Capitals (7-5-1) and Penguins (8-4-2) meet at PPG Paints Arena at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN+/hulu.
These teams split the season series in 2024-25, while the Penguins hold a slight 5-4 advantage in the past nine in the series, with the favorite cashing in three in a row, and 7-3 across the past 10 in the series since Jan. 26, 2023.
Washington pounded St. Louis 6-1 on Tuesday, as Alex Ovechkin netted goal No. 900 for his career. The win halted a 0-3-1 skid, and the Caps had scored just five goals in the span before the six-goal explosion.
This is the fourth time the Caps are playing with no rest. The last time was Saturday, when the Caps were tripped up 4-3 in a shootout at Buffalo after losing to the New York Islanders on home ice the night prior. On no rest, Washington is 1-1-1 this season, getting outscored 11-5 in those games.
Pittsburgh suffered a 4-3 setback Monday in Toronto, and it was just 1-2-1 in a four-game road trip. The Over is 5-2 in the past seven games.
The Pens are back on home ice for the first time since doubling up the Blues 6-3 as home underdogs (+100) as the Over (6) cashed. The Over is 4-0-1 in five home games for the Penguins this season, averaging 4.0 GPG, while allowing 3.6 GPG.
Let's take the Penguins to get the job done on home ice, and we'll go high on the total.
- Penguins ML (+100 at Fanatics Sportsbook)
- Over 6 Goals (-125 at BetMGM and BetRivers Sportsbooks)
NHL Parlay Strategies and Best Value Bets
4-Leg NHL Super Parlay (+1335 at FanDuel Sportsbook)
- Canadiens ML and Under 6.5 - SGP (+280)
- Penguins ML and Over 6.5 - SGP (+277)
2-Leg NHL Totals Parlay (+253 at FanDuel Sportsbook)
- Under 6.5 (-130) - Canadiens at Devils
- Over 6.5 (+100) - Capitals at Penguins
2-Leg NHL Underdogs Parlay (+351 at FanDuel Sportsbook)
- Canadiens ML (+130) at Devils
- Penguins ML (-104) vs. Capitals
