NHL Picks Today: Best Bets & Predictions for Friday, Oct. 2
By Chris Amberley in NHL Hockey
Published:
- Friday’s five-game NHL slate is loaded with plus money value on the betting board
- Washington is a very live underdog to take down the defending champs
- See my favorite NHL picks today, including best bets and predictions for Friday, Oct. 2, below
The NHL season is heating up, and tonight’s slate offers exceptional betting value up and down the board. The Vegas Golden Knights have already secured an opening victory and are looking to defend home ice, while the Boston Bruins are also undefeated as they head out on the road. Navigating the neutral zone and finding high-danger scoring chances will be key for these squads early in the campaign.
Early-season injury news is already shaking up the betting boards and shifting underdog narratives. The Detroit Red Wings host the New York Rangers but must navigate the matchup without top-line center Dylan Larkin sidelined with an upper-body issue. Down south, the Dallas Stars are eating a similar offensive loss, dealing with a lower-body injury to Matt Duchene ahead of their Central Division clash against the St. Louis Blues.
Whether you want to back a gritty road underdog in the NHL odds, find value on a puck line, or lay the juice on a dominant home favorite, I have picked out three angles. Let’s dive into my favorite NHL picks today, including best bets and predictions for Friday, Oct. 2, below
Best NHL Picks and Predictions for Today’s Games
Game prices from bet365 as of October 1 for October 2 games. Score predictions are my projections. Claim the bet365 bonus code to get in on the action.
For tonight’s slate, I am predicting three favorites will handle their business and win their respective matchups outright, while two underdogs are positioned to pull off upsets. The underdog with the longest odds that I expect to win is the Washington Capitals at +125 on the moneyline.
Washington Capitals vs Carolina Hurricanes Moneyline Pick
- Washington Capitals Moneyline (+125 at bet365)
Backing the Capitals as road underdogs provides some of the best value on the board tonight. Washington is riding a dominant hot streak, having posted an 8-2 straight-up record (.800 win percentage) over their last 10 games. Those results come from the historical sample, not this season; Friday is Washington’s opener.
They have proven exceptionally resilient in this exact spot, boasting a 5-1 record (.833) when listed as an underdog over their last six contests. Furthermore, Washington has outright won their last four games on the road when catching plus money.
With Carolina heavily favored on home ice, taking Washington on the moneyline aligns perfectly with recent historical NHL ATS Records & Trends. Carolina, a top Stanley Cup odds contender, lost its opener 1-0 in overtime, but its 14-game winning streak after losses in the historical data is a clear counterargument to this pick.
Anaheim Ducks vs Vegas Golden Knights Puck Line Prediction
- Vegas Golden Knights -1.5 (+130 at bet365)
Vegas is a massive moneyline favorite against Anaheim, making the puck line the smartest way to target this matchup for a plus-money payout. The Golden Knights have been an absolute force at T-Mobile Arena, putting up a 12-4 record (.750) over their last 16 home games.
They are extremely reliable when laying the juice in their own building, going 11-4 (.733) as a home favorite over their last 15. The Vegas forecheck consistently tilts the ice, suffocating opposing transitions before they even reach the neutral zone.
Conversely, Anaheim has completely fallen off a cliff in hostile environments. The Ducks have dropped to a 1-3 record (.250) on the road as underdogs over their last four games, in that small historical sample.
Boston Bruins vs Winnipeg Jets Moneyline Pick
- Boston Bruins Moneyline (+100 at bet365)
Boston heads into Winnipeg for what should be a tightly contested affair. However, the Bruins carry all the head-to-head momentum into this tilt. They have won their last two matchups against Winnipeg and are playing highly confident hockey on the road.
Boston is a stellar 3-1 (.750) away from home over their last four, in that historical sample. On the other side of the ice, Winnipeg has faltered when expected to win, going just 1-3 (.250) at home as a favorite recently.
Adding to those struggles, Winnipeg holds a concerning 2-6 record (.250) at home against opponents with a winning record over their last eight games. Boston opened with a 3-0 win over New York, with Jeremy Swayman stopping all 24 shots. I prefer the Bruins here, without assuming the opener guarantees the same result in Winnipeg.
NHL Public Betting Splits: Where the Money is Flowing Today
- Carolina Hurricanes [98.02%]
- Vegas Golden Knights [93.56%]
- Dallas Stars [85.97%]
- Winnipeg Jets [82.78%]
- Detroit Red Wings [67.40%]
Looking at the NHL public betting splits, bettors are heavily backing home teams across the board tonight. Carolina is taking in a massive, near-unanimous share of the moneyline handle in their matchup against Washington. Vegas and Dallas are also commanding significant financial support as sizable home favorites.
Meanwhile, Detroit is seeing the most contested action among these top handle magnets. Even with a smaller share than Carolina, the Red Wings still hold a commanding majority of the actual money over the Rangers.
Sports Writer
As SBD's resident Swiss Army Knife, Chris covers virtually every sport including NFL, PGA, NBA, MLB, NCAAB, NCAAF and the Olympics. A true grinder, he'd rather pick off small edges in the player props market than swing for the fences with a 5-leg parlay.
