NHL Odds and Picks for All 4 Games Today – Oct. 18th
- There are four NHL games scheduled on Monday, October 18th 2021
- Auston Matthews will make his season debut for the Maple Leafs against the Rangers
- See below for NHL odds, analysis and a few bets to target
The first Monday night of the 2021-22 NHL season features a four-game slate on October 18th. Auston Matthews will play his first game of the season when the Toronto Maple host the New York Rangers at Scotiabank Arena as -190 moneyline favorites in the NHL odds.
Elsewhere around the league, the Calgary Flames will look to bounce-back from a Battle of Alberta loss when they host the Anaheim Ducks. The Flames are -184 favorites at Scotiabank Saddledome on the NHL betting line.
Here are NHL odds and two betting picks for Monday, October 18th.
NHL Odds – Oct. 18th
| Game Time (EST) | Team | Puck Line | Total | Moneyline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday Oct. 18 | New York Rangers | +1.5 (-166) | O 6 (-114) | +160 |
| 7:00 pm | Toronto Maple Leafs | -1.5 (+138) | U 6 (-106) | -190 |
| Game Time (EST) | Team | Puck Line | Total | Moneyline |
| Monday Oct. 18 | Seattle Kraken | +1.5 (-210) | O 6 (-112) | +126 |
| 7:00 pm | Philadelphia Flyers | -1.5 (+172) | U 6 (-108) | -148 |
| Game Time (EST) | Team | Puck Line | Total | Moneyline |
| Monday Oct. 18 | Anaheim Ducks | +1.5 (-156) | O 5.5 (-112) | +154 |
| 9:30 pm | Calgary Flames | -1.5 (+130) | U 5.5 (-108) | -184 |
| Game Time (EST) | Team | Puck Line | Total | Moneyline |
| Monday Oct. 18 | St. Louis Blues | -1.5 (+146) | O 5.5 (-118) | -180 |
| 10:00 pm | Arizona Coyotes | +1.5 (-176) | U 5.5 (-104) | +152 |
Odds as of Oct. 17 at FanDuel.
Rangers Hold Underdog Value vs Leafs in NHL Odds
The Rangers have underdog value against the Maple Leafs on Monday. The NHL betting public is inflating the line due to Auston Matthews making his season debut, as the Rangers have had Toronto’s number of late. New York has won four of the past five meetings and have the offensive weapons to exploit Toronto’s susceptible defense.
Rangers vs Maple Leafs Recent Results
| Date | Home-Away | Moneyline | Puck Line | Over/Under |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 02/05/2020 | Rangers 5 – Toronto 3 | NYR | NYR | Over |
| 12/28/2019 | Toronto 4 – Rangers 5 OT | NYR | NYR | Over |
| 12/20/2019 | Rangers 3 – Toronto 6 | TOR | TOR | Over |
| 03/23/2019 | Toronto 1 – Rangers 2 OT | NYR | NYR | Under |
| 02/10/2019 | Rangers 4 – Toronto 1 | NYR | NYR | Under |
The Rangers are coming off their first win against Montreal in which Alexis Lafreniere potted the game winner. Another key storyline from the game was the play of goalie Igor Shesterkin, who stopped 30 of 31 shots for the victory. These two players are vital to New York’s success this season, so it’s important they’re playing with confidence early in the season.
First goal of the season ☑️
First goal on your hometown ice ☑️
A good night for Alexis Lafreniere ☑️#NYR pic.twitter.com/SyqKesWlJg— Rangers on MSG (@RangersMSGN) October 17, 2021
The Maple Leafs are 2-1 to begin the season, but are struggling on offense. Toronto has yet to score more than three goals in a game and have gotten just one assist from star forward Mitch Marner. The Rangers have the firepower to matchup with Toronto, and their recent history against the Leafs gives them underdog value in the NHL odds.
Pick: New York Rangers ML (+160)
Flames In Bounce-Back Spot vs Ducks
The Calgary Flames are in a prime bounce-back spot when they host the Ducks on October 18th. Calgary lost the Battle of Alberta to Edmonton on Saturday night thanks to a hat trick from phenom Connor McDavid. The Flames actually played well in the loss, outshooting the Oilers by a 47-33 margin.
Ducks vs Flames Recent Results
| Date | Home-Away | Moneyline | Puck Line | Over/Under |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 02/17/2021 | Calgary 6 – Anaheim 4 | CGY | CGY | Over |
| 12/13/2020 | Anaheim 0 – Calgary 6 | CGY | CGY | Over |
| 10/20/2019 | Anaheim 1– Calgary 2 | CGY | CGY | Under |
| 04/03/2019 | Anaheim 3 – Calgary 1 | ANA | ANA | Under |
| 03/29/2019 | Calgary 6 – Anaheim 1 | CGY | CGY | Over |
Calgary has won three straight games against Anaheim, scoring six goals in each of the two most recent meetings. Ducks goalie John Gibson has recovered from a lower-body injury and is expected to start against Calgary. The American netminder has struggled against the Flames of late, posting a .867 save percentage in his last two starts.
This Flames team should be hungry coming off a tough loss to Edmonton. Matthew Tkachuk in particular was a standout from the season opener, pacing the team with nine shots on goal. The Ducks were held to a single goal last time out against Minnesota and could struggle against Jacob Markstrom, who owns a .923 save percentage in his career vs Anaheim.
Pick: Calgary Flames ML (-184)
Brady is the lead NHL and College Football editor at Sports Betting Dime, where he specializes in betting odds and data-driven analysis. Brady has over 10 years experience working in sports media, with work published by outlets such as ESPN, CBS Sports, Yahoo! Sports and Fox Sports.
