NHL Betting Guide: Lines, Trends & Picks For Thursday, Dec. 1

NHL Betting Guide: Today's Lines, Trends & Picks

Happy first day of December guys and gals! The last month of 2022 brings us loads of ice hockey to bet on and we have an 11-game slate to pick through and discover some best bets. So be ready to make some wagers and let's cash. BetQL subscribers can see more betting trends and all of our best bets with star ratings for every pick.

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One of the best matches of the night will involve two teams with similar records, and both vying to make the playoffs again after being eliminated in 2021. The Edmonton Oilers will travel to Minnesota to take on the Wild. We already know the profile of Edmonton by now, as they are the same type of team they have been for several years. A great offense led by Conner McDavid and Leon Draisaitl trying to keep up with a poor defense and goaltending that allows 33.4 shots per game and 3.55 goals. Those two can't do it all, as we have seen in previous years, but it doesn't seem like this team has changed much. Sadly, that most likely means another mediocre season and short playoff run at best.

The Wild are an interesting team. The started out with a great offense and terrible defense, just like the Oilers, but have now entirely swapped those around. Minnesota is scoring just 2.90 goals per game and getting 30.8 shots to the net, both numbers being painfully average at best. The defense has totally revamped itself, allowing 29.8 shots per game and 2.91 goals. You just don't know what you are going to get from them on a nightly basis, but they sure have improved on that side of the ice.

MY PICK: Let's stay hot, as we have hit several outright underdogs recently. I'm not sure who the underdog in this game will be, as the line isn't up yet when I am writing this, but I like Minnesota here. Even with an offense that can't get out of its own way, they should be able to get pressure on Edmonton, while their much improved defense can contain McDavid enough.

The second game we're taking a look at is over on the East coast, as the Nashville Predators travel to New Jersey to take on the red-hot Devils. To put it bluntly, the Predators are not a very good hockey team. They have a really hard time fining the back of the net, scoring a measly 2.48 goals per game, while taking a very average amount of shots at 30.5. There isn't much scary coming from them on that side of the ice, but where they have excelled is goaltending. Nashville goalies are allowing just 2.86 goals per game, despite the defense giving up 32.6 shots per contest.

The Devils seem like a team of destiny right now, and if you read my article towards the very beginning of the season, you have a very nice future bet on them right now. New Jersey has a relentless offense that can attack you and destroy you in many different ways. They are getting an insane 36.4 shots on goals per game, and scoring at one of the highest clips in the league with 3.78 goals per contest. They also play lights out defense, allowing just 26.3 shots on their own net, and a remarkable 2.22 goals against.

MY PICK: Usually when a team is this large of an underdog, I would recommend sprinkling the ML on the Preds, but I simply can't. Nashville doesn't have the offense to score on this very good Devil's defense and goaltending, while New Jersey should be able to put enough pressure on Nashville's netminder to take this match. ML is too juiced, so I'll take the -1.5.

We'll end things off with the nightcap out West, where the Arizona Coyotes will travel to California to take on the Los Angeles Kings. We all know the Coyotes are bad, and we knew that was going to be the case going into the year. They have lost four of their last five, unsurprisingly, and will be a massive underdog here. They struggle in all facets of the game, really. The offense puts up just 2.70 goals per game and gets just 24.3 shots on goal. The defense allows a whopping 35.1 shots on their net, and gives up 3.40 goals per contest. It's hard to find positives anywhere you look on this team, but they do have some young players who are developing, so the future isn't so dim.

Los Angeles was just in an absolutely wild hockey game the other night against the Seattle Kraken, where they lost 9-8 in OT. Yes, you read that score correctly. You also cashed out if you read the betting guide that day, as we had the underdog Kraken in a battle between two even teams. This game is not that. LA is better in every single statistical category besides goaltending, which obviously got destroyed in that Seattle game. The Kings are taking 32.4 shots per game and scoring 3.36 goals, two very strong numbers on offense. Defensively, they actually play pretty well, allowing 29.7 shots on goal per game. As mentioned before, the goaltending has been very hit or miss.

MY PICK: I predict LA bounces back in a big way after that tough high-scoring loss the other night. Arizona just doesn't have the personnel to keep up like the Kraken had. Take LA -1.5.