NHL Betting Guide: Lines, Trends & Picks For Tuesday, Dec. 13

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

A new week brings new opportunities to make some cash on December hockey, and we have a huge 12-game slate to pick through and discover some best bets on a terrific Tuesday. 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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We'll start things off down in the Sunshine State, where the Florida Panthers will play host to the visiting Columbus Blue Jackets. To say it's been a tough season for the Blue Jackets would be an understatement, but they have managed to win back-to-back games, so maybe they have found something. I doubt it, though. They are still hemorrhaging goals, allowing 4.04 per game as well as 35.9 shots against them each night out. There is simply no way to have sustained success allowing your opponent to dominate like that on a nightly basis. I have seen the offense start to come about a little bit, but they still are getting just 2.78 goals per contest and 29.6 shots.

Florida has had a goaltending problem, which is why they haven't been as impressive this season. Sergei Bobrovsky looks like he's washed, and it has killed the team on nights that they should probably have won. Spencer Knight has since replaced him and done an admirable job, but he's on the injured list as we speak. The Panthers are tremendous at puck control, and they are getting 37.8 shots on their opponents per game, and scoring 3.34 goals as well. The defense and aforementioned goaltending are what has held them back from being a truly great team.

MY PICK: The Panthers have lost three of their last five games, and it hasn't been a pretty sight. There seems to be a little optimism with the Blue Jackets right now, but I think it's time to play against that. I'll take Florida to roll them -1.5.

Our next game will be another matchup that doesn't seem like a great one to watch, but there is value here all the same. I'm not sure why they put this game on ESPN, but here we are. The Washington Capitals travel to Chicago to take on the Blackhawks. Washington is a team that I feel is going to start winning games very soon. They're starting to get healthier by the day, and I like what I have seen from them over the past week. They have won four straight, and things are starting to come together after a terrible start. The offense is scoring just 2.90 goals per game and getting 30.8 shots, but those numbers are actually improving from what they were. Defensively, they allow 2.90 goals and 30.7 shots, so they have almost identical stats on both sides of the rink.

Chicago is what we like to call a dumpster fire. They are legitimately terrible, and the only time you can take them in a bet is if they are facing another awful team and getting plus money. That isn't the case here. This team doesn't score, putting up a pathetic 2.38 goals per game, and getting just 25.6 shots on opposing nets. The defense and goaltending is also bad as can be, allowing 3.54 goals per contest and 34.6 shots. There is nothing appealing about this team at all.

MY PICK: This is one of those no-brainer picks where nothing can possibly go wrong. I like what the Caps are doing lately, and I think Chicago is one of the worst teams in the NHL. I'll take the line and bet Washington-1.5 or ladder it to -2.5.

The last matchup for the night takes us back down to Florida, where the Tampa Bay Lightning will square off with the Seattle Kraken. These are two very evenly matched teams, and should be one of the better games of the night. Seattle has surpassed expectations this year, and are already competing in only their second year of existence after being an expansion team last season. They have a fantastic offense, scoring 3.56 goals per game and getting 29.3 shots on net per game. The defense and goaltending have been pretty good as well, allowing just 27.3 shots on goal per game and 3.15 goals against.

The Lightning struggled out of the gate for what we expected them to be, but they have since gotten back to their usual dominate selves, and have won four of their last five games. Tampa is a force to be reckoned with, scoring 3.52 goals per game and allowing just 3.00. They are taking 31.9 shots on goal and allowing 30.7, so they control pace of play more often than not.

MY PICK: This is a really tough one, but when you have a game as close as this, I always have a rule. Take the team you are getting the better value on, and that's Seattle as the road underdog.