The Florida Panthers are in New Jersey to conclude their three-game road trip to open the season, and the Devils are big home favorites at -185 on the NHL odds board.
The Panthers are still looking for their first win after losing in Minnesota and Winnipeg to open the season. They lost 6-4 to the Jets after being shut out 2-0 by the Wild. Meanwhile, the Devils are looking to get back in the win column after a shootout loss to the Coyotes.
Read on for our Florida Panthers vs. New Jersey Devils NHL picks and predictions.
Panthers vs Devils odds
Panthers vs Devils predictions
New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes is poised to take a step into superstardom this season. Hughes broke out with 99 points (43 goals, 56 assists) in 78 games last year, and he's already off to a great start in 2023-24.
Hughes opened the year with a pair of goals in Thursday night's win before assisting on all three Devils tallies in the loss to Arizona the next night. It's not surprising for Hughes, who had at least one point in 58 of 78 games last season. He’s worth a look in our NHL player props odds tonight.
The budding superstar now gets to go up against a team that is desperately trying to find itself defensively. The Florida Panthers are without top defensemen Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour, and it’s shown.
The Panthers have allowed eight goals through two games, including six to the Jets on Saturday.
"We weren't stout defensively," Panthers coach Paul Maurice said.
The Panthers ultimately put it together in the playoffs last year, but they still allowed 3.32 goals per game (12th-most) in the regular season. That long playoff run has cost them with more than a few injuries littering the roster.
Hughes leads the Devils with 20 shot attempts, 10 shots on goal, 12 scoring chances, and five high-danger chances. He's scored twice and generated a total of 1.45 expected goals through two games.
Given this home matchup against a lackluster defense, Hughes should get on the board again.
My best bet: Jack Hughes anytime goal (+120 at FanDuel)
Not intended for use in MA.
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Panthers vs Devils same-game parlay
Hughes anytime goal
Devils moneyline
Over 6.5
Our best bet of Hughes to score a goal is anchoring our same-game parlay. The Devils superstar is flying offensively through two games and there’s no reason to expect him to slow down against a weak defense like the Panthers.
It’s not just going to be Hughes skating circles around the Panthers, though. Hughes may be the star but New Jersey is a deep team with a great top-six forward group and an above-average third line as well.
Parlaying Hughes to score a goal with Devils moneyline only gets us up to +182. However, there is good reason to believe this game will be a high-scoring one.
The Panthers were the sixth-most profitable team when betting the Over last season. Their defensive injuries will only make them more profitable in the first few weeks of this season. Furthermore, the Devils have gone over in both of their games with 4-3 final scores in each contest.
Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.
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Panthers vs Devils moneyline and Over/Under analysis
The odds for this game have been interesting since opening. The Devils opened around -185 on most books and reached as high as -200 on Sunday afternoon. However, they've settled in at between -185 and -190 at most books by Monday morning.
Likewise, the Panthers' line as underdogs has fluctuated a bit. They opened around +150, reached as high as +170, and are now generally between +155 and +160.
The Devils have gotten solid results despite not playing their best hockey. Perhaps big money came in on New Jersey throughout Sunday with two days of rest for the Devils to get back on track.
I like the Devils moneyline here quite a bit at -185. They’re 6-1 in their last seven games playing on two days' rest and boasted a 24-13-4 record at home last season. On the other hand, the Panthers were 19-19-3 on the road last year and are 0-2-0 so far this season.
The total for this game varies from book to book. It's either at 6.5 with the Over heavily favored or at an even 7 with the Under slightly favored.
The 6.5 total seems to be the new baseline in today’s NHL with scoring at an all-time high.
You are likely still able to find Over 6.5 at around -135 or -140 while an Over 7 would pay off +110. On the other side, an Under 7 is at around -130 while Under 6.5 is closer to +115 or +120.
The total play for this game is the Over 6.5 (-135) and I don’t hate playing Over 7 (+110) if that’s what’s available to you. This should be a high-scoring game with both sides putting up a few goals — and the Devils getting one or two more.
Panthers vs Devils betting trend to know
The Panthers are 0-5 in their last five road games. Find more NHL betting trends for Panthers vs. Devils.
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Panthers vs Devils game info
| Location: | Prudential Center, Newark, NJ |
| Date: | Monday, October 16, 2023 |
| Puck drop: | 7:00 p.m. ET |
| TV: | Bally Sports Florida, MSGSN |
Panthers vs Devils latest injuries
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