Free NHL Expert and Computer Picks For Every Game Sept. 8, 2026
FLA
@
CAR
Tue, Sep 29 • 5:00 PM ET
FLA (+110)
The Panthers know from first-hand experience how tough it can be to defend a title. They did it successfully in 2024-25, but 2025-26 was a disaster as they missed the playoffs altogether. Injuries did a number on Florida, with captain Aleksander Barkov missing the entire campaign after suffering an injury in the preseason. Goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky, who is now with the Maple Leafs, fell off a cliff in his age-37 season, posting the lowest SV% of his career (.877). But the Panthers re-tooled this summer, bringing in Brady Tkachuk as well as Radko Gudkas. Newly-acquired netminders Jacob Markstrom and Akira Schmid form as good a one-two punch in net as any team. I'm happy to back Florida at +100 or better.
MON
@
TOR
Tue, Sep 29 • 7:00 PM ET
MON (-110)
The Maple Leafs may have had the "louder" offseason compared to the arch-rival Canadiens', but that doesn't mean it was the better one. New netminder Sergei Bobrovsky looked over the hill last year, yet his three-year contract might age better than the seven-year one dished out to defenseman Darren Raddysh, who rose from obscurity to post 22 goals for the Lightning last year at age 30. Toronto overhauled their forward depth, but the biggest impact player of the bunch was the one-dimensional Jack Roslovic. Montreal hasn't bought in any big new names this summer, but they didn't really need to after making the Eastern Conference Final last season. This is still a team loaded with young talent that I'll happily back to -125.
NYR
@
BOS
Tue, Sep 29 • 8:00 PM ET
NYR (+115)
The Rangers made some interesting offseason moves, and they could pay immediate dividends vs. a Bruins team that has more-or-less stood pat this summer. New York's biggest acquisition was Pavel Dorofeyev, who scored a career-high 37 goals in 2025-26. Oliver Bjorkstrand and Joe Veleno have also climbed aboard to provide some much-needed offensive depth. The Rangers' strong top-line defensive pairing of Adam Fox and Vladislav Gavrikov will now be backed up by well-respected puck-moving defenseman Sean Durzi, and the stay-at-home Marcus Pettersson. The Bruins' big offseason acquisition was JJ Peterka, who will be playing for his third team in as many seasons, and he scored 25 goals last season. But Viktor Arvidsson, a 25-goal scorer in 2025-26, has left Boston for Detroit.
Our experts and prediction models are hard at work analyzing the data. Check back shortly for today's picks, or explore our Computer Picks for inspiration.
We've combined statistical analysis and machine learning to make these computer picks. The table above shows you how the computer has done in its last 100 picks against the moneyline, spread (puck line), and total with $100 units.
Seeing where the computer has had success, or has failed, can give you some insight into where the betting value might lie going forward.
Use our computer picks as the starting point in your handicapping journey. Our computer analyzes every stat in our database and chooses the bet that has the most likely outcome. Now, use our other tools to do your own research and see if that research agrees or disagrees with the computer.
An NHL moneyline bet is simple: all you need to do is pick a winner. Whether that's in regulation or overtime, they don't ask how, but how many, right?
| Team | Moneyline Odds |
|---|---|
| Edmonton Oilers | -130 |
| Florida Panthers | +110 |
As with all moneyline odds, the team with the minus sign (-) is the favorite, while the side with the plus sign (+) is the underdog.
Betting $100 on Edmonton at -130 would net you $176 in winnings if they win the game, $76 of profit plus your initial $100 wager. Conversely, if you bet on Florida and they win, you get $210: $110 in profit plus your initial $100 bet.
The puck line is the NHL's version of the spread, where each team is given a certain number of goals to either win or lose by. Unlike the NFL or the NBA, the NHL spread doesn't typically change from 1.5 for each side. The spread is designed to make betting on the favorite more enticing.
| Team | Moneyline Odds | Puck line Odds |
|---|---|---|
| Edmonton Oilers | -130 | -1.5 (-110) |
| Florida Panthers | +110 | +1.5 (-180) |
The favorite, Edmonton at -1.5, would need to win by at least two goals for the bet to cash. If Edmonton wins by two or more goals, in other words, "covers the bet," you'd get $191 in winnings instead of $176 by taking them on the moneyline.
There are two ways for the underdog, Florida at +1.5, to "cover" a +1.5 puck line bet. They can lose by a single goal or win outright to cash. The odds are shorter, but you have options on this bet.
With a total bet, you're wagering on the total number of goals scored by both teams. You aren't backing any single side to win.
| Team | Total Odds |
|---|---|
| Edmonton Oilers | O5.5 (-115) |
| Florida Panthers | U5.5 (-105) |
Sportsbooks will set a line for the game. In this case, it's 5.5 goals. Your job is to figure out if Edmonton and Florida will score more or fewer than 5.5 goals, not counting the shootout.
If you see a line that's an even number, like 6.0, those bets can end in a push where your wager is refunded if the game ends at exactly six goals.
You know what the moneyline, spread (puck line), and total bets are, so you're ready to start betting on NHL hockey. But before you start placing bets with your gut, make sure to check out our betting tools and betting guides.
They can guide you with more than just moneyline, spread, and total bets. They can also help you find value in the futures and player props markets.
If you're ready to bet on NHL picks, you first need to find the right sportsbook. Our NHL betting sites guide offers secure banking, the best odds, bonuses, and reliable customer service options for you.
Covers’ NHL picks typically release on game day. Some significant matchups like playoff games release in the days leading up to the game.
Covers provides free NHL picks covering many markets, including puck lines, totals, moneylines, player props, and more.
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