All the best betting sites for the NHL were thrown for a whirl recently when a surge in COVID-19 cases forced the league to shut down through Christmas. It isn't yet clear whether this hiatus—or the decision to prevent players from participating in the Olympics—will improve circumstances, but hockey will return on Monday, December 27.
Not only that, but the league's restart will include 30 total teams in action, which means 15 combined games. And among other hockey predictions, our latest NHL picks have the Toronto Maple Leafs restarting the 2021-22 season with a bang against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Let's go ahead and take a look at the latest NHL betting odds for Monday's loaded slate:
| Favorite |  | | Underdog |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carolina Hurricanes | -163 | +138 | Florida Panthers |
| Boston Bruins | -174 | +125 | Pittsburgh Penguins |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | -175 | +115 | Columbus Blue Jackets |
| New York Islanders | -165 | +119 | Buffalo Sabres |
| Washington Capitals | -235 | +233 | Ottawa Senators |
| New York Rangers | -220 | +213 | Detroit Red Wings |
| St. Louis Blues | -223 | +220 | New Jersey Devils |
| Dallas Stars | -165 | +115 | Nashville Predators |
| Winnipeg Jets | -115 | -105 | Minnesota Wild |
| Los Angeles Kings | -105 | -105 | Phoenix Coyotes |
| Anaheim Ducks | -185 | +135 | San Jose Sharks |
| Calgary Flames | -153 | +125 | Edmonton Oilers |
| Vegas Golden Knights | -163 | +118 | Colorado Avalanche |
| Vancouver Canucks | -200 | +150 | Seattle Kraken |
Though NHL betting lines typically aren't available this far in advance, the absence of any games being played between now and December 27 have allowed us to take stock of matchups further into the future. However, you will still want to double-check all NHL odds since they are subject to shift right up until the opening faceoff. Please note our odds on the NHL are accurate as of Thursday, December 23 and will warrant a refresh if you're making NHL betting picks anytime thereafter.
As you wait for league to fire it back up, we also recommend perusing our in-depth reviews of the top online sportsbooks. They will no doubt help you suss out the best NHL betting sites.
Maple Leafs Staking Claim to 2022 Stanley Cup
It isn't just the game-to-game cadence of the 2021-22 regular season that's being turned upside down. Anyone looking at NHL betting odds on the 2022 Stanley Cup knows these NHL futures have been swinging wildly and often.
And yet, through it all, the Maple Leafs have remained staples. They have successfully navigated sudden absences and an ever-changing contender field to earn the second most points of any team on the season.
Despite this, though, they enter the NHL's restart with fringe-underdog odds. Is that a mistake? Or is it something worth looking into?
Toronto Throws a Party vs. Columbus
If the Maple Leafs are any less of an attractive Stanley Cup bet, it will not show against the Blue Jackets.
Columbus has struggled all year to tamp down offenses. They allow opponents to score on roughly 22 percent of their power plays and are allowing 3.36 goals per game on the year.
This matchup should be child's play for Toronto, which has excelled at winning the games they're supposed to win. To wit: They have tallied points in 70 percent of all their contests, a ratio currently exceeded only by the Carolina Hurricanes and Tampa Bay Lightning.
OSB Prediction: Toronto Maple Leafs (-175)
Colorado is Undervalued Against Vegas
The Avalanche are coming off a long break and playing on the road. And the Golden Knights are on a relative tear in recent weeks. We get it.
Still, Colorado has the NHL's best offense at 4.22 goals per game and is scoring on nearly 25 percent of their power plays. Vegas, meanwhile, has one of the league's lowest save percentages and has struggled to kill penalty stints.
We're calling for an upset.
OSB Prediction: Colorado Avalanche (+118)
Edmonton will Prove They're with Win Over Calgary
The Oilers started to show signs they're getting their act together before the hiatus. Bettors still cannot trust their defense in between the posts, but the offense continues to be among the league's most incandescent.
Of course, the Flames are experts at devolving games into defensive slogs. Only the Hurricanes allow fewer goals per game. But even with this in mind, Edmonton has the requisite number of crafty puck-handlers to take this one.
OSB Prediction: Edmonton Oilers (+125)
New York Should Thrash Detroit
Good luck scoring on the Rangers defense if you're an above-average offensive team. Their goalies are saving 92 percent of the shots that come their way, and New York's killing nearly 85 percent of its penalty minutes, one of the five highest marks in the league.
For a team like Detroit? Forget it. They don't have the offense or veteran star power to hang with this Rangers group.
OSB Prediction: New York Rangers (-220)
Anaheim Edges Out San Jose
San Jose's defense is built to pull off upsets—and it has on many occasions this season. But the offense isn't trustworthy enough to forecast a win over Anaheim.
Not only are the Ducks starting to find their groove in transition, but equally important, the Sharks' attack is overwhelmingly lackluster. They don't do a good job generating high-percentage looks at even strength or during power plays, and their 8.9 shooting percentage is bottom of the barrel.
OSB Prediction: Anaheim Ducks (-185)
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