NHL Best Bets: Coyotes vs. Blackhawks Game Picks

Two of the NHL’s worst teams collide tonight, with the Arizona Coyotes paying a visit to the Chicago Blackhawks.

All Odds Courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook

Entering the regular season, you’d have expected the Blackhawks and Coyotes to have the records they do, so this is hardly a surprise. These teams lack talent in all facets of the game and are headed for long rebuilds while also having their eyes set on the top overall pick in this year’s draft.

This will be the second regular-season meeting between these teams, with the first seeing the Hawks pick up a 2-0 shutout on January 6. Neither team has been playing exceptionally poorly over their last stretch of games, with the Coyotes posting a 4-5-1 record over their previous ten while the Hawks are 5-4-1.

Looking toward the projected goalie matchup, the Coyotes are expected to start Karel Vejmelka, while the Blackhawks should be countering with Petr Mrazek. The Coyotes’ netminder has been one of the strongest parts of the team, posting a 14-17-4 record with a .908 save percentage. On the other hand, Mrazek is 5-13-2 with a .885 save percentage. The Coyotes should have the edge in net, which is why they’re likely listed as slight road favorites tonight at -114 on the moneyline. 

Even though the Coyotes are favored, the Hawks have been playing slightly more consistently of late and should be able to muster a strong effort on home ice. There’s likely some value in siding with the Hawks on the moneyline at -105.

Best Bet: Blackhawks moneyline (-105) 

Most of the numbers are poor, no matter how you look at these teams’ stats. Both teams sit in the bottom third in goals scored and allowed per game, meaning it’s hard to determine what to expect in terms of the total. When they met earlier this season, they combined for just two goals which could be an indication. Over the Coyotes’ last five games, they’ve seen six or more goals scored in just one, while the Hawks have seen that in three of their previous five. It’s hard to imagine a lot of offense tonight, meaning siding with the under six at -114 has value. 

Best Bet: Under six (-114) 

There isn’t a lot of offensive firepower in this matchup, so it might be a little more challenging to target goal scorers. Still, one player that should warrant consideration is Patrick Kane. This is a matchup that Kane can do damage in, even if he’s put up lackluster numbers this season. He’s been dealing with some injuries, but there’s still value in backing him to score at +200. 

Best Prop: Patrick Kane to Record Over 0.5 Goals (+200) 

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