Author: Alex MacMillan

Pittsburgh completes a difficult Western road sequence Saturday night at Vegas, and the schedule puts the Penguins in an uncomfortable position. They are 3-4-1 after losing 5-2 in Colorado on Friday, while the Golden Knights are 7-2-0 and coming off a convincing 6-2 win over Calgary. Vegas is an expensive…

Edmonton returns to face Utah only two nights after the Mammoth won 4-2 at the Oilers' home arena. The rematch shifts to Utah, where the hosts are 6-2-0 and the Oilers enter 5-1-1. Both teams have been productive early, and the immediate rematch gives coaches little time to invent a…

Boston goes into Los Angeles at 6-2-0, an impressive record supported by a deep forward group and a productive power play. The Kings are still winless at 0-3-2 and badly need to convert an improved performance into two points. The market nevertheless makes Los Angeles a moderate home favorite, partly…

St. Louis and Nashville meet at Bridgestone Arena in a Central Division game with little separation in the standings or the betting market. The Blues are 3-3-1, while Nashville is 2-2-3, and neither team has established a sustained rhythm. Their moneylines have traded near a pick'em, which makes this a…

San Jose arrives in Detroit at 4-3-0, one night after earning a 3-2 shootout win in Nashville. Detroit is 2-3-2 and has struggled to convert reasonable stretches of play into complete victories. The Red Wings are home favorites, but the goalie matchup makes their price harder to justify. John Gibson…

Ottawa visits Philadelphia on Saturday carrying a 6-2-0 record and a six-game winning streak. The Flyers are 0-6-3 and have yet to win, leaving their season in a difficult place before the schedule has reached its second full week. The obvious betting direction is Ottawa, but the Senators' regular moneyline…

The Rangers try to rebound from Thursday's 7-1 loss in New Jersey when they visit Columbus on Saturday. New York is 6-3-0 despite that ugly result; Columbus is 2-3-0 and has been unable to turn its talent into consistent results. The Blue Jackets are a modest home favorite, a number…

The Islanders and Maple Leafs meet at Scotiabank Arena with neither team completely satisfied by its opening stretch. New York is 3-3-1 and Toronto is 3-3-2, but the records obscure a sharp contrast in how these teams have been playing. The Islanders have defended exceptionally well while the Maple Leafs…

Dallas visits Chicago with a 3-3-1 record, an underwhelming start for a club with one of the league's strongest veteran cores. The Blackhawks are 3-5-0 and have shown more offense since Connor Bedard returned, but they remain vulnerable to heavy pressure from deeper rosters. Dallas is an expensive favorite with…

Buffalo heads to Montreal at 4-3-1 after a 5-4 overtime win over Toronto, while the Canadiens are 3-3-1 and trying to turn their home dates into more consistent results. The Sabres have received more confidence from their forward depth in recent games, but they must compensate for an injury-hit defense.…