Last Updated on January 19, 2026 8:59 am by Anthony Rome
Will the Penguins hand the Kraken a fourth consecutive loss when the two teams meet at 5:00 p.m. ET on Monday evening? Will the Sabres pull off a significant upset in Carolina at 1:30 p.m. ET? Can the Jets get it done on the road versus the Blackhawks at 8:30 p.m. ET? Our Monday NHL Best Bets Jan. 19 column has suggestions for all three of these matchups.
NHL Best Bet: Penguins -118 (at Kraken)
Pick: Penguins ML (-120)
This cross-conference battle projects as one of the tighter games on the board. Pittsburgh is hovering around -123 on the moneyline in many books, keeping this within your cap. Seattle has been a solid home squad recently, but Pittsburgh’s balanced attack and ability to control play 5-on-5 gives them a real edge. Historical trends show Pittsburgh’s defensive structure tightening up, while Seattle’s recent Eastern swing was middling. This looks like a classic “play the road dog under +150” scenario with value.
Why it matters:
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Pittsburgh’s depth scoring and defensive play help counter Seattle’s home advantage.
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Moneyline is fair value and aligns with your cap.
NHL Best Bet: Sabres +168 (at Hurricanes)
Carolina is the favorite around -200, but Buffalo is trending as a live underdog with strong recent offense, making this a sneaky value play at +170/+180 depending on your book. The Sabres have shown the ability to win tough road games and score goals versus quality competition. Carolina has been solid at home but has a few inconsistent defensive lapses that Buffalo can exploit.
Why it matters:
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Sabres offense has been sharp lately — they can push pace and capitalize on Hurricanes mistakes.
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Carolina’s price is too short on the moneyline given Buffalo’s upside.
NHL Best Bet: Jets -136 (at Blackhawks)
The Blackhawks have struggled recently, whereas Winnipeg projects as a strong road side around -140. Playing the Jets on the puck line at +180 for -1.5 gives excellent value if Winnipeg controls game flow and covers defensively. This is a higher-variance play, but the discrepancy in quality and Chicago’s inconsistencies make it one of the sharper tickets of tonight’s slate. The Jets have more firepower and structure than Chicago.
Monday NHL Best Bets Jan. 19
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Pittsburgh Penguins -118
- Buffalo Sabres +168
- Winnipeg Jets -136
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