Saturday NHL Best Bets Dec. 27: Will Predators-Blues turn high-scoring?

Will the Predators and Blues rack up the goals again when the two teams square off in St. Louis? Will the Wild’s struggles versus the Jets continue in Winnipeg? Can the Canucks handle their business versus the Sharks as a home favorite? We have selections for all of these matchups in our Saturday NHL Best Bet Dec. 27 column.

NHL Best Bet: Jets -101 (vs. Wild)

The Jets are priced as slight favorites here despite Minnesota’s recent form — and I think that line is fair. Here’s why:

• Stars and Structure: Winnipeg has elite firepower when clicking, led by Mark Scheifele and balanced scoring across top lines. They have historically battled well against Minnesota and rarely fold in tight games.

• Goaltending Boost: Connor Hellebuyck, despite missing time earlier in the season with a knee injury, returned recently and posted a strong performance with a .960 save percentage in his last outing back. That boost between the pipes gives Winnipeg a serious chance in a tighter contest.

• Wild’s Inconsistency at Times: Minnesota has been streaky — including a recent winning run snapped by Colorado — and still has some roster shuffles that impact depth. A key defenseman remains on IR, which can expose them against quick Jets pressure.

Bet: Winnipeg Jets ML (-101)

NHL Best Bet: Red Wings/Hurricanes under 7

Detroit and Carolina meet in what projects to be a tighter, more defensively tilted affair:

• Goaltending & Structure: Carolina is one of the better defensive teams in the league with a sub‑elite but disciplined offense. Detroit, meanwhile, generates quality but limited shots compared to stronger offensive clubs.

• Red Wings Lean Defensive: Detroit goaltending has shown flashes of stoutness recently, and Carolina isn’t lighting up the scoreboard every night — plus trends favor lower totals here. According to betting splits, under outcomes have been consistent in this matchup context.

This isn’t a guns‑blazing matchup — it’s more of a puck possession grind that should keep scoring in check.

Bet: Under 7

NHL Best Bet: Predators/Blues over 6.5

Nashville and St. Louis set up to play a high‑tempo tilt with scoring upside:

• Scoring Trends: Both teams have allowed more goals than they score — and recent outputs reflect that league‑average to above‑average scoring pace, particularly from the Blues’ end.

• Back‑and‑forth Potential: Blues have conceded in bunches lately, and Predators can generate offense in spurts, especially when their top forwards get space. With 6.5 on the board, this total projects to cash if either side gets hot early.

The game flow here should feature offensive zone time, pressure on goaltenders, and several grade‑A chances that bolster an over outcome.

Bet: Over 6.5

NHL Best Bets: Canucks -131 (vs. Sharks)

This is one of the cleaner money line edges of the night:

• Head‑to‑Head Edge: Vancouver has dominated this matchup historically — going 4‑0 vs. San Jose last season and owning the psychological edge.

• Sharks Defensive Woes: San Jose has given up plenty of goals this season and is squarely in the bottom half of defensive performance.

• Canucks Momentum to Lean On: Vancouver enters this game with enough offensive firepower and a need to climb out of the playoff bubble, while San Jose’s inconsistency makes them a tougher play in a game where Vancouver controls matchup quality.

Bet: Vancouver Canucks ML (-131)

Saturday NHL Best Bets Dec. 23

1. Winnipeg Jets -101
2. Red Wings/Hurricanes under 7
3. Predators/Blues over 6.5
4. Canucks -131

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