Tuesday NHL Best Bets Dec. 16: Blue Jackets on Upset Alert?

Last Updated on December 16, 2025 1:02 pm by Anthony Rome

Even though they’ll be playing on back-to-back nights, will the Ducks upset the Blue Jackets tonight in Columbus? Will the Oilers and Flames handle their business as road favorites at Pittsburgh and San Jose, respectively? Can the Wild take down the Capitals as a slight home favorite? Read on for our Tuesday NHL Best Bets Dec. 16 column.

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NHL Best Bet: Anaheim Ducks +122 (at Blue Jackets)

Why the Ducks here?

Anaheim is one of the highest-scoring offenses in the NHL this season, averaging roughly 3.4 goals per game while Columbus sits well below that scoring pace around 2.9 gpg.
Columbus also allows the most shots in the league and ranks near the bottom in goals against, which plays right into an Anaheim club that generates volume and high-danger looks.
The Blue Jackets’ defense and goaltending have struggled to contain consistent pressure — particularly from teams who cycle the puck effectively and attack off the rush.
Meanwhile, Anaheim’s road form is solid and they backed that up with a 4–1 road win vs. the Rangers Sunday, showing they can put up goals away from home.
Injuries: Ducks netminder Petr Mrazek is out; Columbus has defensive absences too. This game likely becomes higher scoring, and Anaheim’s offense should be able to overwhelm the Blue Jackets.

💡 Pick: Ducks +122

NHL Best Bet: Edmonton Oilers -138 (at Penguins)

Road favorites — and for good reason.

Edmonton carries stars like Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and Zach Hyman, giving them one of the most dangerous top lines in hockey and elite playmaking through five-on-five.
Despite a recent loss, the Oilers have points in five of six games, indicating strong form and opportunistic scoring.
Pittsburgh counters with big names like Crosby and Letang, but the Penguins have slipped defensively this season — and their goaltending tandem is not a clear edge.
With Evgeni Malkin and other depth pieces out injured, the Penguins lack secondary scoring behind Crosby and Rust, which will be critical against Edmonton’s top six.
Edmonton is simply deeper, faster, and more reliable at creating high-danger chances — take them to handle Pittsburgh on home ice.

💡 Pick: Oilers −138

NHL Best Bet: Minnesota Wild -113 (vs. Capitals)

Lean on consistency and recent form.

Minnesota enters this game with a strong record (19-9-5) and home strength, while the Capitals have been inconsistent — including a recent 5–1 loss to Winnipeg, snapping a key point streak.
The Wild’s offense can roll four lines, and Marcus Johansson has been a huge factor with multiple multi-goal efforts recently.
Injury news is mixed — the Wild lost Zuccarello and Middleton to injury recently — but they’ve found balance from Boldy, Tarasenko and depth scoring.
Washington’s scoring has cooled off, and their special teams have been up-and-down; Minnesota’s structure and home ice neutralize much of Washington’s transition game.
Goal support from Filip Gustavsson and co. should be enough to earn a close win.

💡 Pick: Wild −113

NHL Best Bet: Calgary Flames -133 (at Sharks)

Dark horse value play.

The Flames are often undervalued, but they’ve shown recent resilience, including a narrow overtime win against an improved Kings team.
San Jose’s injury report is staggering — multiple forwards (including Will Smith and Philipp Kurashev) and defenses hurt their depth and ability to counter Calgary’s pace.
Calgary’s defense isn’t glamorous, but they’ve actually controlled goaltending and key scoring chances better than the Sharks this season.
Flames are slightly better equipped to bring secondary scoring and a disciplined structure, while San Jose’s current absences make them susceptible, especially against teams that forecheck and push transition.

💡 Pick: Flames −133