With the NHL season back in full swing, it's time again for OddsShark.com's resident hockey handicapper Jack Randall to swing for the fences with daily free NHL picks.

Bookmark the page and we'll be bringing daily odds updates, injury reports, matchup data, trends and picks.

Jan. 20, 2012

If you like reasonably priced home favorites (which can be money in the bank in NHL wagering), there is one game you shoukld keep an eye on for Friday.

The Dallas Stars are just -135 at home against a struggling Tampa Bay Lightning team and this looks like a solid value play.

Pick: Stars -135 | Matchup Report

One shop has the Washington Capitals at even money visiting Carolina and this looks like great value as well. The Caps come off a shutout victory and the Canes rank near the bottom in many stat categories.

Pick: Capitals -105 | Matchup Report

Check out lines and matchup data on every game every day, check out the NHL handicapping section.

Archived picks below:

Nov. 25, 2011

We underestimated Sidney Crosby in his return and bet against him scoring a goal. Mistake.... We did better in picking the Caps to win a value play with Phoenix at the end of a long road swing.

For this weekend, we load up with 2 picks.

Lightning at Panthers -120 | Trends

Give us the hot Cats against the cold Lightning here in the Battle of Florida. Stephen Weiss and Kris Versteeg are on fire for the Panthers, more than enough reason to back them here as small home chalk. Panthers are 5-2 as a fave, the Bolts have only won 7 of 23 visits here.

Pick: Panthers -120

Red Wings + 120 at Boston | Matchup

Winning streaks come to ends and Detroit is primed to end the 10-game run of the Bruins here. At dog money on an improving Detroit team, we like the upset.

Pick: Red Wings +120

Good luck and check out more NHL betting data each day.

Nov. 21, 2011

We moved to 8-1 in our past nine picks and come back with 2 winners plus a pick against Sidney Crosby as he makes his season debut.

Coyotes @ Capitals -130 | Matchup Report

This is the best line you will get on Washington in a long time. They are struggling bigtime and ready to bust out, hosting the Coyotes who have been hot but who are playing the final game of a 5-match road swing.

It has already been a successful trip for the Desert Dogs and it's time for Phoenix backup Jason Labarbara to play - we see this one as an easy Capitals win.

Pick: Capitals -130

Islanders at Penguins 5.5 | Matchup Stats

Sidney Crosby returns and it's at home against the team rated last in the OddsShark.com NHL power rankings (New York Islanders). While the -215 moneyline is too much to lay for us, we do like the OVER 5.5 goals here.

The teams have played 4 straight UNDERs here, but the Pens will be pumped and the Isles will get dumped.

Pick: OVER 5.5

Crosby to NOT get a point in his debut +250

One of the tastier lines we have seen in a while is the Sidney Crosby prop bet on his season debut. Bodog has him favored at -325 to score a point in the game, which makes the 'he won't get a point' bet at +250. Way too tempting for us.

Pick: No Crosby points at +250

Good luck and don't forget the Monday Night Football odds where the Patriots are favored HUGE over the Chiefs. But there is a trend that makes the Pats a risky bet here.

Nov. 16, 2011

We are 5-1 in past 6 NHL picks and we have two winners lined up for Wednesday.

Carolina at Montreal 5.5 | Matchup Report

We play against several trends that point to an OVER here (Canes 8-3 past 11 on road and 4 of past 5 meetings all went OVER). Carolina hasn't scored a power-play goal in four games while the Habs have been reliable UNDER picks and have one goal in four games on the PP.

Pick: UNDER 5.5 Win

New Jersey +155 at Buffalo | Matchup Report

The Sabres have been struggling but winning (4 of past 5), coach Lindy Ruff is mad as hell and star players like Tyler Myers are getting benched. Contrast that with the situation in Jersey where Zach Parise is showing signs of life and the Devils look better.

Concerning us is the fact the public is betting the Devils and the line opened at -175 and is down to -130 at some shops. The Devils win on no rest as a +155 dog.

Pick: Devils +155 Win

Good luck with your plays.

Nov. 10, 2011

Split our games thanks to a strange game in Tampa where the Flyers and Lightning literally spent much of their time standing around exposing the Tampa Bay trap defence.

We are back with two Thursday plays.

Panthers at Jets 5.5 | Matchup Stats

The Jets continue to score in bunches and give up goals in bunches. Florida is coming off a win but we expect them to get caught up in the Jet frenzy.

Winnipeg comes home after a road trip where their last game was a 6-5 win. Expect something like that tonight.

Pick: OVER 5.5 Win

Oilers +145 at Bruins -165 | Matchup Stats

Edmonton continues to surprise but the Bruins are getting back to their winning ways and have the veteran lineup to thwart the young Oilers.You can get them as low as -145 which is great value.

The Oilers have been shut out two in a row here in Boston and have scored four goals total in the past 10 years in Beantown! This could also be an UNDER call but we like the Bruins at -145.

Pick: Bruins -145 Win

Good luck, don't forget the NFL Thursday battle and play the latest NFL bankroll game over at OddsShark.com.

Nov. 9, 2011

We sweep two games on Tuesday with our 'new coach under the total' angle working out as well as playing against some recent road trends in LA (see picks below).

Today, we are back with two more NHL winners.

Flyers at Lightning OVER 5.5 | Matchup Stats

Philly scores in bunches and the TB power play can be lethal. Combine those facts with shaky goaltending and injured bluelines on both sides and you have a perfect recipe for a high-scoring game. Pronger, Hedman, Ohlund and more will miss the game. Flyers are 9-1 favoring the OVER past 10 games.

Pick: OVER 5.5 Loss

Rangers -115 at Senators +105 | Matchup Stats

We have been fading the Senators hard and they have obliged with three straight losses. Make it four here tonight. The Rangers are playing well and won four straight. Make it five at good road chalk value at shops tracked by OddsShark.com.

Pick: Rangers -115 Win

Good luck. Fight fans should watch for a pair of huge events this Saturday as Manny Pacquiao fights and the UFC heavyweight title is on the line on free TV on Fox. See previews and UFC odds on all of it.

Nov. 8, 2011

There's a new coach in town in St. Louis and his players better be ready out of the gate. Take a peel at our two NHL locks for Tuesday.

Blackhawks +100 at Blues -110 | Matchup Report

Ken Hitchcock arrives in St. Louis to take over the slumping Blues. He's a no-nonsense, defense-first coach who will change the style of the Blues, presumably for the better.

The side is too close to call, but we see a low-scoring game to impress the new coach.

Pick: UNDER 5.5 Win

Predators +125 at Kings -135 | Matchup Stats

The Kings have lost 5 straight and the Preds have won four of five, but this is breakout game for LA. The road team has won 5 of the past 6 meetings but the Kings can win here on no rest and will.

You can get them as low as -120 which is great NHL line value.

Pick: Kings -120 Win

Good luck, check out the searchable NHL database to find your own trends and betting angles.

Nov. 3, 2011

We split our games Wednesday, thanks to a quick burst of goals by the Flyers on the positive side and thanks to a lame performance by fading Devil legend Martin Brodeur who was lit up by Toronto.

Devils +135 at Flyers -145 | Matchup Report

After watching each team Wednesday, we feel safe siding with the Flyers here tonight at -150. Philly has won 7 of 10 against the Devils and already shut them once in 2011.

Even with injuries to Pronger, Briere, Schenn and others, the home value here is good. One shop still had the Flyers at -135 earlier today, which is an even better price for that bet.

Pick: Flyers -135 Loss

Leafs +100 at Blue Jackets -110 | Matchup Report

Is it wise to bet on a team that has lost 16 of its past 18 games and is missing its top scorer? Maybe not, but those situations, combined with the Leafs playing on the road with no rest, gives us comfort picking the Jackets here.

Pick: Columbus -110 Loss

Hawks -130 at Panthers +120 | Matchup Stats

Chicago has the superior talent and a good road value here. Former Blackhawk GM Dale Tallon is running the show in Miami now, but he won't win this battle against his former team. Chicago has the league's best road PK and can win a low-scoring game here.

Pick: Chicago -130 Win

Good luck with your NHL predictions tonight.

Nov. 2, 2011

We didn't want to bet the Bruins even though we knew they would win (see below). That was dumb. So was picking the UNDER 5.5 in that game and counting on Tampa to win on the road. An 0-2 day for our NHL predictions, but we're back in the saddle for Wednesday.

Flyers +115 at Sabres -135 | Matchup Report

Nearly 70% of the early betting action at OddsShark.com consensus is on the Flyers and so are we. Philly has won 7 of 10 trips to Buffalo including twice in last year's playoffs. Of note, the Flyers have been a reliable OVER bet on the road (10-3 past 13) but we like the underdog value on the Flyers.

Pick: Flyers +115 WIN

Leafs +120 at Devils -130 (Total 5) | Matchup Report

Toronto lost to Ottawa last time out and are primed for some losses, despite their fast start. They are the youngest team in the league and playing at Jersey, which returns home after a 1-3 road trip. Devils will get it together and they are good home moneyline value here. We also like the UNDER 5 - the Devils have not allowed a home PP goal this year, which is where Toronto thrives.

Pick: Devils -130 and UNDER 5 Loss

Good luck and watch for NFL trends articles and previews of college basketball betting, which tips off Monday.

Nov. 1, 2011

Back with two plays tonight to get back on the winning track with our NHL predictions. One is a road underdog, the other is a total play. Good luck.

Lightning +105 at Hurricanes | Matchup Report

Tampa leads Carolina is every single stat category that OddsShark.com produces in its daily Smart Chart. The fact they have superior talent and have won 3 straight vs the Canes is enough to make this a solid value play on TB.

Pick: Tampa +105 LOSS

Senators at Bruins 5.5 | Matchup Report

Boston continues to struggle while Ottawa is inexplicably the league's hottest team. We predict that will end starting tonight but we don't like the high -185 price to back the Bruins. Instead, we are playing UNDER 5.5, seeing the various trends involving Boston UNDERs outweighing the recent trends of Ottawa playing OVER.

Pick:UNDER 5.5 LOSS

Good luck with your NHL picks tonight and see all the latest hockey lines, matchup stats and sortable stats on every game every day.

Oct 28, 2011

A three-game sweep last night with three more on the go for Friday.

Blackhawks at Hurricanes 5.5 Matchup Report

A value play as the recent stats and averages point to at least 6 goals being scored here tonight. Chicago is the third-highest-scoring team in the league while Carolina leads the NHL in power-play opportunities. We think Chicago will win here, with some sportsbooks offering them as low as -120, but we like the OVER play better.

Pick: OVER 5.5 LOSS

Sharks +110 at Red Wings -120 - Matchup Report

Another value play focused on a few situational trends. The Red Wings have lost 2 straight after starting 5-0 and have had four days of rest to practise. That's bad news for the Sharks who come in on a 3-game win streak, all on the road. They can lose here and still feel good about their trip and that's what will happen.

Pick: Red Wings -120 LOSS

Blues +100 at Flames -110 (best Flames line -110)

St. Louis has suddenly won three in a row in front of backup goalie Brian Elliott. Do we trust Ellliott as small road underdog here, even after beating the Canucks and Flyers? Nope. Calgary is a well-priced home favorite here and is good value for the -110 price.

Pick: Flames -110 WIN

Don't forget Game 7 of the World Series with Carpenter vs Harrison on the hill. It's the final chance for baseball betting this year and there are dozens of prop bets available.

Oct 27, 2011

Back in the saddle after a two-day break with a three-pack of plays Thursday. A pair of total plays and one value underdog.

Habs at Bruins 5 - Hockey Database

Montreal finally got on the winning track last night and they face offensively-challenged Boston tonight on no rest. These teams often play UNDER and the Habs on no rest after a win combined with the Bruins at home looks like an UNDER wager.

Pick: UNDER 5 WIN

Jets at Flyers 5.5 - NHL Scores

Two teams struggling on defense and with some pop on offense. Flyers are without Chris Pronger which hurts the blueline and they just got smacked at Montreal 5-1 last night. The Jets struggled at home against the Rangers, but generated lots of scoring opportunities. Sergei Bobrovsky gets the start for Flyers, another reason for an OVER play.

Pick: OVER 5.5 WIN

Ducks +100 at Minnesota -120 - More Hockey Odds

Anaheim is playing well and a good-priced underdog here in Minny. This is a value play on the Ducks and we like them at +100.

Pick: Ducks +100 WIN

Good luck with your NHL picks tonight and don't forget what could be your last chance to bet on baseball this season in Game 6 of the World Series.

Oct. 24, 2011

Slipped to 0-2 Friday, a tough shootout loss in our Devils pick and the Red Wings scored too many in defeating Columbus, ruining our UNDER call.

Monday sees three more picks. Good luck with your plays and don't forget to check out the Monday Night Football action where the Ravens are huge road favorite at Jacksonville.

Rangers -130 at Jets +110 | Matchup

New York finally ends its season-opening road trip and we see them mailing this one in. The Jets won their second game of the season and sent rookie stud Mark Schiefele back to juniors today. But the Jets (as the Thrashers) had dominated the Rangers going 8-2 past 10 meetings. New York has done well on this road trip - they end with a loss and an underdog play on the Jets.

Pick: Jets +110

Panthers +120 at Canadiens -140 | Matchup

Florida made a weird trade peddling David Booth to the Canucks for two Euro-geezers in Mikael Samuelsson and Marco Sturm. Both are UFAs at year-end and Booth had a big-ticket, long-term contract he wasn't living up to. Despote all that, this is a spot for the Habs to win easily and at livable home chalk. The Habs have won 6 of 8 meetings, Florida is 2-13 in 15 road games and the Habs end their losing skid.

Pick: Canadiens -140

Leafs at Flyers 5.5 | Matchup

The second-highest scoring team in the league (Leafs) visit the team that leads the league in power play goals (and is second in penalties drawn). Only one of the past 7 meetings have gone OVER the total, but it goes OVER 5.5 here. Toronto has played 5 straight road OVERs andt he OVER is 7-2 past 9 Flyer home games.

Pick: OVER 5.5

Good luck with your plays and don't forget to check out the Monday Night Football action where the Ravens are huge road favorite at Jacksonville.

Oct 21, 2011

We slipped to 1-2 last night after missing both our totals calls by a hair (4-1 in each game we called OVER). Friday has four games, we have two winners.

San Jose -130 at New Jersey +120 | Matchup report

The Sharks haven't won in Jersey since Evgeni Nabokov beat Martin Brodeur on Nov. 14, 2000. Yes, 11 years ago. In fairness, because of the unbalanced NHL schedule, the Sharks have only lost here 5 times in 11 years. And they are favored here despite a lacklustre start. We like the devs here as home underdogs.

Pick: Devils +120 Loss

Blue Jackets at Detroit 5.5 | Matchup Report

Columbus can't score and can't win. Detroit can't be scored on and can't lose. Forget the side bet here because Detroit is -230, too rich on the moneyline to take a chance. But the UNDER 5.5 holds appeal. The Jackets average just 2 goals per game and Detroit can lock it down on defense. The total has gone UNDER in 13 of Detroit's last 19 games when playing at home against Columbus and 8 of 11 meetings overall. With Jeff Carter out, don't expect the Jacket offense to catch fire anytime soon.

Pick: UNDER 5.5 Loss

Check back for Saturday plays and get all the NHL handicapping detail you need at Odds Shark and find extra free NHL predictions over here.

Oct 20, 2011

A one-game, two-bet sweep Tuesday as we called both the side and total on the Leafs vs Jets game. Tonight, a busier schedule and a trio of winning NHL plays.

Islanders at Lightning 5.5| Matchup

We bet this game OVER 5.5 last week and won and we're going the same route to the payout window today. All the trends point OVER and the Lightning continue to prove they can score when they want but can't stop the other guys from scoring. Their PK is bad, their GAA is bad. The Islanders are 3-1 and aren't great, but 6 of the past 8 meetings went OVER and Tampa is 6-1 favoring the OVER past 7 home games.

Pick: OVER 5.5 Loss

Jets at Senators 6| Matchup

You don't often see totals of 6 this early in the year but the Sens are the worst defensive team in the league and the Jets are third worst. Combine those factors with each team wanting to get healthy offensively at the expense of the other and this smells like a 7-5 game. So even with a higher total of 6, we still bet OVER.

Pick: OVER 6 Loss

Kings -130 at Coyotes +120 | Matchup

The Kings are without their best player in Drew Doughty and they historically struggle in the desert. In 21 trips to Phoenix going back several seasons, the Kings have won just 6 times. Still, we play the roadies here as they boast more firepower and betting goaltending.

Pick: Kings -130 Win

Tons of games tonight and we have stats, trends, live NHL odds and tons of other betting data on every one of them. Don't forget Game 2 of the World Series where some trends are pointing to St. Louis again.

Oct. 19, 2011

One of these days, we will sweep three games and not just go a money-making 2-1. It was 2-1 again Tuesday with another just-miss at a sweep (the Wild failed at home against Pitt). Only one game Wednesday but we have the winning side and total as the Jets visit the Leafs.

Jets at Leafs -145 - matchup report

Toronto isn't that good, despite all the crowing in Leaf Nation, but they are better than the Jets, who are living on love in Winnipeg. Toronto lost in OT last time out and are good value at -145 (if you get that price, one shop has them that low) to beat the former Thrashers.

Pick: Leafs -145 Win

Jets at Leafs 5.5

Winnipeg started scoring a little and they aren't much good at defense yet. If that sounds like an OVER 5.5 play to you, it does to us as well. In fact, 9 of the past 12 meetings of the Leafs and former Thrashers have played OVER including 5 of past 6 here in Toronto. It's on national TB with TSN and expect the goals to flow freely.

Pick: OVER 5.5 Win

Good luck. Don't forget about the World Series kicking of tonight. The Rangers are favored to win Game 1 and the series with CJ Wilson firing against Chris Carpenter.

Oct. 18, 2011

Another 2-1 night Monday with another just-miss at a sweep (the Preds led in the third at Edmonton before losing). We're back in the NHL picking faceoff circle with three plays for tonight.

Flyers at Ottawa 5.5 | Matchup Report

Two of the three best power-play teams hook up in Ottawa. The Senators can score but aren't much god at defense so far, so this one smells a lot like an OVER bet. Philly trends toward the OVER on the road and the Sens have played all OVERs at home this year. Head to head matchups also point OVER.

Pick: OVER 5.5 Win

Penguins at Wild -125 | Matchup Report

We bet against Pittsburgh for the second night in a row. Fatigue is setting in, the Pens play on no rest and still don't have Malkin or Crosby. Minnesota is looking solid and they have dominated the Pens (8-1 past 9 meetings). Make it 9-1 tonight and good line value on a hot home team.

Pick: Wild -125 Loss

Sabres at Canadiens 5.5 | Matchup Report

We see two teams scraping for wins playing this one close. Two top keepers in Carey Price and Ryan Miller always present cause for an UNDER play. But there's more going on here. The past 9 times these teams played, the UNDER prevailed every time. They have played 5 straight UNDERs in Montreal with three shutouts. Not touching the moneyline, but like the UNDER 5.5.

Pick: UNDER 5.5 Win

Check out matchup stats and live hockey odds on every NHL game tonight - check it out.

Oct. 17, 2011

Welcome back - your reward is three winning predictions while you focus your attention on the Monday Nighter between Miami and the Jets.

Tampa Bay vs Florida OVER 5.5 | Matchup

There are OVER trends galore on this one and only the Panthers' penalty-killing proficiency (they are 100% so far this season) gives us any pause at all. The Lightning gives more shots per game and more goals per game than anyone this year. The vast majority of meetings between these Florida rivals have gone OVER and this one will too.

Pick: OVER 5.5 Win

Nashville -125 at Edmonton | Matchup

Yes the young talent in Edmonton is impressive and yes rookie Ryan Nugent-Hopkins had a hattrick in his last game. And yes, the Oilers have lost 16 of 20 games against the Nashville Predators, who are great road value here at -125. We play the superior Preds who can stifle the Oilers here.

Pick: Predators -125 Loss

Penguins -135 at Winnipeg +125 | Matchup

The Jets return home again after a pair of road losses and will be dying for a victory. The Penguins meanwhile have played more games than anyone else and while that may mean they are further along in their chemistry, it can also mean a bit of early-season fatigue. The Jets franchise (as Atlanta) lost 12 of its past 13 against Pittsburgh. They get a win tonight at home as +125 home pups with Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Brooks Orpik and others all at home nursing injuries.

Pick: Jets +125 Win

If you don't like betting the Winnipeg Jets, maybe you prefer the New York Jets? Check out the MNF preview and latest lines.

Oct. 14-15, 2011

2-1 on Thursday, missed the OVER in the Caps-Pens game in a 3-2 victory by Washington. The other NHL picks went as planned. We have one game Friday and two for Saturday.

Sharks -115 at Anaheim - San Jose hasn't played since Saturday when they wacked the Coyotes and they are good value here at Anaheim, who returns home from two games played in Europe. The Sharks have the superior talent but have lost 3 of 4 visits to the Ducks. This is a value play at small moneyline chalk on SJ.

Pick: Sharks -115 | Matchup Report Loss

For Saturday....

Jets at Coyotes - A battle of the current Jets vs the former Jets and the home team has plenty of incentive to win here. They also have more talent as the Jets are playing like their former Thrasher selves in losing reguarly. As the Thrashers, this franchise was 1-9 against Phoenix since 2002. Nothing has changed except for the name and the jersey - expect an easy win for the Desert Dogs.

Pick: Coyotes | Matchup Report Win

Kings at Flyers -This will be Old Home Week for the Kings since half their roster and half their management team came from Philly. Included are forwards Mike Richards and Simon Gagne, who arrived this summer. Philly is 3-0 and has proven they can win tight games and wide-open ones. LA won here 1-0 a year ago, but it won't happen again.

Pick: Flyers | Matchup Report Loss

Good luck and see live NHL lines and matchup reports and previews on every NHL game at Odds Shark. And for NFL fans, how would you like to get $1,000 free to see how big you can build a bankroll picking winners? Check out the Football Bankroll Game now and win big.

Oct. 13, 2011

We were 1-1 yesterday, losing the Blue Jackets in a shootout to ruin our 2-0 night. Today, we focus on some controversial OVER calls.

Capitals at Penguins OVER 5.5 - Washington has dominated the Penguins in recent years and Pitt hasn't even scored against the Caps in their past two meetings. So why go OVER? Sid Crosby was cleared for contact in practice today and we're not sure what impact that will have on their motivation, but we see early-season trends pointing OVER 5.5 here. And the betting public at OddsShark.com are playing 82% over the total.

Pick: OVER 5.5 | Matchup Report Loss

Lightning at Islanders OVER 5.5 - The past 8 meetings has seen 6 OVER plays and nothing we have seen so far in 2011 points to solid defense or quality goaltending on either side. The Lightning have given up 40 shots per game so far and have relied on a super PK mark to survive. We go OVER again here.

Pick: OVER 5.5| Matchup Report Win

Canucks at Red Wings -130 -If you watched the Canucks skate around like crazy last night in Philly, you saw a team that won't do well against a disciplined puck-control team like Detroit. And they won't get a bunch of power plays. And they are playing on no rest on the road. And the Red Wiings at home at -130 is great wagering value.

Pick: Red Wings -130 | Matchup Report Win

Check out all the latest NHL line moves, matchup reports, sortable stats and searchable NHL database today. More free NHL picks are available here as well.

Oct. 12, 2011

Canucks +125 at Flyers -135 - Give us the home team here at short odds in their home opener. Philly won twice on the road to start the year and come home to face a Canucks team that won Monday in Columbus. If you can get them at -135, it's good value on the home side against a Canucks team minus Ryan Kesler.

Pick: Flyers -135 | Matchup Stats Win

Avalanche +115 at Blue Jackets -125 - Again, we'll take the home team, despite its 0-3 start. This is a talented Columbus squad that gets its chance against an offense-starved Avs team that has scored one goal in two games. Fortunately, they won 1-0 in Boston or else they would be winless as well. The Avs have lost 16 of 20 road games and despite dominating Columbus in recent years (7-1 SU), we see an easy win for the home Jackets.

Pick: Blue Jackets -125 Loss | Matchup Stats

Check in daily for free NHL predictions.