Top Shelf Picks: Best NHL Bets Today (Oilers Bounce Back vs. Flyers)

Breaking down the three best bets to place for NHL action set for Wednesday, October 15.

Oct 13, 2024; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Edmonton Oilers forward Connor McDavid (97) waits for play to begin against the Calgary Flames at Rogers Place. Mandatory Credit: Perry Nelson-Imagn Images / Perry Nelson-Imagn Images

We're officially one week into the 2024-25 NHL season and we've already learned plenty from several teams. The defending Stanley Cup runner-ups, the Edmonton Oilers, have stumbled out of the gates starting 0-3.

Tonight, they have a chance to bounce back tonight against the Philadelphia Flyers. I have a bet for that game locked in as well as two others. Let's dive into it.

NHL betting record 2024-25 season

• 7-2 (+4.82 units)

NHL Picks Today

• Canucks +115 vs. Lightning via Caesars
• Wild vs. Blues UNDER 6 (-115) via BetMGM
• Oilers -1.5 (+130) vs. Flyers via DraftKings

Canucks vs. Lightning Prediction

I predicted some significant regression from the Lightning this season and while they've only played one game this season, which resulted in a 4-1 win against the Hurricanes, the underlying metrics in that game are concerning to say the least. Two of their four goals came on the powerplay and the other two were on an empty net.

During 5-on-5 play, they had an expected goal differential of -2.18 per 60 minutes. They also had a CORSI% of 42.3 during 5-on-5 play. That's not a good sign heading into tonight's game against a strong Canucks team.

I'll take a shot on Vancouver as an underdog.

Pick: Canucks +115

Wild vs. Blues Prediction

If their first three games are any indication of how the Minnesota Wild are going to play this season, they're going to be in a ton of low-scoring games. They created 1.93 expected goals per 60 minutes but allowed only 1.95 expected goals per 60 minutes. That means that during 5-on-5 play, they have a combined expected goals of 3.88 goals per 60 minutes of 5-on-5 play.

I'm going to start betting on the UNDER in their games as long as the total is set at 6.0 in hopes that they continue to play an extremely defensive style of hockey.

Pick: UNDER 6 (-115)

Flyers vs. Oilers Prediction

The Oilers are 0-3 but I don't think it's time to push the panic button. They lead the NHL in 5-on-5 CORSI% at 62.46% and they're fourth in 5-on-5 expected goal differential per 60 minutes of play. They haven't been able to win games, but they're still posting dominant underlying metrics that tell me they'll start winning games soon and start winning in dominant fashion.

As long as they can get at least somewhat consistent play in net tonight, I think Edmonton is going to bounce back in a big way against the Flyers.

Pick: Oilers -1.5 (+130)

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You can check out all of Iain's bets here!