Nathan MacKinnon leads the NHL in scoring by a healthy margin, sitting four goals clear of Connor McDavid and eight ahead of the closest player beyond No. 97.
MacKinnon has gone a little quiet of late, but my Avalanche vs. Red Wings predictions see him snapping out of his funk in this matchup.
Let’s break down my NHL picks for Saturday, January 31.
Avalanche vs Red Wings best bet: Nathan MacKinnon anytime goal (-120)
Nathan MacKinnon hasn’t scored in five consecutive games, his longest stretch of the season. This is a sneaky good spot to get back on track.
The Detroit Red Wings are without Simon Edvinsson, who plays on their matchup pairing alongside Moritz Seider. Jacob Benard-Docker has filled in effectively thus far, but he’s not the same level of player as Edvinsson.
Not having all hands on deck against MacKinnon could be problematic.
Detroit is also allowing a lot of slot shots. They rank 29th in defending the slot over the past 10 games. That happens to be the area MacKinnon shoots from most frequently — and it isn’t close.
The Red Wings also rank Bottom 10 in PK% their last 10 games. They should make it easier for the Avalanche — who have surprisingly struggled on the power play — to find a goal.
While John Gibson has performed well for the Wings between the pipes, he has still had a tough time going up in class. Gibson has given up at least three goals in seven of his last nine games against Top 10 scoring offenses.
The Colorado Avalanche should score a few in this spot, and I like one to come off MacKinnon’s stick.
Martin Necas has 40 assists through 52 games, putting him on pace to shatter his previous high of 43. Playing with MacKinnon at 5-on-5 and on the power play, Necas shares the ice more with him than anybody. He’s the most likely candidate to set him up for a goal.
The Avalanche haven’t played their best hockey of late, yet 11 of their past 13 wins following a day off have come by multiple goals.
Nathan MacKinnon has scored in five of his past six games against Detroit. Find more NHL betting trends for Avalanche vs. Red Wings.
| Location | Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, MI |
| Date | Saturday, January 31, 2026 |
| Puck drop | 1:00 p.m. ET |
| TV | ABC |
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here
The Calgary Flames will welcome Macklin Celebrini and the San Jose Sharks to Scotiabank Saddledome this afternoon, with puck drop scheduled for 4:00 p.m. ET.
Jonathan Huberdeau has been creating chances lately, and I’m eyeing him to keep it up in my Sharks vs. Flames predictions.
Read more in my NHL picks for Saturday, January 31.
Sharks vs Flames best bet: Jonathan Huberdeau Over 1.5 shots on goal (-140)
Jonathan Huberdeau is having a respectable campaign for the struggling Calgary Flames, collecting a total of 23 points. He’s averaged 1.70 shots on goal per contest, and has picked it up as of late.
The Quebec native has hit the Over in shots on target in four consecutive appearances. Across his last two games, Huberdeau has nine SOG alone. On Thursday, Huberdeau tallied four shots on net against the Wild.
Last Sunday, he also had five SOG. Three of his last four games where he cashed the Over were at home as well, and the San Jose Sharks are 30th in the NHL in shots allowed.
Huberdeau had six points in four meetings with San Jose in the 2024-25 campaign.
Morgan Frost has scored 11 goals for Calgary in 2025-26, and he’s netted three times in January.
The Flames have covered the Puck Line in 17 of their last 25 games at home (+13.20 Units / 32% ROI). Find more NHL betting trends for Sharks vs. Flames.
| Location | Scotiabank Saddledome, Calgary, AB |
| Date | Saturday, January 31, 2026 |
| Puck drop | 4:00 p.m. ET |
| TV | NBCSCA, Sportsnet |
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here
They often say that the third time’s the charm, and the Montreal Canadiens will be hoping that’s the case for them when they take on the Buffalo Sabres for the third time in as many weeks. Lindy Ruff’s men won the first duel 5-3 in Buffalo and the second 4-2 in Montreal. Jacob Fowler was in the net for the first, and Samuel Montembeault got the net for the second.
The Canadiens didn’t practice yesterday as they were travelling to Buffalo, so Martin St-Louis has yet to confirm his starting netminder, but considering Jakub Dobes convincingly won his last two games, it would make sense to give him the net for this must-win game. The Czech netminder has not lost in regulation since December 9 against the Tampa Bay Lightning. He has won his last five games and seven out of his previous nine tilts. He has taken on the Sabres twice in his career and is 2-0-0 with a 2.00 goals-against average and a .930 save percentage. Meanwhile, Samuel Montembeault has a 5-6-0 record against the hosts with a 3.04 GAA and a .900 SV.
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At the other end of the ice, Ruff has not confirmed his starter either, but in the Sabres’ win over the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday, Alex Lyon broke a franchise record by winning his 10th consecutive game. Given the importance of Saturday night’s tilt, it would be shocking if he wasn’t between the pipes. He has a 4-3-0 record against the Habs with a 3.14 GAA and a .883 SV. The Sabres currently have two other goalies on the roster, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Colten Ellis. The former has a 2-2-0 record against Montreal with a 3.95 GAA and a .871 SV, while the latter has a 1-0-0 record with a 3.01 GAA and a .870 SV.
Up front, Nick Suzuki is the Canadiens’ most productive player against Buffalo with 24 points in just 20 games. Brendan Gallagher also has 24 points, but in 46 games. Cole Caufield completes the top three with 13 points in just 17 games. The sniper was held off the scoresheet in the 7-3 win over the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday, putting an end to his six-game goal-scoring streak. However, Mike Matheson is on a six-game point streak with six assists in as many games.
Meanwhile, the Habs will need to find a way to contain the Sabres’ first line if they want to have any hope of winning. Tage Thompson, Alex Tuch and Zach Benson have been a thorn in the Canadiens’ side this season so far. Thompson leads his team in points against the visitors with 22 points in 19 games, followed by Rasmus Dahlin, who has 20 points in 23 games, and Tuch completes the top three with 19 points in 21 games. The latter scored a hat trick in the Sabres’ last game and has five goals in his previous three games.
Tonight’s winner will take sole possession of third place in the Atlantic Division, which the Sabres currently hold. Both teams have 67 points (just like the Boston Bruins), but Buffalo has only played 53 games while Montreal has played 54 and Boston 55.
The Sabres might have won the last two duels, but the Canadiens have won six of the previous 10 duels. Buffalo has won its last five games and is 7-2- 1 in their previous 10 matches. Meanwhile, the Canadiens have won their last two games and are 5-4-1 in their previous 10.
The game is set for 7:00 PM, and you can catch it on TVA Sports, City TV and Sportsnet East. Francis Charron and Kendrick Nicholson will be the referees. James Tobias and Mark Shewchyk will be the linemen. This is the Canadiens’ second-to-last game before the Olympic break. The Habs will head to Minnesota on Sunday, where they’ll take on the Wild on Monday night before meeting the Winnipeg Jets on Wednesday night. Then Nick Suzuki, Juraj Slafkovsky, Oliver Kapanen, and Alexandre Texier will all head to Italy for the games, while their teammates will get 12 days off with practices set to resume in Brossard on February 17.
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The Winnipeg Jets and Florida Panthers face off for the second time in 10 days following a tight 2-1 shootout win for the back-to-back Stanley Cup champs in their first meeting.
Despite a low-scoring battle last time, I’m expecting a different story with plenty of goals this time around. I’ll break down why I’m on the Over in my Jets vs. Panthers predictions and NHL picks for Saturday, January 31.
Jets vs Panthers best bet: Over 5.5 (-130)
It’s no secret that the Winnipeg Jets have suffered from subpar goaltending this season.
Winnipeg owns an .896 team SV% (18th), while reigning Hart and Vezina Trophy winner, Connor Hellebuyck, is carrying just a .902 SV% himself.
That’s translated to the Jets allowing more than three goals per game this season and cashing the Over in 59.6% of their contests — the sixth-highest rate in the NHL.
The Florida Panthers have a reputation as a defensive juggernaut, but the reigning back-to-back Stanley Cup champions have not been the same team this season.
The Cats are giving up 3.57 GPG since the calendar flipped to 2026 — the sixth-worst mark in the league over that span. Florida has also cashed the Over in 58.5% of its games this season.
Both teams give up a lot of goals. Give me the Over this afternoon.
Josh Morrissey is having another productive season despite the Jets’ struggles.
Morrissey ranks among the Top 10 in points among blueliners and has excelled at getting pucks on net. The Jets defenseman has Over 1.5 shots on goal in five of his last six games.
Mark Scheifele has been hot to start the new year with a team-leading eight goals in 15 games. The Jets center has four goals in his last six road contests.
The Jets have hit the Over in 10 of their last 15 games (+5.80 Units / 35% ROI). Find more NHL betting trends for Jets vs. Panthers.
| Location | Amerant Bank Arena, Sunrise, FL |
| Date | Saturday, January 31, 2026 |
| Puck drop | 4:00 p.m. ET |
| TV | TSN3, SCRIPPS |
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here