The 2023-24 NHL regular season is finally here, and our hockey experts are back for another year of picks and predictions, including their best bets for Opening Night tonight.
ESPN and ESPN+ both carry the Tuesday tripleheader of games beginning at 5:30 p.m. ET (2:30 p.m. PT) with Predators vs Lightning. However, our experts are targeting the night's other two games – Blackhawks vs Penguins (8 p.m. ET) and Kraken vs Golden Knights (10:30 p.m. ET) – with a pair of picks for each matchup.
Check out their NHL Best Bets and analysis for tonight's games below.
NHL Best Bets
The team logos in the table below represent each of the matchups that our NHL betting staff is targeting from today's slate of games. Click on the team logos for any of the matchups below to navigate to a specific bet discussed in this article.
| Game | Start Time (ET) | Pick |
|---|---|---|
  | 8 p.m. | |
| 8 p.m. | |
  | 10:30 p.m. | |
| 10:30 p.m. | |
Specific betting recommendations come from the sportsbook offering preferred odds as of writing. Always shop for the best price using our NHL Odds page, which automatically surfaces the best lines for every game. | ||
Blackhawks vs. Penguins
By Carol Schram
It’s finally time for Connor Bedard to show what he can do in an NHL regular-season game.
The 18-year-old has impressed since the first day he put on a Chicago Blackhawks jersey in June. And the most highly touted NHL prospect since Connor McDavid in 2015 has hockey experts and the game’s top players believing that he’s ready to make an instant impression — perhaps to the tune of a point-per-game pace this season.
And while most experts are still projecting that the Blackhawks will finish well out of the playoff picture this year, GM Kyle Davidson has remade his roster in a big way, adding 2018 Hart Trophy winner and fellow No. 1 pick Taylor Hall to ride shotgun on Bedard’s line, along with savvy veterans Corey Perry and Nick Foligno further down the lineup.
Hall’s wife also gave birth to the couple’s first child on Sunday, and it’s common in the NHL to see an immediate performance surge from new fathers.
On the ice, Bedard turns heads with his pinpoint-accurate shot and his dazzling dekes — as well as his ability to deliver in high-pressure situations.
For Tuesday’s season opener, bookmakers are favoring the more established home team in Pittsburgh, which sets up an enticing betting opportunity for Bedard believers.
Back the Blackhawks on the moneyline at 2-to-1 or better, and you can say you were there before the beginning.
Pick: Blackhawks (+200 at BetRivers)
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Blackhawks vs. Penguins
By Greg Liodice
Generational players always make their presence known upon their entry into the NHL. We saw Auston Matthews score four goals, and Connor McDavid had two high-danger opportunities in their debuts.
We’ve seen the highlights from training camp, and we’ve seen how much Connor Bedard can create havoc all over the ice. In his final draft year in the Western Hockey League, the 18-year-old sensation scored 71 goals and 72 assists in 57 games.
Yes, he averaged 1.2 goals per game. You don’t see that often, no matter what kind of competition players are facing.
Bedard's Chicago Blackhawks will be facing Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins in his NHL debut, which is must-see TV. Tristan Jarry will most likely be in net, and he is serviceable, but he's always prone to let in pucks that should be saves.
Bedard will be lined up with Taylor Hall and Ryan Donato. Having the former Hart Trophy winner in Hall on his wing will definitely be a welcoming addition. Keep an eye out for the power play, as well, with Hall and Seth Jones manning the point.
With Bedard and his blazing speed and booming shot, I have faith that he’ll light the lamp in his debut.
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Kraken vs. Golden Knights
By Tony Sartori
Two of the NHL's newest teams kick off their respective seasons in Tuesday's nightcap. It is a banner-raising night for Vegas, but I think Seattle will play spoiler on the road.
The "Super Bowl" hangover is always a fun trend in the NFL, but that has been the case recently in hockey as well. Three of the past four Cup champions have gone on to lose on Opening Night – and whether that is correlation or causation is a good argument to be had.
Regardless, the Kraken are an extremely competitive team whose depth and ability to roll out all four lines makes them a good match for the Knights. After all, that is how the Knights claimed the first Cup in their short franchise history: They relied on their depth to keep constant pressure on their opponents this past spring.
Speaking of last spring, Seattle showcased its ability to hang with the best teams in the league. The Kraken dethroned Colorado in the first round and then lost a competitive seven-game series against the Dallas Stars (one of two teams I like to hoist the Cup this year). The Kraken were an incredible two-way team, ranking first in goals for per 60 minutes at 5-on-5 and sixth in expected goals against per 60 minutes at 5-on-5.
Now, the offense is, analytically, projected to regress this year. However, this club will get some good opportunities to score against a Golden Knights lineup that will be without two defensemen (Alec Martinez and Zach Whitecloud) and is backed up by goaltender Adin Hill.
Hill performed tremendously in the team's Cup run last season, but is that sustainable? He's been a career backup/1B goaltender and hovered around the 50th percentile in WAR at even strength during the 2022-23 regular season.
That is a question that will remain to be seen as the season progresses (I wouldn't be shocked if Logan Thompson wins back the 1A role), but I do know that this short-handed blue line going against a deep Kraken lineup will make Hill earn a victory on Tuesday. At +150 as of this writing, it's worth taking a shot at a team that can roll all four lines just like Vegas.
Pick: Kraken (+150 at Betway) | Play to: +130
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Kraken vs. Golden Knights
Jared McCann offered a full-fledged breakout last season with 40 goals and 70 points. He consistently skated on a dominant top line with Jordan Eberle and Matty Beniers, as well as the power-play unit.
Those roles appear to remain the same this season, which is the key reason this price projects value. Eberle, McCann and Beniers remained together at yesterday's practice and in preseason play. McCann also remained on PP1.
there goes that man! 💥 pic.twitter.com/uXrjmUhgnS
— Seattle Kraken (@SeattleKraken) October 7, 2023
In Seattle's final 22 regular season games, McCann averaged 4.52 shots on goal, and he had three or more in 17 of 22 matchups.
There is currently no reason to believe he will not manage a similar shot output to start this season. Until we are given reason to believe otherwise, any price better than -140 for McCann to record over 2.5 shots is a play for me.
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