Check out the NHL odds with our expert picks and predictions for Frozen Frenzy and the 16-game hockey slate on Tuesday, October 22.
All 32 NHL franchises will be in action tonight for this latest Frozen Frenzy installment, which includes a tripleheader on ESPN, as well as other games on ESPN+ and regional affiliates. With new games starting every 15 minutes, it's a hockey fan's delight, and we've got five NHL best bets for the big night.
Our betting pros have combed through the NHL odds today in search of value, and they've found a lot they like. They're targeting these key Frozen Frenzy games tonight:
- Capitals vs Flyers (6 p.m. ET, ESPN & ESPN+)
- Wild vs Panthers (6:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+)
- Red Wings vs Islanders (7:45 p.m. ET, ESPN+)
- Jets vs Blues (8 p.m. ET, ESPN+)
- Kings vs Golden Knights (11 p.m. ET, ESPN & ESPN+)
Check out the latest NHL odds with our experts' predictions and picks for tonight's one-of-a-kind night of hockey.
(NHL odds for matchups as of Tuesday and via Caesars. Bet on the NHL with our Caesars Sportsbook promo code.)
NHL Picks and Predictions Today
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 | Time (ET) | Pick |
|---|---|---|
  | 6 p.m. | |
  | 6:30 p.m. | |
  | 7:45 p.m. | |
  | 8 p.m. | |
  | 11 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. | ||
Capitals vs. Flyers
By Greg Liodice
For whatever reason, the Philadelphia Flyers (-125) are listed as favorites against the Washington Capitals (+105).
Not that I think either team is extraordinary, and both need to figure out their goaltender issues, but the Capitals are the better team here.
I’m a big Spencer Carberry fan, and I was amazed at what he did to will the Capitals to the playoffs last season in his rookie season behind the bench.
To that end, the Capitals hold the advantage in expected goals with a seventh-best 55.49 xGF% to Philly’s 22nd-ranked 47.2 xGF%. On the defensive end, the Capitals also hold a slight advantage with a 2.47 xGA/60 to the Flyers’ 2.65.
The Flyers have a lot of high-end talent, including rookie sensation Matvei Michkov, but I think they’ll figure it out a little bit later than the other teams. Usually, it takes a month or two until young teams can start clicking, and I have faith John Tortorella can light a fire under this team.
I presume we’ll see Samuel Ersson in net for the Flyers as well, while both Charlie Lindgren and Logan Thompson have split starts for the Caps. I think we see Lindgren, who hopes to build on his successful campaign last season. He’s currently posting an .893 SV% and has a -1.6 goals saved above expected (GSAx), which is significantly lower than his 10.5 last season.
Either way, I find Lindgren the better netminder than Ersson while the Capitals have every advantage in this game. I’m expecting the Flyers faithful to head home unhappy.
Pick: Capitals (+102 at BetRivers)
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Wild vs. Panthers
By Nick Martin
The Panthers have done well to rack up three wins in five games while playing without captain Aleksander Barkov and Matthew Tkachuk. Good teams find a way to win close games, and the Panthers have obviously earned a reputation as a team that can close out tight matchups.
Still, you could argue the Panthers were outplayed in four of their last five matchups, and the analytics agree: They hold just a 47.37% expected goal share. They also hold a goal differential of -1 in those five matchups.
Saying the Panthers are doing a good job of winning "coin-flip" type games isn't much of an argument in their favor given their -155 price tag in this matchup. Especially when you look at how the Wild (+130) have played out of the gates.
The Wild own the league's fifth-best expected goal share, and they hold the best xGA/60 in hockey. They haven't trailed in a single game, and they have suffered both defeats past regulation.
Filip Gustavsson posted a +24.2 GSAx in the 2022-23 season, but he took significant steps backward last year in a season where everything went wrong for Minnesota. He's looked great in posting a +4.7 GSAx in four appearances this year, and he looks poised for a bounce-back campaign.
Given their defensive strengths and the play of Gustavsson in goal, this looks like a good spot to back the Wild at a long number of +126.
Pick: Wild (+126 at FanDuel)
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Red Wings vs. Islanders
The New York Islanders were handed a big blow over the weekend when first-line winger Anthony Duclair exited Saturday night's game with an injury that will keep him out of the lineup for a while, but any situation like that does provide an opportunity for another player down the lineup.
In this case that player will be Simon Holmstrom. The 23-year-old winger will likely get the call to take Duclair's spot on the first line with Bo Horvat and Mat Barzal, which is as cushy a gig as you can find on the Island these days.
Holmstrom also will get that assignment in a great matchup for the Isles' offense. New York (-170) takes on the Detroit Red Wings (+143), who have really struggled to prevent scoring chances so far this season.
Holmstrom may not be a household name, but he's coming off a 15-goal campaign and has great hands in front of net, so there's a chance this sticks and we see the Swede put together a nice run playing alongside the two best players on the Islanders.
Pick: Simon Holmstrom anytime goalscorer (+550 at Caesars)
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Jets vs. Blues
By Greg Liodice
The scoresheet may not say it, but Nino Niederreiter is playing his tail off.
The Swiss winger was able to notch his first goal of the season on Sunday against the Penguins, but it was a long time coming.
Niederreiter fancies himself as a grinder who does all the dirty work on the boards, in front of the net, with a keen eye to generate scoring chances. As a member of the third line with Adam Lowry and Mason Appleton, doing all of that is just another day at the office.
What has made that line so special is its ability to control play. Out of all the lines in hockey (minimum 50 minutes played), the Niederreiter-Lowry-Appleton line is fourth in expected goals with a 3.9 xGF%.
Additionally, Niederreiter leads the Winnipeg Jets in expected goals, expected shooting on unblocked shots, high-danger attempts and high-danger goals, and he is fourth in Corsi.
He’s creating a ton of opportunities but will have a tough challenge against the St. Louis Blues. The Blues (+118) only allow 2.83 goals per game, and the Jets (-148) have been lighting the lamp quite a bit.
Still, I anticipate Niederreiter to insert himself in the greasy areas and cause Jordan Binnington – a goalie who’s known to implode – a lot of headaches. I’m taking Nino at +410 as an anytime goalscorer (AGS).
Pick: Nino Niederreiter anytime goalscorer (+410 at Caesars)
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Kings vs. Golden Knights
The Los Angeles Kings were in a tricky spot to start the 2024-25 season.
Not only did the Kings have to play their entire preseason and first seven games on the road due to renovations at Crypto.com Arena, but they also lost top-pair defenseman Drew Doughty to a fluke injury in an exhibition contest.
There were already plenty of skeptics who thought the Kings were in danger of a step-back campaign thanks to some questionable offseason maneuvers, and those whispers became louder as Los Angeles came out of the gates with a 1-1-2 record through their first four games.
Two games later and Los Angeles (+105) is 3-1-2 and has a chance to end this road trip with points in six of seven depending on how they fare against Vegas (-125) on Tuesday night. Not too shabby.
What's more encouraging is that the Kings are achieving this success through stingy defense, which was a staple of their game when things were going right over the past three seasons. Only Minnesota is surrendering fewer expected goals against at 5-on-5 than Los Angeles and the Kings are getting terrific production from their top-six up front, most notably Anze Kopitar.
Given their defensive form and the schedule spot for the Knights – Vegas is coming back West after a three-game swing through the Southeast – getting Los Angeles as a +130 underdog seems like a savvy bet.
Pick: Kings (+130 at Caesars)
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