Best NHL Bets Today | NHL Picks, December 11

Four games are kicking off the new week of the NHL, including a few sets of games where some of the best teams in the league are trying to snap a losing streak. Two other games are set to bring huge earnings for betters as they are not essentially one-sided. In the two early slated games for Monday night, 1 team with a better overall record is favored by a small margin, while the other is going into the game as an underdog. This should be a night where the Arizona Coyotes and the Toronto Maple Leafs could bring potential big winnings with victories tonight.

Arizona Coyotes vs. Buffalo Sabres

• Time: 7:00 PM E.T. - Monday

• Moneyline: Coyotes (+110) | Sabres (-130)

• Puck Line: Coyotes +1.5 (-225) | Sabres -1.5 (+185)

• Total: Over 6.5 (-110) | Under 6.5 (-110)

Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook. Get $150 in Bonus Bets at DraftKings!

My Pick: Arizona Coyotes (ARI)

One of the first two matchups of this new week in the NHL is set for a huge Western Conference versus Eastern Conference matchup as the Arizona Coyotes (13-11-2) go on the road to take on the Buffalo Sabres (11-14-3). Tonight would be the first time that the Coyotes and the Sabres will meet on the ice this season.

Arizona has been on an up-and-down trend to start the season, which is better than the performance they had last year. After starting the season with an 8-9-2 overall record, the Coyotes made history by winning five consecutive games against the last five Stanley Cup finals winners. During this run, Arizona outscored their opponents 19-5. The Coyotes are currently on a two-game losing streak, with their last game being a 5-3 loss on the road to the Boston Bruins.

Like Arizona, Buffalo has been on an up-and-down trend throughout most of the season. The savers, however, have not been consistent in their overall record as they have gone to be over .500% once before suffering a significant losing streak. The Sabres have lost five of their last six games and are coming off a 3-2 shootout loss versus the Montreal Canadians.

The Coyotes come into this game with more efficient offense and defense than the Sabres. Defensively, Arizona has allowed only 2.96 goals per game, which is 11th in the league. While they have been improving on the offensive side of the ice, it is their defense that has been marginally better through these last few weeks of this season.

The Sabres are in the bottom half of the league in every major category on both sides of the ice. They are ranked 21st in points allowed per game (3.32). Their biggest edge is the homecourt advantage, but with Buffalo playing poorly within the last few games, this would be a game for the Coyotes to break their two-game losing streak.

Toronto Maple Leafs vs. New York Islanders

• Time: 7:00 PM E.T. - Monday

• Moneyline: Maple Leafs (-135) | Islanders (+114)

• Puck Line: Maple Leafs -1.5 (+190) | Islanders +1.5 (-230)

• Total: Over 6 (-115) | Under 6 (-105)

Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.

My Pick: Toronto Maple Leafs (TOR)

One of the first two matchups of this new week in the NHL is set for an Eastern Conference matchup as the Toronto Maple Leafs go on the road to take on the New York Islanders. This will be the first time this season that these two opponents will meet on the ice.

The Maple Leafs started the 2023-2024 NHL Season hot and then cold. In their last eleven games, Toronto has won eight matchups, with only one loss coming at home. During that span, the Maple Leafs have gone into overtime or shootouts six times winning four of them. Toronto has won four of the last five games and is on a two-game winning streak.

The Islanders were on a solid track to start the season as they had accounted for an overall record of 5-2-2. After that start, the Islanders lost seven consecutive games, with four of them being on the road. The Islanders have won seven of the last ten games and they are on a two-game winning streak. The December 5th, 5-4 overtime loss at home to the San Jose Sharks is a serious Stinger, however.

This game could be a high-scoring affair as both the defenses of the Maple Leafs and the Islanders are in me middle of the league. Toronto's offense is more than capable of creating a highly efficient scoring game as they are ranked ninth in the league in goals per game (3.33).

Four players for Toronto have accounted for at least 23 points this season. Among the top leaders for the Maple Leafs are center Auston Matthews, who has accounted for 18 goals and 27 points, and forward William Nylander who has accounted for a team-high 32 points with 19 of them being assists. This much star power is going to be too much for the Islanders to control, despite having a homecourt advantage.

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