Red Wings’ Jakub Vrana pulls the Forsberg move on the Lightning for sick shootout goal

What a goal!

Jakub Vrana continues to be an incredible pickup for the Detroit Red Wings, especially so after pulling this infamous move in the shootout. On Saturday, with no score between the Red Wings and Tampa Bay Lightning, the game went into the shootout to decide a winner.

Though the shootout has been much maligned by hockey fans over the years, every so often it produces a fun moment and Saturday was Vrana’s turn to showcase some moves. Facing Curtis McElhinney in net for Tampa Bay, Vrana went to one of the oldest tricks in the book, the good old Forsberg move.

Taking the puck in on McElhinney, Vrana made a few quick stick-handling moves before settling the puck on his forehand then pushing it by the out-of-position netminder with one hand, going right around the sprawling Lightning goalie.

The Forsberg move is probably hockey’s most famous one-on-one maneuver, coined by being Peter Forsberg’s signature move in the 1990s. We’ve seen it on occasion in the NHL over the years, but it’s always a treat to watch whenever a player breaks it out.

Since joining the Red Wings at the trade deadline, Vrana has six goals and seven points in seven games with Detroit. Plus, a stellar shootout goal to help his team to a victory!

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David Savard trade yet another showcase of the Lightning’s crafty cap management

Everything is made up and the salary cap doesn’t matter.

Steve Yzerman may be long gone from the Tampa Bay Lightning, but his magical trading powers still lingers. It is trade deadline season in the NHL, with deals starting to trickle in as 3 p.m. ET on Monday rapidly approaches, and the latest move is a doozy.

On Saturday, the NHL had a rare three-way trade between the Lightning, the Detroit Red Wings, and the Columbus Blue Jackets in a deal that sent defenseman David Savard to Tampa Bay. Savard was the Blue Jackets’ biggest trade chip this deadline and the Lightning won the war to get the most coveted defenseman on the market.

It’s a whopper of a trade, but the biggest thing to note is that Columbus dealt Savard to Detroit first, retaining 50 percent of his salary, before he was moved to Tampa Bay after the Red Wings retained another 50 percent.

In total, the Lightning spent three draft picks (their first and fourth in 2021, then their third in 2022) to acquire Savard at 25 percent of his $4.25 million cap hit.

That, right there, is some Yzerman magic from Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois.

Tampa Bay is no stranger to making trades with tight cap room. In last year’s offseason, the Lightning traded away Braydon Coburn and Cedric Paquette to the Senators for Marian Gaborik and Anders Nilsson. The trade would have cost them more salary cap space, had it not been for the fact that Tampa Bay put both players on long-term injured reserve and banked enough cap room to make them compliant before the start of the 2020-21 season.

The team’s former general manager Yzerman was known for his crafty moves when he was manning the Lightning roster, so it’s no surprise to see him help out his former team with this Savard deal.

Even still, how do the Lightning keep on getting away with making these deals? Currently, Tampa Bay has over $98 million on their cap, well above the $81.5 million flat cap the NHL has instituted for the year. And yet, the Lightning have $17.3 million coming off the books in LTIR, meaning they barely squeak in under the cap with this new deal.

The biggest offense people have found with the Lightning’s savvy cap maneuvering has been with former league MVP Nikita Kucherov. In December, Tampa Bay announced Kucherov would miss the entire 2020-21 regular season due to a hip injury that required surgery, and his $9.5 million cap hit would slide to LTIR in the process. Since then, Kucherov has skated on the ice in practice and looks to be back with his team by the postseason, where then his cap hit wouldn’t matter.

For some, the timing is… off. Just when the Lightning need to clear salary cap space, Kucherov’s contract — the second-biggest on the team — was able to slide off the books and onto LTIR for the season. While the optics look bad, it’s hard to believe the Lightning would sacrifice an entire regular season without their best player just to be cap compliant.

And yet! Saturday’s move is another example of just how good the Lightning organization is at maneuvering through the NHL’s cap regulations on a knife’s edge. With this trade, Tampa Bay stays under the cap, but also gains a solid defensive defenseman in Savard to bolster their roster as the team looks to go back-to-back as Stanley Cup champions.

Is this trade legal by the NHL’s standards? Yes. Is it still a cunning way to exploit loop holes in the league’s cap system? Also yes.

How other NHL teams still play right into Tampa Bay’s hands after all this time, however, is anyone’s guess.

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Golf helps make Dylan Larkin perfect fit as Detroit Red Wings captain

With COVID-19 raging, teammates aren’t spending as much time together off-ice as they normally would. Golf is helping fill that void.

A trip to a beautiful golf course may help the Detroit Red Wings on the ice.

Dylan Larkin is poised to be named team captain before the 2021 season. It hasn’t been announced yet by general manager Steve Yzerman, but it’d be shocking if it was anyone else. The two have bonded since Yzerman returned to the Wings in April 2019, chatting regularly about what it means to be a good Red Wing, what it means to do things right.

One of those things is making sure a teammate feels welcome, feels like he is part of the camaraderie.

When newcomer Bobby Ryan called Larkin in November about a solo golf outing to Arcadia Bluffs, Larkin had a better idea. He recruited Tyler Bertuzzi and Robby Fabbri to make it a foursome.

“So we made a golf trip out of that,” Ryan said. “I got to play some golf with the guys. Those are little things that add up. Larks didn’t have to do that. I was just asking about what’s up in that area and he came back and said, ‘I’m taking you.’ ”

It is the kind of thing a captain does.

“I wanted to make him feel as included in the team as possible,” Larkin said. “When I heard he was going up there—one, I love going up to Arcadia Bluffs and golfing. It’s a safe way to be around the guys and do something outside. Two, it was a great opportunity to bond and for Bert and Fabs to get to know him and make him feel welcome and included with the team.”

Jerome Bettis, Larry Burns, president and CEO of Children’s Hospital of Michigan Foundation, Dustin Johnson, Dylan Larkin and Paige Spiranac at the 2019 Rocket Mortgage Classic at Detroit Golf Club. Photo by Junfu Han/Detroit Free Press

Larkin and Ryan have spent some time at training camp working on the same power play unit. But with COVID-19 raging, teammates aren’t spending as much time together off-ice as they normally would. Still, the two have developed a bond.

Though he was far from a hot free-agent commodity, Ryan didn’t immediately say yes to Yzerman. First, he called Larkin and asked about the guys in the locker room: Had losing so much left them listless?

Larkin convinced Ryan that a last-place finish hadn’t eroded the culture of which the Wings are so protective—the one nurtured by Yzerman during his 20 seasons as captain. The one that has been the topic of their chats.

“My conversations with Steve since he has come back to the Red Wings have always been about being a good teammate, being someone that is a good professional, someone that is proud being a Red Wing,” Larkin said. “Doing it right. Working hard.

“For me, buying into that, it’s not something that’s hard to do. It’s something that the past leaders that I have been around in this locker room have done and they’ve done every day. I’ve tried to bring that every day.”

Larkin, 24, has a tremendous inner drive. Ryan saw that firsthand when he took part in informal skates ahead of the start of camp.

“I knew he was a little jerk to play against, but the compete level that he has in every drill, in every three-on-three game that we’ve played — his intensity, it’s overwhelming,” Ryan said. “It’s a very, very good thing to see. So I think he has impressed me the most in that regard. That’s a heck of an asset to have in a young guy, that compete level.”

Larkin apprenticed under Henrik Zetterberg, the Wings captain who retired in September 2018. Larkin was a good two-way player a year after being drafted 15th overall in 2014, but Zetterberg made Larkin understand he needed to be a great 200-foot player. It’s why the Wings had Larkin play on a line with Zetterberg as a rookie in 2015-16, and why it’s been crucial to Larkin’s development.

“I’ve talked about Dylan lots during my five years that I’ve coached him,” coach Jeff Blashill said. “Dylan is a great person. He’s got great attributes that the winners always have. He’s highly competitive every day. He’s worked extraordinarily hard. He’s got that inner drive that it takes to be elite at any level, and then he’s just a really, really good person. It doesn’t surprise me that Bobby would say good things about Larks in those areas because that’s who Larks is. I think Bobby would appreciate Larks’ approach and the type of person Larks is.”

Ryan can also say good things about Larkin as a golfer: The four split into teams, and while Ryan and Fabbri won one day, Larkin and Bertuzzi won the other.

It isn’t just Larkin who has impressed Ryan. He described the Wings as “young and refreshing. It’s a very light locker room, which works well for me.

“I’ve been here for seven weeks with these guys. They come to work every day with the intention to be competitive and get better. That’s all you can ask of a team that is going through that transition. A much more positive team than I thought it would be. They’ve last year be last year.”

Larkin described the 17-49-5 record the Wings endured last season as “one of the hardest years of my life. And then you had to sit at home for 10 months and think about it, and all the things going on in the world.”

A summer of workouts improvised to make up for closed gyms segued into autumn. Then Yzerman made a trade and scoured free agency, and suddenly the Wings had new players in Marc Staal, Jon Merrill, Troy Stecher, Thomas Greiss—and the guy Larkin had advised personally: Ryan.

“For his decision on coming to our team, he reached out to me, which was something I was happy he did,” Larkin said. “I was really pulling him for to come to our team. When he decided to sign, I was fired up. I thought he could really help our team and be a great addition to our locker room.”

The Wings look like they will be more competitive this season, with renewed hope. The Stanley Cup still looks years off, but then, it took 14 years for Yzerman to win his first Cup.

Larkin, too, has a long-term plan.

“I want to be a great player in this league,” he said. “I want our team to be a great team that is respected and back in contention for the Stanley Cup every year.”

Contact Helene St. James at hstjames@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @helenestjames. Read more on the Detroit Red Wings and sign up for our Red Wings newsletter. Her book, The Big 50: The Detroit Red Wings is available from AmazonBarnes & Noble and Triumph Books. Personalized copies available via her e-mail.

Tampa Bay Lightning at Detroit Red Wings odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Sunday’s Tampa Bay Lightning at Detroit Red Wings sports betting odds, picks and best bets

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The Tampa Bay Lightning (43-20-5) tangle with the Detroit Red Wings (16-48-5) Sunday at Little Caesars Arena at 5 p.m. ET. We analyze the Lightning-Red Wings sports betting odds and lines, while providing NHL betting tips and picks around this matchup.

Lightning at Red Wings: Projected starting goalies

Curtis McElhinney vs. Jonathan Bernier

McElhinney is expected to get the starting nod after the Lightning just played in Boston Saturday night with Andrei Vasilevskiy getting the call in that one. The Lightning backup has posted an 8-7-2 record, 2.83 goals against average and .908 save percentage with a shutout, so he is more than capable, especially against the lowly Wings.

Bernier gives the Wings their best chance to win, as he is 14-21-3 with a respectable 2.88 GAA and .909 SV% in his 39 starts and 44 appearances. At home he is a solid 10-10-1 with a 2.75 GAA and .906 SV% in his 21 starts and 24 appearances. It’s unlikely the team turns to Jimmy Howard for this tough matchup. He is a dismal 2-23-2 with a 4.20 GAA and .882 save percentage.


Place a sports bet on this hockey action or other games at BetMGM.


Lightning at Red Wings: Odds, picks and betting tips

Odds courtesy of BetMGM; access them at USA TODAY Sports for a full list. Odds last updated Saturday at 12:23 p.m. ET.

Prediction

Lightning 4, Red Wings 2

Moneyline (ML)

The Lightning (-278) should be able to dominate this game, but they are playing less than 24 hours after a hard-fought and important game in Boston, and then they had to hop right on a plane for Hockeytown. Still, the Red Wings (+225) have next to no chance. But still, AVOID.

New to sports betting? A $10 bet on the Lightning -278 returns a profit of $3.60 if they win, while a $10 wager on the Red Wings +225 results in a profit of $22.50.

Puck Line/Against the Spread (ATS)

The LIGHTNING (-1.5, even) is the much better play, with or without tired legs. They have so many offensive weapons that it’s hard to envision the cellar-dwelling Red Wings (+1.5, -121) slowing them down. Tampa Bay is 41-11 in the past 52 games against teams with a losing record, too, so they rarely let up or play down to their competition.

Over/Under (O/U)

The OVER 5.5 (-139) is the play here, but because it’s Lightning against Red Wings. If Tampa were playing virtually anyone else, the lean would be Under. The Under is 7-1 in their past eight in the second end of a back-to-back. But the Over is also 7-2 in their past nine as a favorite.

Want some action in this one? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Chicago Blackhawks at Detroit Red Wings odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Friday’s Chicago Blackhawks at Detroit Red Wings sports betting odds and lines, with NHL betting picks, tips and best bets.

The Chicago Blackhawks (31-28-8) shoot for a fifth straight win Friday as they visit the Detroit Red Wings (15-48-5), who have lost six in a row, at Little Caesars Arena. Puck drop is set for 7:30 p.m. ET. We analyze the Blackhawks-Red Wings sports betting odds and lines, while providing NHL betting tips and picks around this matchup.

Blackhawks at Red Wings: Projected starting goalies

Malcolm Subban vs. Jimmy Howard

Subban’s expected to make his first start with the Blackhawks. He made a brief appearance Tuesday against the Anaheim Ducks, but didn’t face a shot in 1:10 of action. He was 9-7-3 with a .890 save percentage and 3.17 goals against average across 19 starts and one relief appearance with the Vegas Golden Knights prior to the trade deadline.

Howard remains without a win since Oct. 29, a stretch of 20 starts. The 35-year-old owns a 2-23-2 record with a .882 SV% and 4.20 GAA for the season.


Place a sports bet on this hockey action or other games at BetMGM.


Blackhawks at Red Wings: Odds, picks and betting tips

Odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full list.
Odds last updated at 9:10 a.m. ET.

Prediction

Red Wings 4, Blackhawks 3

Moneyline (ML)

The Blackhawks (-176) played Thursday and dealt the playoff-bound Edmonton Oilers a serious blow with a 4-3 win for their fourth straight victory. Starter Corey Crawford was in net for each of those and Subban will make his debut looking to improve on what has been a bad season with the superior Golden Knights. The ‘Hawks have won five in a row just once this season. They’re 16-15-4 on the road.

The RED WINGS (+145) don’t inspire confidence, especially with Howard in net, but there is value Friday at home against a tired opponent starting a shaky backup ‘tender. The Blackhawks earned a 4-2 victory in Chicago Jan. 5 in the season’s first head-to-head clash, but side with the Wings to pull even in the Original Six series.

New to sports betting? A $10 bet on the Red Wings to win in regulation, overtime or a shootout returns a profit of $14.50.

Puck Line/Against the Spread (ATS)

The RED WINGS (+1.5, -182) can also be played with 1 goal of insurance in the event of a loss on the spread. Chicago (-1.5, +150) won only two of its last four games by 2 or more goals. The Wings have been playing oddly tight games, losing each of their last two contests by single tallies, with the first of those going to a shootout.

Over/Under (O/U)

OVER 5.5 (-154) is the easy play, so look to the alternate line of OVER 6.5 (+135) in regular time. The Blackhawks are 6-4-0 against the O/U across their last 10 games and the Red Wings are 3-5-2 against the projected totals. Both goalies will show a fair amount of rust after long breaks between starts.

Esten’s NHL betting record: 269-249

Want some action in this one? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

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Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Colorado Avalanche at Detroit Red Wings odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Monday’s Colorado Avalanche at Detroit Red Wings sports betting odds and lines, with NHL betting picks, tips and best bets.

The Colorado Avalanche (39-18-7) visit the Detroit Red Wings (15-47-5) for a 7:30 p.m. ET contest at Little Caesar’s Arena Monday. We analyze the Avalanche-Red Wings odds and lines, while providing NHL betting tips around this matchup.

Avalanche at Red Wings: Projected starting goalies

Pavel Francouz vs. Jonathan Bernier

Francouz has started eight straight games for the Avalanche. The last six have been quality starts, and over that stretch, the 29-year-old rookie is 6-0 with a .957 save percentage. Four of those six turns have been on the road where Francouz has been terrific (1.64 goals against average and .951 SV%). For the season, he has notched a 2.24 GAA and .929 SV%. Francouz backs a defense which has killed 18 straight penalties.

Bernier owns a 2.94 GAA and .907 SV% through 42 games (37 starts). He has logged a .893 SV% over his last 10 games, although that coincides with a period in which the Wings put heavy pressure on their goaltenders with a spike in penalties to kill. It has been a factor in Detroit allowing 33.1 shots per game over its last eight games.


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Avalanche at Red Wings: Odds, picks and betting tips

Odds courtesy of BetMGM; access them at USA TODAY Sports for a full set of today’s betting odds. Odds last updated at 9:35 a.m. ET.

Prediction

Colorado 4, Detroit 1

Moneyline (ML)

I pegged the Avs as my main Stanley Cup darkhorse play since they went 17-14-5 from late-October to mid-January. I’ve had them going as one of my main second-half plays, and they haven’t disappointed. Even the Colorado (-304) line here has a bit of a bargain attached, but PASS in favor of the better play on the puck line.

Puck Line/Against the Spread (ATS)

Colorado’s multi-goal wins are outpacing their one-goal victories, 27-12. Detroit has lost by two or more in 40-of-52 losses.

The Avs defeated the Wings 6-3 Jan. 20 and are a combined 5-1 against the worst four teams in the league. Four of those five wins have been by three or more goals. COLORADO (-1.5, -110) is a strong play.

Over/Under (O/U)

The Under is 9-1 in Colorado’s last 10 games. In the six highlighted games against bottom-feeders, the Under has gone 5-1.

The Under has a nice price here. PLAY THE UNDER 5.5 (+115).

Want some action on this matchup? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Minnesota Wild at Detroit Red Wings odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Thursday’s Minnesota Wild at Detroit Red Wings sports betting odds and lines, with NHL matchup analysis, picks and tips.

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The Minnesota Wild (30-25-7) square off with the Detroit Red Wings (15-46-4) Thursday at Little Caesars Arena at 7:30 p.m. ET. We analyze the Wild-Red Wings sports betting odds and lines, while providing NHL betting tips and picks around this matchup.

Wild at Red Wings: Projected starting goalies

Devan Dubnyk vs. Jimmy Howard

Dubnyk was an All-Star last season, but he has fallen on hard times, while G Alex Stalock has been much more effective. However, Dubnyk is expected to make the start at LCA, and he’ll get a crack at the league’s worst team in an effort to build up his confidence. He enters 11-15-2 with a 3.34 goals against average and .892 save percentage.

Howard has been horrific this season, going 2-22-2 with a 4.08 GAA and .886 save percentage. He has the league’s worst offense in front of him, which doesn’t help. Of course, allowing north of four goals a game doesn’t help either.


Place a sports bet on this hockey action or other games at BetMGM.


Wild at Red Wings: Odds, picks and betting tips

Odds courtesy of BetMGM; access them at USA TODAY Sports for a full list. Odds last updated at 5:45 a.m. ET.

Prediction

Wild 4, Red Wings 2

Moneyline (ML)

The Wild (-213) have been struggling, so even a date with the league’s worst team, the Red Wings (+175), isn’t necessarily a slam-dunk play. In fact, if you were to take a flier on either team, Detroit is the better option. Still, the best play is to AVOID.

New to sports betting? A $10 bet on the Wild ML returns a profit of $4.69 if they win, while a $10 wager on the Red Wings ML results in a profit of $17.50.

Puck Line/Against the Spread (ATS)

If you’re going to make a small-unit wager on this game, the WILD (-1.5, +125) are a better play. The Wild won their last road game and covered the puck line in a 5-3 victory at the Edmonton Oilers Friday. Five of their past nine wins have results in puck-line covers, too. The Red Wings (+1.5, -154) are a little too expensive if you’re looking for a little insurance.

Over/Under (O/U)

The OVER 5.5 (-121) is worth a roll of the dice, going 10-3-1 in the past 14 meetings between these sides in the Motor City. The Over is also 4-0-1 in the past five for Minnesota against the East, and 8-3 in the past 11 on the road.

Want some action in this one? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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New Jersey Devils at Detroit Red Wings odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Tuesday’s New Jersey Devils at Detroit Red Wings sports betting odds and lines, with NHL betting picks, tips and best bets.

The New Jersey Devils (24-27-10) visit the Detroit Red Wings (15-45-4) in a 7:30 p.m. ET contest at Little Caesars Arena Tuesday. We analyze the Devils-Red Wings odds and lines, while providing NHL betting tips around this matchup.

Devils at Red Wings: Projected starting goalies

Mac Blackwood vs. Jonathan Bernier

Blackwood sports a 2.73 goals against average and .916 save percentage through 43 games. He has won his last six decisions. Blackwood faced Detroit Feb. 13 and stopped 25 of 26 shots in a win. That contest against the Red Wings is part of a fabulous February that has seen the 23-year-old go 6-0 with a .970 SV%. Blackwood is making this start on two days of rest; over his last six starts on such rest, he has posted a nifty .932 SV%.

Bernier has a 2.90 GAA, .908 SV%. He allowed four goals on 26 shots against the Devils when the teams met two weeks ago.


Place a sports bet on this hockey action or other games at BetMGM.


Devils at Red Wings: Odds, picks and betting tips

Odds courtesy of BetMGM; access them at USA TODAY Sports for a full set of today’s betting odds. Odds last updated at 11 a.m. ET.

Prediction

New Jersey 3, Detroit 1

Moneyline (ML)

Liking the Blackwood side and going with the Devils’ more consistent ability to avoid the one-and-under goal output, back NEW JERSEY (-134).

Puck Line/Against the Spread (ATS)

New Jersey’s last multi-goal win was against these Red Wings — in Newark, Feb. 13.

New Jersey (-1.5, +200) is the lean here, but there is also a lean on the Under which is, to a certain degree, not fully compatible with a puck line play. SKIP THIS ONE and stick with the moneyline bet.

Over/Under (O/U)

This is a zag from where the money has gone in early betting, but there is a decent amount of gravity around a Devils’ win and a 4-to-5-goal total.

PLAY THE UNDER 5.5 (-106).

Want some action on this matchup? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Detroit Red Wings at New York Islanders odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Friday’s Detroit Red Wings at New York Islanders sports betting odds and lines, with NHL matchup analysis, picks and tips.

The Detroit Red Wings (15-43-4) travel to meet the New York Islanders (33-20-6) Friday at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, N.Y., at 8 p.m. ET. We analyze the Red Wings-Islanders sports betting odds and lines, while providing NHL betting tips and picks around this matchup.

Red Wings at Islanders: Projected starting goalies

Jonathan Bernier vs. Semyon Varlamov

Bernier has turned into a trade chip for the lowly Wings leading up to Monday’s deadline. He’ll have at least one more game to build his stock. He enters with a 13-17-2 record, 2.89 goals against average and .908 save percentage, which looks bad. However, those numbers are phenomenal given how poorly Jimmy Howard has played, going 2-22-2 with a 4.08 GAA and .886 SV%. Howard was in the crease, allowing three goals in just 7:56 before getting pulled, in an 8-2 loss Jan. 14 at the Isles.

Varlamov enters 17-12-4 with a 2.55 GAA and .918 SV%, with each of the past two categories slightly ahead of his career numbers. He didn’t start that mid-January start against the Wings, but he allowed just one goal on 31 shots in a 4-1 win in Detroit Dec. 2.


Place a sports bet on this hockey action or other games at BetMGM.


Red Wings at Islanders: Odds, picks and betting tips

Odds courtesy of BetMGM; access them at USA TODAY Sports for a full list. Odds last updated at 12:20 p.m. ET.

Prediction

Islanders 3, Red Wings 1

Moneyline (ML)

The Islanders (-304) should be AVOIDED, not because they’re not going to win, but you have to risk over three times the return on investment. It’s just not worth the risk of an upset. Ask those who laid big money on the Canadiens in Detroit Tuesday – a 4-3 loss. However, the Wings (+240) have won just once in the past seven meetings.

New to sports betting? A $10 bet on the Islanders ML returns a profit of $3.29, while a $10 wager on the Red Wings ML results in a profit of $24.

Puck Line/Against the Spread (ATS)

The ISLANDERS (-1.5, -106) are a better bet on the puck line, even though you still won’t catch plus-money backing them to win by 2 goals or more. Despite the win by the Red Wings (+1.5, -115) last time out, they’ve averaged just 1.7 goals per game across the past seven outings, and rank last in the league with a 2.02 GPG for the season.

Over/Under (O/U)

UNDER 5.5 (-129) is the play here as the Red Wings are terrible at putting the biscuit in the basket. The Under is 4-0-1 in the past five on the road for the Wings, while going 5-1-1 in the past seven overall. The Under is also 4-0 in the past four for the Isles, and 5-1-2 in the past eight against Atlantic Division foes. However, tread lightly, as the Over is 13-3 in the past 16 meetings in New York, while the Isles are 5-0 in the past five at home.

Want some action in this one? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Montreal Canadiens at Detroit Red Wings odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Tuesday’s Montreal Canadiens at Detroit Red Wings sports betting odds and lines, with NHL betting picks, tips and best bets.

The Montreal Canadiens (27-26-8) pay a visit to the lowly Detroit Red Wings (14-43-4) Tuesday at Little Caesars Arena for a 7:30 p.m. ET puck drop. Both teams have lost four games in a row. We analyze the Canadiens-Red Wings sports betting odds and lines, while providing NHL betting tips and picks around this matchup.

Canadiens at Red Wings: Projected starting goalies

Carey Price vs. Jonathan Bernier

Price has gone 0-3-1 across his last four games while allowing a total of 13 goals. The 32-year-old has appeared in a league-high 50 games and is 24-21-5 with a .911 save percentage and 2.74 goals against average.

Bernier dropped three straight decisions but made a relief appearance Sunday in favor of Jimmy Howard and stopped 18 of 19 shots faced. He is 12-17-2 on the season with a .909 SV% and 2.88 GAA.


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Canadiens at Red Wings: Odds, picks and betting tips

Odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full list.
Odds last updated Tuesday at 9:45 a.m. ET.

Prediction

Red Wings 4, Canadiens 3

Moneyline (ML)

With both teams mired in slumps, the RED WINGS (+165) are the play for a profitable return on home ice. The Canadiens (-200) have slipped to sixth in the Atlantic Division, but remain 30 points clear of the Wings. Still, I would never lay that kind of chalk on a road team having lost four straight games.

Additionally, the Wings lead the season series 3-0. They have 4-2, 2-1 and 4-3 victories, and two of those were on the road. Be sure to take the value.

New to sports betting? A $10 bet on the Wings to win in regulation, overtime or a shootout returns a profit of $16.50, while the same bet on the Canadiens fetches a profit of just $5.

Puck Line/Against the Spread (ATS)

The RED WINGS (+1.5, -167) are also worth backing to lose by no more than 1 goal or win outright. Detroit is just 24-37 against the spread overall and 12-17 at home, while Montreal is 29-32 ATS overall but 17-11 on the road. Follow the head-to-head season series trend and expect Detroit to at least keep this one close.

Over/Under (O/U)

Take the OVER 5.5 (-106) as the more profitable side of the total bet. Both offenses are struggling, but so are the two starting goaltenders. Two of the three head-to-head meetings this season topped Tuesday’s projected total.

Esten’s NHL betting record: 235-224

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