NHL Best Bet 01/08/2026

Published: Thu Jan 08, 2026, 5:08 pm ET

Read Time: 7 minutes

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An interesting NHL slate tonight, as the league is officially half way through the season. The East feels wide open, with nearly every team still in the mix of snatching a Wild Card spot. And while the West has some more obvious teams who wont make it to the finish line, teams like the Seattle Kraken and San Jose Sharks are putting up unexpected battles to keep their playoff hopes alive. Time to target players and teams who are finding recent success, and fading some of the bigger stars who may be getting ready for the Olympic break. Time to zig and zag to find some NHL best bets on this big Thursday slate. Let's start the year off right by boosting our 28-32 record on the articles.

We will be breaking down NHL best bets here at Betting News all playoffs long! Each article will look for VALUE, as in straights you can take to build up your bankroll or pieces you can use to beef up your parlays. All bets will be -135 or better odds. And while we will focus on NHL player props, there are times we will take sides and totals. So keep your eyes peeled here as we will drop these throughout the week.

And if you haven't already be sure to check out some of my favorite futures and awards. So time to lace them up and get ready to ride with Betzky for my favorite NHL best bets of the day.

1. Jared McCann o2.5 SOG +140 on Lucky Rebel:

McCann is helping lead the Seattle Kraken to the playoffs

One of the most surprising recent story lines is the rise of the Seattle Kraken. Just a couple weeks ago they were allowing the most goals against in the league, and were struggling to score. They looked to be a seller at the deadline (in fact they traded Marchment) and a team with some of the best lottory odds. Then they said "hold my beer" and roared back (slithered, swam?) into a wildcard spot with an 8-1-1 record. A big part of this has been Jared McCann's performance.

McCann isn't a pure perimeter chucker, but his volume is right in the zone where a 2.5 line is live:He has 43 shots in 17 games this season – 2.53 SOG per game and has logged 8 games with 3+ shots on goal this year, so he's clearing this number in roughly 47% of his games despite modest ice time (about 16:22 per night). That's basically a coin flip baseline before you layer in game environment and matchup edges. Not the best, but not the worst. But this prop being +125 gives this even split an edge as an NHL best bet.

The Minnesota Wild aren't a pushover defensively, but they're not a low-event shot suppressor either: Over the last ten games, the Wild are allowing 29.8 shots against per game, essentially league-average. But they have allow the 5th most shots against overall on the entire season. Even recent game logs show they can bleed attempts: they've recently given up 38+ shots in multiple games, including 38 against the Kings in a 4–2 loss and other mid-30s totals during this road-heavy stretch.

McCann has 15 shots in his last 5 games vs the Wild, a clean 3.0 SOG per game over the more recent sample where he's been a featured shooter for Seattle. To help his team continue to roll, and to beat down on a tired Wild team who is ended a 7 game roadtrip, McCann will have to put pressure on Minnesota with his shot. And this is exactly why his SOG prop is an NHL best bet.

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2. Bobby McMann Point +115 on Lucky Rebel:

Bobby McMann has been a difference maker for the Maple Leafs

Bobby McMann has quietly become one of the more consistently relevant secondary scorers in the Maple Leafs' lineup this season, and several trends support the wager that he'll register a point against the Philadelphia Flyers. Especially due to McMann being bumped up to the Maples Leafs' top line with Auston Matthews.

McMann has put together an impressive offensive season for a depth winger, with a points-per-game pace that puts him comfortably over 0.5 per contest through 2025-26. As of early January, he's averaging roughly 0.56 points per game this season — meaning he's recorded a point in more than every other game. Over his last 10 outings, that average climbs even further, showing an increased scoring frequency as he's gotten more involved. Even when a player isn't elite, that kind of usage and point pace makes point props more live than one might assume.

The Flyers have been inconsistent defensively this season, giving up offense at times to secondary scorers: In a previous encounter vs. Philadelphia last season, McMann notched a goal and an assist in a big Leafs win, showing he can hit the scoresheet against this opponent. The Leafs also traditionally generate high event offense against the Flyers, often overwhelming their goaltending depth with balanced scoring and shots from multiple lines. The Flyers are coming off a big emotional win against the Anaheim Ducks and could easily play soft tonight. A big power forward like McMann can exploit this, making his point an NHL best bet.

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3. Anthony Mantha Point +110 on Lucky Rebel:

The Penguins are looking strong with their forward depth this year.

Just when it seemed like the Pittsburgh Penguins run as a top team was dead in the water, they added some sneaky great depth to help them make a push for a wildcard spot in the East. For the past couple seasons the Penguins felt like a one-line team after they traded Jake Guentzel. But this offseason they added power forwards Anthony Mantha and Justin Brazeau. These two beasts have helped the Penguins beat down opponents.

Mantha in particular is delivering good secondary scoring for Pittsburgh: Through the 2025-26 season he's already recorded 14 goals and 15 assists for 29 points, showing he's consistently contributing offensively on a nightly basis. That places him among the more productive role wingers on the Penguins and gives him a real chance to hit the scoresheet in any given matchup — especially when the Penguins are clicking offensively. Even if he isn't a top-line superstar, a 25-plus point pace by early January suggests he's regularly involved in scoring plays.

Although New Jersey has been defensively sound at times, recent trends show inconsistency in goal prevention: The Devils just allowed 9 goals against to the New York Islanders. And while I expect them to tighten up their game tonight, they have proven over and over that their inconsistencies can get them in trouble. It doesn't help that there are trade rumors surrounding some of the key role players on the team. Perhaps this is weighing down on the team because over the last ten games they have allowed 15th most goals against on the road.

In games where the opponent controls pace and cycle time, players like Mantha — who drive to the net and participate in plays from multiple angles — can find points through rebounds, second assists, or scoring plays off turnovers. And finally, power center Evgani Malkin may make his return, playing next to Mantha on the 2nd line which would be a huge boost. All of that makes Anthony Mantha recording a point a NHL best bet.

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