Top 3 NHL Betting Picks In December

Nathan Horton and the Blue Jackets have quietly been the best team in the NHL over the past month. (Photo credit: tsyp9 / iWoman / CC BY-SA)

Judging teams by their win/loss records on the season can be misleading in NHL betting.

Sometimes, teams take a little while to start to roll. These teams can easily fly under the radar because their odds are based on their full-season record, not their recent success.

Here are the top three NHL betting teams in December:

1. Columbus

The Blue Jackets have used a strong December to get back into the NHL playoff race after scuffling to a 6-15-2 record over the first two months.

Columbus is a scalding hot 9-1-1 over its past 11 games, winning many of those games in underdog fashion. The Blue Jackets’ wins this month include as +225 at Tampa Bay, as +163 in Washington, as +166 in Detroit and as +153 versus Chicago.

The Jackets have had a little luck during this run as well. They are 6-1 in overtime games, and that success rate won’t continue forever.

2. Chicago

The Hawks were a respectable 15-8-1 through the first two months, but they’ve turned up their game in December. Chicago has gone 9-2-1 since Dec. 1, allowing two goals or less in seven of those 12 games.

There’s not much not to like about the Blackhawks’ game these days. They lead the league in shots on goal, goals against and penalty kill.

3. San Jose

There was panic in San Jose after a 11-9-2 start, but the Sharks are breathing much easier these days.

The Sharks opened this month on a 9-2 run, including victories over Anaheim, Boston, Minnesota, Edmonton and St. Louis. Of course, they’ve also fattened up with a pair of wins over the Oilers over the past month, and they did lose 2-1 in Edmonton Dec. 7.

San Jose has been favoured in nearly every game this season, so it’s always tough to find betting value with the Sharks, but at least they’re worth the hefty price tag once again.