Proline Tips: The Best And Worst Hockey Bets This Year

Steven Stamkos and the Lightning play a lot of high-scoring games

It’s hard to believe, but many NHL teams have already completed a third of their regular-season schedule.

Over 25-plus games, a few trends have emerged that are definitely worth knowing about when you are making your Proline or sportsbook hockey bets.

Here’s a look at the main ones:

Teams to bet over the total

Anyone who likes offensive hockey has to enjoy watching the Colorado Avalanche and Tampa Bay Lightning this season. The Avs and Lightning feature the highest-scoring games, with Colorado games averaging 6.6 goals and Tampa contests averaging 6.53 goals. Eighteen of the Avalanche’s first 26 games went over the total, as did 17 of the Lightning’s first 27.

San Jose has also been a solid bet to go over the total. Sharks’ games average only 5.77 goals per game, but they are 16-10 over/under since totals on San Jose games are lower than games involving Colorado or Tampa Bay.

Teams to bet under the total

The Montreal Canadiens play the lowest-scoring games in the NHL, averaging only 4.61 goals for and against. No total seems low enough for the Habs, who have gone under the total in 20 of their first 26 games.

Boston has also gone under in all but six of its games through Dec. 7. Only 4.76 games are scored on average in Bruins games.

Other strong under teams have been the Panthers (9-17 over/under), Kings (9-16), Maple Leafs (9-16) and Devils (9-17).

Teams to bet on

Montreal has been an ATM machine for bettors this year, going 18-10 against the spread in its first 28 games. Anyone who bet $100 per game on the Canadiens this year at sportsbooks is up $1246 so far.

The Bruins have made $1143 for $100 bettors, followed by the Flyers ($995), Avalanche ($879) and Predators ($735).

Teams to bet against

Looks like Ilya Kovalchuk wasn’t the answer for the Devils, who are a brutal 7-20 against the spread through 27 games and have cost $100 bettors more than $2000 so far. The Leafs are also bad (9-17 against the spread, -$1329).

Interestingly, the Kings, Wild and Senators are a combined two games over .500, but they also rank in the bottom five of profitable teams to support this season. The defending Cup champion Blackhawks are also costing their bettors a lot of money since they are heavy favourites most nights.