We’re officially one week into the 2025-26 NHL season. In this article I’ll outline the most noteworthy news and notes surrounding Tuesday’s slate, and I’ll also offer up my best bet from the quality eight-game card.

Best Bet: Tampa Bay Lightning Moneyline +100 (bet365, Play to -110)

The Lightning finished the 2024-25 season with the best goal differential in the Eastern Conference and a record of 47-27-8. On paper, their roster is now considerably better than it was throughout the majority of last season. However, they’ve struggled to a record of 1-2-0 out of the gate while allowing 4.33 goals against per game and will be playing the second leg of a back-to-back in this matchup.

As it’s a back-to-back and the Lightning haven’t looked overly sharp just yet, they are road underdogs versus a Capitals side that they are expected to considerably outperform this season.

The impact of this particular back-to-back spot may not be that significant, though. Andrei Vasilevskiy rested in Monday’s Columbus Day matinee and will likely start this matchup. The Lightning got into Washington early on Monday, negating the rest factor to some extent, compared to the majority of travelling back-to-backs in which teams arrived into the next city in the late hours of the evening.

The Capitals will be playing for the third time in three nights after stealing a win over the Rangers on Sunday thanks to an otherworldly performance from Charlie Lindgren. Pierre-Luc Dubois suffered an injury in that matchup, and his status for this game is unclear, potentially providing a significant loss, as Dubois was the team’s best defensive center last season while racking up 66 points.

This will probably be the only meeting this season in which the Lightning are underdogs versus the Capitals, and I’m not sure it’s warranted, especially if Dubois is unable to play. At -110 or better, I see value in backing the Lightning to play to their potential and move to 2-2-0 Tuesday. 

Seattle Kraken vs Montreal Canadiens

Kraken moneyline odds	+135
Canadiens moneyline odds	-160
Game total	Over 6 goals (-110), Under 6 (-110)
Time	7 p.m. ET

All odds courtesy of bet365.

• The Kraken played quite respectably during their season-opening two-game homestand, earning wins over the Anaheim Ducks and Vegas Golden Knights to move to 2-0-0.
• Joey Daccord was fantastic last season playing behind a poor defensive side, finishing with a +19.1 GSAx rating in 57 appearances. He’s gotten off to an excellent start this year, with a .968 save percentage and 0.96 GAA in his first two appearances. 
• This matchup is the Canadiens’ home opener. They played to a record of 23-12-6 at home last season, compared to a mark of 17-19-5 on the road.
• As expected, Zac Bolduc has looked like an excellent pickup so far this season, tallying a goal in each of the Canadiens’ first three games and also adding an assist.
• In a small sample size of 22.2 minutes, Seattle’s top line of Matty Beniers, Jordan Eberle, and Jared McCann has been excellent. The trio has generated 5.04 xGF/60 and combined for seven points during the Kraken’s first two games. 
• The Kraken won both head-to-head matchups between these two sides last season.

Edmonton Oilers vs New York Rangers

Oilers moneyline odds	-135
Rangers moneyline odds	-160
Game total	Over 6 goals (-105), Under 6 (-115)
Time	7 p.m. ET

• The Rangers have been better defensively in the early going under head coach Mike Sullivan, as through four games they hold the 12th-best xGA/60 rating after finishing 28th in that metric last season. 
• Igor Shesterkin has shined while playing behind a more respectable defensive side, entering this matchup with a 0.67 GAA and a .976 save percentage. We liked him at 55-1 to win the William Jennings Trophy based on the belief that the Rangers’ greatest progression under Sullivan would come defensively, and that has been the case so far. 
• The Oilers bounced back from an ugly opening night collapse with an entirely dominant win over the Canucks Saturday, a game that was not as close as the final scoreline suggested. 
• Edmonton went 2-0-0 in last year’s season series, scoring 4.5 goals per game. As noted, though, New York has looked to be a much more competent defensive side to start, albeit in a small sample.
• Connor McDavid has scored six goals and 16 points in his last 10 games versus the Rangers. 
• Vincent Trocheck and Carson Soucy will remain sidelined for the Rangers, while Zach Hyman and Jake Walman will be out for the Oilers. 

Nashville Predators vs Toronto Maple Leafs

Predators moneyline odds	+160
Maple Leafs moneyline odds	-190
Game total	Over 6.5 goals (-105), Under 6.5 (-115)
Time	7 p.m. ET

• Both teams will be playing the second leg of a back-to-back after playing matinees Monday afternoon. As a result, Justus Annunen and Cayden Primeau are expected to start in goal. 
• Annunen played to a -9.1 GSAx rating and .883 save percentage in 34 appearances last season, while Primeau held a -9.5 GSAx rating and .836 save percentage in 11 appearances with the Canadiens last year.
• We certainly would not see a betting total of 6.5 if this matchup featured Juuse Saros taking on Anthony Stolarz, and oddsmakers are clearly giving credit to the lesser goaltending matchup with this total.
• These sides split last year’s two-game season series.
• Highly touted Leafs prospect Easton Cowan made his NHL debut Monday while playing on the top line alongside Matthew Knies and Auston Matthews, and is expected to remain in that role in tonight’s matchup. 

Tampa Bay Lightning vs Washington Capitals

Lightning moneyline odds	+100
Capitals moneyline odds	-120
Game total	Over 6 goals (-105), Under 6 (-115)
Time	7 p.m. ET

• The Lightning will be playing back-to-back but opted to save Andrei Vasilevskiy for the more difficult of the two matchups. 
• The Capitals could be without Pierre-Luc Dubois, who had a highly positive impact in all areas of the ice last season.
• The Lightning took two of three from the Capitals in last year’s season series.
• Alex Ovechkin has been held goalless in the team’s first three games of the season but has turned in two assists. He was arguably the team’s best player on Sunday versus the Rangers as he set up several excellent scoring opportunities, including a pretty primary assist on the game’s lone goal. 
• Connor McMichael will likely serve as the Capitals’ second-line center if Dubois is unable to play due to injury.

Vegas Golden Knights vs Calgary Flames

Golden Knights moneyline odds	-165
Flames moneyline odds	+140
Game total	Over 6 goals (-105), Under 6 (-115)
Time	9 p.m. ET

• The Knights have dominated this Pacific Division rivalry historically, with a record of 16-8-2 all-time versus the Flames. Vegas held a record of 3-0-1 versus Calgary in 2024-25, and averaged 3.75 goals per game. 
• The Flames held significant home-and-road splits last season, playing to a record of 23-12-6 at home, compared to a mark of 18-15-8 on the road. 
• Flames backup Devin Cooley has not yet seen game action this season. He will likely serve as the backup in tonight’s matchup, which would mean he will make his Flames debut Wednesday versus the Utah Mammoth. Keep that in mind if betting Wednesday’s game, as Calgary’s price will likely improve following official confirmation of that point.
• Jack Eichel has put up seven points in the first three games of the season, and will tie Nathan MacKinnon and Martin Necas for the league lead if he can register at least one point in this matchup.

Minnesota Wild vs Dallas Stars

Wild moneyline odds	+160
Stars moneyline odds	-190
Game total	Over 6 goals (-105), Under 6 (-115)
Time	9:37 p.m. ET

• A tough back-to-back spot for the Wild, who made the long haul into Dallas following an overtime win at home over the Los Angeles Kings Monday evening. 
• The Wild did start backup goaltender Jesper Wallstedt in Monday’s matchup, which means number-one goaltender Filip Gustavsson should get the start Tuesday. 
• The Stars’ deep offensive attack has generated nine goals in the first two matchups of the season. Thomas Harley and Mikko Rantanen lead the team with four points apiece.
• Sam Steel appears likely to remain on the Stars’ top line alongside Rantanen and Roope Hintz. 
• Marco Rossi has registered four points in the first three games of the season while playing on the Wild’s top line alongside Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy. 

Carolina Hurricanes vs San Jose Sharks

Hurricanes moneyline odds	-270
Sharks moneyline odds	+220
Game total	Over 6.5 goals (-105), Under 6.5 (-115)
Time	10:07 p.m. ET

• Despite being 0-2, the Sharks have not trailed at any point in their first two matchups of the season. They lost both matchups in three-on-three overtime after allowing game-tying goals in the final two minutes of regulation.
• The Hurricanes have been true to form in generating 34.16 shots per 60 in their first two matchups of the season. 
• Nikolaj Ehlers has not yet recorded his first point as a Hurricane, although the team’s top line of Ehlers, Sebastian Aho, and Seth Jarvis has played to a 66.7% expected goal share. 
• The Hurricanes have won their last six head-to-head matchups versus the Sharks.
• Michael Misa is expected to make his NHL debut in this matchup after being made a healthy scratch in the first two games of the season. 

Pittsburgh Penguins vs Anaheim Ducks

Penguins moneyline odds	+120
Ducks moneyline odds	-140
Game total	Over 6 goals (-120), Under 6 (+100)
Time	10:37 p.m. ET

• This matchup is the Ducks’ home opener. They played to a record of 21-18-2 at home last season. 
• These teams split their head-to-head matchups last season.
• Ducks winger Cutter Gauthier has racked up 14 shots on goal in the first two games of the season. Oddsmakers have taken notice of his increased volume, as he is priced at +115 to record over 3.5 shots on goal in this matchup, after being priced in the +130 range to record over 2.5 shots on goal in the Ducks’ first game of the year.
• Evgeni Malkin leads the Penguins with five points in the first three games of the season.