Thursday’s NHL Hockey Free Picks & Predictions [10/8/26]

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JAY COOPER’S BEST BETS
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Trends are through 10/7/26 and courtesy of Don Best Sports.


Minnesota at Tampa Bay – 7:07 ET

Win/Loss
Hot: Lightning are 4-0 in their last 4 vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
Hot: Wild are 4-1 in their last 5 Thursday games.
Lightning are 6-2 in their last 8 vs. Central.
Cold: Wild are 0-4 in their last 4 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
Cold: Lightning are 1-7 in their last 8 when their opponent scores 2 goals or less in their previous game.
Cold: Lightning are 1-5 in their last 6 games following a win.

Over/Under
Hot: Under is 4-0-2 in Lightning last 6 vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
Hot: Under is 5-0 in Lightning last 5 home games.
Hot: Under is 5-1 in Lightning last 6 games following a win.
Hot: Under is 8-2 in Lightning last 10 after allowing 2 goals or less in their previous game.
Hot: Under is 8-2 in Lightning last 10 when their opponent scores 2 goals or less in their previous game.
Hot: Over is 4-1 in Lightning last 5 Thursday games.

Head-to-Head
Hot: Over is 3-0-2 in the last 5 meetings.
Hot: Home team is 21-5 in the last 26 meetings.
Hot: Over is 4-1-1 in the last 6 meetings in Tampa Bay.
Cold: Wild are 1-4 in the last 5 meetings in Tampa Bay.

Pick: Wild +123


Dallas at Buffalo – 7:07 ET

Win/Loss
Hot: Stars are 8-1 in their last 9 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
Hot: Sabres are 5-1 in their last 6 vs. Central.
Hot: Sabres are 22-5 in their last 27 vs. Western Conference.
Hot: Sabres are 28-7 in their last 35 after allowing 2 goals or less in their previous game.
Cold: Stars are 1-5 in their last 6 games playing on 2 days rest.
Cold: Stars are 1-5 in their last 6 overall.

Over/Under
Hot: Over is 6-0-1 in Stars last 7 when their opponent allows 2 goals or less in their previous game.
Hot: Over is 4-0 in Stars last 4 vs. Atlantic.
Hot: Over is 5-1 in Stars last 6 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
Hot: Over is 4-1-1 in Sabres last 6 games playing on 1 days rest.
Hot: Over is 4-1 in Sabres last 5 overall.
Over is 15-4-3 in Sabres last 22 vs. a team with a winning % below .400.

Head-to-Head
Hot: Stars are 4-1 in the last 5 meetings in Buffalo.
Under is 3-1-2 in the last 6 meetings.
Over is 3-1-1 in the last 5 meetings in Buffalo.
Stars are 15-6 in the last 21 meetings.

Pick: Stars -119


Vancouver at Carolina – 7:07 ET

Win/Loss
Hot: Hurricanes are 4-1 in their last 5 vs. Pacific.
Hot: Hurricanes are 4-1 in their last 5 vs. Western Conference.
Hurricanes are 40-13 in their last 53 games playing on 1 days rest.
Cold: Canucks are 0-6 in their last 6 Thursday games.
Cold: Canucks are 1-7 in their last 8 vs. Metropolitan.
Cold: Canucks are 3-14 in their last 17 when their opponent scores 5 goals or more in their previous game.

Over/Under
Hot: Over is 3-0-1 in Canucks last 4 road games.
Hot: Under is 10-1-1 in Hurricanes last 12 when their opponent scores 2 goals or less in their previous game.
Hot: Over is 6-1-1 in Canucks last 8 after scoring 2 goals or less in their previous game.
Hot: Over is 6-1-1 in Canucks last 8 when their opponent scores 5 goals or more in their previous game.
Hot: Under is 8-2 in Canucks last 10 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of less than .400.
Hot: Over is 4-1-1 in Hurricanes last 6 vs. Western Conference.

Head-to-Head
Home team is 22-9 in the last 31 meetings.
Cold: Canucks are 0-4 in the last 4 meetings.
Canucks are 2-7 in the last 9 meetings in Carolina.

Pick: Canucks +1.5 +112


Nashville at Montreal – 7:07 ET

Win/Loss
Hot: Canadiens are 5-0 in their last 5 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of less than .400.
Hot: Canadiens are 5-1 in their last 6 vs. Central.
Canadiens are 8-3 in their last 11 after allowing 5 goals or more in their previous game.
Cold: Canadiens are 0-5 in their last 5 home games.
Cold: Canadiens are 0-4 in their last 4 games playing on 1 days rest.
Cold: Predators are 0-4 in their last 4 vs. a team with a losing record.

Over/Under
Hot: Under is 6-0 in Predators last 6 when their opponent allows 5 goals or more in their previous game.
Hot: Under is 5-0 in Predators last 5 games playing on 1 days rest.
Hot: Under is 6-1-1 in Predators last 8 vs. Eastern Conference.
Hot: Under is 4-1 in Canadiens last 5 Thursday games.
Hot: Over is 4-1 in Canadiens last 5 overall.
Hot: Over is 4-1 in Canadiens last 5 vs. Central.

Head-to-Head
Hot: Under is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings.
Under is 11-3 in the last 14 meetings in Montreal.
Cold: Predators are 0-5 in the last 5 meetings.
Cold: Predators are 1-4 in the last 5 meetings in Montreal.

Pick: Canadiens -1.5 +155


Utah at Boston – 7:07 ET

Win/Loss
Hot: Mammoth are 6-1 in their last 7 after scoring 5 goals or more in their previous game.
Hot: Bruins are 5-1 in their last 6 games following a loss of 3 or more goals.
Hot: Mammoth are 5-1 in their last 6 vs. Atlantic.
Cold: Bruins are 0-4 in their last 4 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of greater than .600.
Cold: Bruins are 1-4 in their last 5 Thursday games.
Cold: Bruins are 1-4 in their last 5 home games.

Over/Under
Hot: Under is 5-0 in Bruins last 5 when their opponent scores 5 goals or more in their previous game.
Hot: Under is 4-0 in Bruins last 4 after scoring 2 goals or less in their previous game.
Hot: Under is 7-1 in Bruins last 8 following a home loss of 3 or more goals.
Hot: Under is 6-1 in Bruins last 7 home games.
Hot: Under is 6-1 in Bruins last 7 following a loss of 3 or more goals.
Hot: Over is 6-1 in Mammoth last 7 in the fourth game of a 4-in-6 days situation.

Head-to-Head
Hot: Under is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings.
Hot: Home team is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings.

Pick: Bruins +111


Philadelphia at Ottawa – 7:07 ET

Win/Loss
Hot: Senators are 7-1 in their last 8 vs. a team with a winning % below .400.
Cold: Flyers are 0-8 in their last 8 after scoring 2 goals or less in their previous game.
Cold: Senators are 0-5 in their last 5 vs. Metropolitan.
Cold: Flyers are 0-5 in their last 5 games playing on 2 days rest.
Cold: Flyers are 0-5 in their last 5 vs. a team with a winning record.
Cold: Flyers are 0-5 in their last 5 road games.

Over/Under
Hot: Under is 7-0 in Flyers last 7 road games.
Hot: Under is 4-0-2 in Flyers last 6 when their opponent allows 5 goals or more in their previous game.
Hot: Under is 4-0-2 in Flyers last 6 games playing on 2 days rest.
Hot: Under is 4-0-1 in Senators last 5 games playing on 1 days rest.
Hot: Under is 3-0-1 in Senators last 4 home games.
Hot: Under is 3-0-1 in Senators last 4 vs. Metropolitan.

Head-to-Head
Hot: Over is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings in Ottawa.
Cold: Flyers are 0-5 in the last 5 meetings.
Cold: Flyers are 1-4 in the last 5 meetings in Ottawa.

Pick: Senators -1.5 +155


Chicago at NY Islanders – 7:37 ET

Win/Loss
Islanders are 7-2 in their last 9 after allowing 5 goals or more in their previous game.
Islanders are 6-2 in their last 8 Thursday games.
Islanders are 54-23 in their last 77 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of less than .400.
Cold: Islanders are 0-4 in their last 4 games following a loss of 3 or more goals.
Cold: Islanders are 1-5 in their last 6 when their opponent allows 2 goals or less in their previous game.
Cold: Islanders are 1-5 in their last 6 overall.

Over/Under
Hot: Over is 7-0-1 in Blackhawks last 8 vs. Metropolitan.
Hot: Over is 4-0 in Blackhawks last 4 vs. a team with a losing record.
Hot: Under is 3-0-1 in Islanders last 4 after scoring 2 goals or less in their previous game.
Hot: Under is 3-0-1 in Islanders last 4 home games.
Hot: Over is 8-1 in Blackhawks last 9 vs. Eastern Conference.
Hot: Over is 6-1-1 in Blackhawks last 8 when their opponent scores 2 goals or less in their previous game.

Head-to-Head
Under is 9-3 in the last 12 meetings in New York.
Home team is 5-2 in the last 7 meetings.
Under is 17-7 in the last 24 meetings.

Pick: Islanders -1.5 +142


San Jose at St Louis – 8:07 ET

Win/Loss
Hot: Blues are 4-0 in their last 4 when their opponent scores 2 goals or less in their previous game.
Hot: Blues are 5-1 in their last 6 Thursday games.
Hot: Blues are 8-2 in their last 10 when their opponent allows 5 goals or more in their previous game.
Sharks are 20-68 in their last 88 after allowing 5 goals or more in their previous game.
Sharks are 27-84 in their last 111 games following a loss of 3 or more goals.
Sharks are 17-50 in their last 67 games playing on 2 days rest.

Over/Under
Hot: Under is 4-0 in Blues last 4 vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
Hot: Under is 2-0-2 in Blues last 4 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of less than .400.
Hot: Over is 6-1 in Blues last 7 overall.
Hot: Over is 5-1 in Blues last 6 vs. Western Conference.
Hot: Under is 4-1 in Blues last 5 when their opponent allows 5 goals or more in their previous game.
Hot: Over is 4-1 in Sharks last 5 vs. a team with a losing record.

Head-to-Head
Hot: Under is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings in St. Louis.
Sharks are 8-20 in the last 28 meetings.
Sharks are 4-10 in the last 14 meetings in St. Louis.

Pick: Sharks +133


Colorado at Calgary – 9:07 ET

Win/Loss
Hot: Avalanche are 4-1 in their last 5 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of less than .400.
Flames are 17-5 in their last 22 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of less than .400.
Avalanche are 17-5 in their last 22 road games.
Cold: Flames are 1-4 in their last 5 Thursday games.
Cold: Flames are 1-4 in their last 5 vs. Western Conference.
Cold: Flames are 1-4 in their last 5 overall.

Over/Under
Hot: Over is 5-0 in Avalanche last 5 overall.
Hot: Over is 5-0 in Avalanche last 5 vs. Western Conference.
Hot: Over is 4-0 in Avalanche last 4 after scoring 2 goals or less in their previous game.
Hot: Over is 4-0 in Avalanche last 4 vs. Pacific.
Hot: Over is 3-0-1 in Flames last 4 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of less than .400.
Hot: Over is 4-1 in Avalanche last 5 when their opponent allows 5 goals or more in their previous game.

Head-to-Head
Hot: Avalanche are 5-0 in the last 5 meetings in Calgary.
Hot: Avalanche are 18-4 in the last 22 meetings.
Road team is 5-2 in the last 7 meetings.

Pick: Avalanche -1.5 +110


Toronto at Vegas – 10:07 ET

Win/Loss
Hot: Golden Knights are 6-1 in their last 7 after allowing 2 goals or less in their previous game.
Hot: Golden Knights are 8-2 in their last 10 games playing on 1 days rest.
Maple Leafs are 5-2 in their last 7 vs. Pacific.
Cold: Maple Leafs are 0-6 in their last 6 when their opponent scores 5 goals or more in their previous game.
Cold: Maple Leafs are 0-5 in their last 5 after scoring 5 goals or more in their previous game.
Cold: Maple Leafs are 0-4 in their last 4 games following a win.

Over/Under
Hot: Over is 7-0-1 in Golden Knights last 8 games following a win.
Hot: Over is 5-0-1 in Golden Knights last 6 after allowing 2 goals or less in their previous game.
Hot: Over is 4-0-2 in Golden Knights last 6 Thursday games.
Hot: Over is 4-0 in Golden Knights last 4 after scoring 5 goals or more in their previous game.
Hot: Under is 3-0-1 in Maple Leafs last 4 games following a win.
Hot: Under is 3-0-1 in Maple Leafs last 4 after scoring 5 goals or more in their previous game.

Head-to-Head
Hot: Over is 6-1 in the last 7 meetings.
Hot: Over is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings in Vegas.
Cold: Maple Leafs are 1-4 in the last 5 meetings.

Pick: Maple Leafs +148