Thanksgiving Week NHL Picks

It's Thanksgiving week. Family, food & football usually takes center stage. But I have a trio of NHL betting picks for Thanksgiving week that will have you giving thanks to Lord Stanley himself. Let's get started.

Thanksgiving Week NHL Picks

Can Chicago take down Anaheim on Friday night? Then, on Saturday, will Chicago find a way to beat Los Angeles? What’s going to happen when surprise Ottawa travels to Madison Square Garden to throw down with the hot NY Rangers?

Chicago at Anaheim
When:  Friday, Nov. 25 at 1:00 pm ET
Where: Honda Center, Anaheim, CA
TV: CSNC/FSW2

Analysis: The Stanley Cup favorites head to Southern California to battle the Anaheim Ducks on Friday, Nov. 25. Chicago has won 3 out of their last 4 and 7 out of their last 10 to start the week. By the time they battle the Ducks on Friday, Chicago will have had to battle Edmonton in Edmonton and San Jose in San Jose.

Will that be enough for Anaheim to beat the Blackhawks on Nov. 25? I don’t think so. Even though the Ducks beat Chicago 3 to 2 in overtime in the last battle between these two, my gut tells me that Chicago gets the job done at the Honda Center on Friday.  

I’ll back Chicago on the moneyline.

Pick: Chicago

Chicago at Los Angeles
When:  Saturday, Nov. 26 at 10:30 pm ET
Where: Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA
TV: WGN/FSWHD

Analysis: I’ll get right to it. Although I do feel that the 2 road games before Anaheim won’t hurt the Blackhawks, I think that by the time Chicago heads to the Staples Center on Saturday night, they’ll be ready to get back on an airplane and go home.

Chicago has been much better this season than Los Angeles. While Chicago has a 13-4-1-1 record to start the week, L.A. has a 10-9-0-1 record to start the week. The Kings could turn things around with a solid win against the Blackhawks on Nov. 26.

I think it’s going to happen. Chicago must spend a ton of energy this Friday night battling a tough Ducks’ team. Spending all that energy against Anaheim should lead to the Blackhawks going into Los Angeles tired.

I’m backing the Kings to get it done.

Pick: Los Angeles

Ottawa at NY Rangers
When:  Sunday, Nov. 27 at 7:00 pm ET
Where: Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
TV: MSG/TVA

Analysis: Ottawa heads to Madison Square Garden having lost 3 out of their last 4. The Senators are now in fourth place in the Atlantic Standings. Ottawa is 10-7-1-0 to start the week. Winning in MSG is always tough. Can Ottawa pull it off?

I don’t think so. The NY Rangers are 13-5-0-1 this season. The Rangers have won 7 out of their last 10 games. Even though they’ve gone 0 and 2 in their last 2 matches to start the week, NYR should find a way to beat Ottawa on Sunday.

Pick: NY Rangers