NHL: Post trade deadline, these 3 games are money
Sabres (+145) @ FLYERS (-175), 7:00 p.m.
Pick: Sabres To Win (+145)
Tonight the Sabres (29-25-8) head to the City of Brotherly Love to take on the Flyers (29-26-7) who just said goodbye to fan favorite F Wayne Simmonds who was sent to Nashville to help aid in their Cup run this year in exchange for F Ryan Hartman and a pick. The trade will bode well for Philly fans as time goes on due to the fact that Simmonds is 30 and will be a UFA at the end of the season, most likely demanding more money but definitely also due to regress in the coming years due to age. Hartman is young at the ripe as of 24, shows promise and loves to piss people off on the ice. He will be a great fit in black and orange.
The Sabres on the other hand also made a slash on Sunday night the day before the deadline by acquiring highly sought after defenseman Brandon Montour from the Ducks in exchange for a defenseman of their own and a pick. The young blue liner is incredible in his own end and will be a stud in the league for years to come. Good on the Sabres for shoring up their defenseive corps for the future. Montour will make his debut with Buffalo tonight in Philly. We think the backend of Montour, Rasmus Dahlin and Rasmus Ristolainen will be tough for the Flyers to penetrate. Montour will come in looking for something to prove, as most traded players do. Plus, we are all about the road prices tonight.
Flames (-117) @ ISLANDERS (-105), 7:00 p.m.
Pick: Flames To Win (-117)
The Flames (39-16-7) head to New York to take on the Islanders (36-18-7) and both teams decided to stand pat with their assets and players prior to the deadline yesterday. The only move Calgary made yesterday was scooping up D Oscar Fatenberg form the Kings for a 2020 4th Round Pick. On the Isles side of the spectrum, General Manager Lou Lamoriello didn’t make a peep. We think the Flames have some of the best depth in the NHL this year and have what it takes to bring down the surprising Islanders.
The Flames are on a 5 game winning streak, 6-2-2 in their last 10 and are rocking a plus 45 goal differential. They show no signs of slowing down and New York should be worried. The Islanders record is similar at 6-3-1 with a plus 32 goal differential. The Islanders often struggle to create offense and that’s where the Flames shine so look for this to be a little one sided tonight.
Penguins (+110) @ BLUE JACKETS (-132) 7:00 p.m.
Pick: Blue Jackets To Win (-132)
This is the game where we will divert from the away team prices. This is the game that the entire NHL will have their eyes on tonight as we get our first glimpse at the newly constructed Blue Jackets (35-23-3) roster as they go all in for their Cup run this year. Columbus made a huge splash before the deadline this year acquiring F Matt Duchene, F Ryan Dzingle, G Keith Kindkaid, and D Adam McQuiad along with a few other minor league moves. They added depth, they added scoring touch and they added a big defenseman who isn’t afraid to chuck ‘knucks’. They really aren’t messing around and everyone is expecting them to win a majority of the games going down the stretch no matter who is on the other end of the ice.
*Cough* Sydney Crosby *Cough*
The Penguins (32-22-8) have been stuck in the middle of the road as of late. They are in a 2 game hole recently and are coming off of a huge loss in the Stadium Series to the Flyers where Pittsburgh blew a 3-1 lead. Embarrassing. We think they are due for another long night as the newly formed Blue Jackets roster looks to take down anyone and everyone in their way. Keep in mind, the Blue Jackets hold the third place seed in the Metropolitan Division and the Penguins are 1 point behind them and can usurp them tonight. All of the cards are on the table tonight but we think Columbus widens the gap.