3 best bets for NHL regular-season point totals

The Vancouver Canucks took the Golden Knights to the limit in last year’s NHL playoffs, losing in seven games in the second round after eliminating the 2019 Stanley Cup champion St. Louis Blues.

Hockey handicapper Alex B. Smith likes Vancouver to build on that success this year and recommends a bet on the Canucks to go over their regular-season point total, which is at 62 after opening at 60.

Vancouver, which acquired defenseman Nate Schmidt in a trade with Vegas, is one of his three best bets on NHL point totals in the league’s shortened 56-game regular season that starts Wednesday.

Smith (@axsmithsports) considers the pairing of Schmidt and Quinn Hughes to be one of the NHL’s best defensemen duos and likes the goaltending tandem of Thatcher Demko and Braden Holtby. He’s also high on rising star Elias Pettersson.

“This squad’s rise reminds me of the Chicago Blackhawks a decade earlier. We eventually saw that young corps of talent capture three Stanley Cups in their dynasty run,” said Smith (Axsmithsports.com). “I don’t expect that same amount of production right away from Vancouver, but I definitely feel they can finish first or second in this new North Division.

“Look for the Canucks to be the kings of Canada this winter. Play their points total over and take a small shot with them to win the division.”

Vancouver is a 10-1 shot at the Westgate sportsbook to win the all-Canadian North.

New York Rangers Over 61 points

Smith also is high on the Rangers and recommends a play on them to go over their point total in the deep East Division. He played it over 57½ before the number moved.

“The Rangers were one of the hottest clubs in the NHL during the last two months of the (2019-20) regular season before the COVID pandemic forced the shutdown of operations in March,” he said.

New York finished on an 18-10-1 run behind Hart Trophy finalist Artemi Panarin, forwards Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider, and rookie goalie Igor Shesterkin (10-2, 2.52 goals-against average, .932 save percentage).

The Rangers qualified for the expanded playoffs when play resumed in August but was swept by Carolina without the injured Shesterkin.

Despite reaching the postseason, the Rangers won the draft lottery and selected speedy winger Alexis Lafreniere with the No. 1 overall pick.

“This squad is loaded offensively, and now with a sturdy goaltending tandem of Shesterkin and Alexandar Georgiev, the only question mark is on the blue line,” Smith said. “I feel the Rangers will be near the top of the East.”

Nashville Predators Under 65½ points

The Predators lost in four games to Arizona in last year’s qualifier round and Smith expects their downturn to continue this season. He recommends a play on Nashville to go under its point total, which is down from 66.

“Nashville’s window of being a serious Stanley Cup contender closes more and more each passing year with every disappointing playoff exit,” Smith said. “The Finnish tandem between the pipes of veteran Pekka Rinne and Juuse Saros was bad for most of the year and I expect to see the continuing decline of the oft-injured 38-year-old Rinne as his prime years are in the rearview mirror.

“Expect a lot of sad, slow jams in the Music City this winter.”

Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com. Follow @tdewey33 on Twitter.