Today's Free Picks for
Posted at 10:00 AM EST. Odds are subject to change.
Anaheim +115 over Florida
8:00 PM EST. We're going to continue backing the Ducks as home underdogs until the market makes the proper adjustment. Anaheim went into Vegas on Friday, jumped out to a 4-0 lead and held on for a 4-3 victory. Now they return home and we're being offered +115 against a Florida team that is already dealing with some significant early-season adversity.
The biggest issue is Aleksander Barkov. Florida's captain landed on LTIR after being injured against San Jose and won't be available here. You don't simply replace Barkov. Lars Eller can move up the lineup and Florida still has plenty of quality forwards, but losing one of the best two-way centers in hockey changes everything from matchups to special teams to late-game situations. Gustav Forsling, one of Florida's most important defensemen, is also a game-time decision.
Meanwhile, Anaheim continues to look like a team the market hasn't caught up with yet. Leo Carlsson, Cutter Gauthier and Beckett Sennecke give the Ducks a young, fast and increasingly dangerous offensive core. Florida just saw that type of speed against San Jose and lost 4-3 in overtime. Paul Maurice himself pointed directly to Anaheim's transition game and how dangerous the Ducks are off the rush.
Anaheim's opening win in Vegas was more impressive than the 4-3 final suggests. The Ducks went into one of the tougher buildings in the league and built a 4-0 lead before Vegas made its late push. Lukas Dostal stopped 27 shots, while Anaheim showed it could create offense quickly and then withstand the inevitable pressure when the Golden Knights started throwing everything at them.
Florida is still Florida, and that's precisely why we're getting this price. The Panthers' reputation remains enormous, but we're not paying for reputations. They're playing the third game of a season-opening Western trip, they've already lost Barkov, Forsling may not play, and they're facing another young, fast team after San Jose gave them problems in the opener.
The Ducks are not some rebuilding pushover that deserves to be automatically priced as a home dog whenever one of the league's marquee teams comes to town. That perception is going to change if Anaheim continues playing this way, but the market isn't there yet.
Our Pick
Anaheim +115 (Risking 2 units - To Win: 2.30)
