Expert NHL betting picks today: Kraken vs. Golden Knights and Panthers vs. Kings best bets, odds, parlays and game previews.
NHL Best Bets & Picks: Golden Knights vs Kraken & Panthers vs Kings – Expert Game Previews
The 2026-27 National Hockey League (NHL) regular season rolls on into the first Tuesday of October. There are nine games on the slate for Tuesday night, including a pair of ESPN games. We’re going to focus on a pair of games on the West Coast, including a play worth betting rather aggressively on.
The New York Islanders and New York Rangers lock horns at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN, if you’re the kind of bettor who likes to watch the game out at a restaurant or bar, and the Florida Panthers and Los Angeles Kings meet at 10:00 p.m. ET in the second end of the ESPN double dip.
We’ll provide single plays and parlay opportunities you could potentially pair with Tuesday’s MLB playoffs. Good luck with all of your plays! Let’s get started.
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For the latest NHL Odds, including NHL Futures and NHL player props, visit RotoWire’s NHL Betting page. For up-to-date NHL player news and NHL Injury Report info, head to RotoWire’s NHL Lineups page. You can find more picks at Bookies.com/picks. Here are our NHL Best Bets today, featuring expert NHL picks for an action-packed slate of games.
Vegas Golden Knights 
at Seattle Kraken 
The Golden Knights (2-1-0) travel to Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle to take on the Kraken (2-1-0) in an early-season marquee game. Both teams are off to solid starts on the young season.
These teams met four times in the 2025-26 regular season, with Seattle winning three one-goal games, and Vegas posting a 4-1 victory at T-Mobile Arena in the final meeting April 15. Seattle’s two wins at home came in a 2-1 overtime win Oct. 11 as a moderate underdog (+162) as the Under (6.5) cashed, and in a 4-3 shootout victory April 9, also as moderate underdogs (+158), but as the Over (6) connected.
Seattle has won three consecutive meetings in this series at home, and four of the past five matchups since the outdoor game on Jan. 1, 2024, a 3-0 win by the Kraken. Each of the past four meetings indoors have resulted in one-goal decisions, with Seattle winning three of them.
It’s likely to be a goaltender battle featuring Adin Hill (1-0-0, 2.00 GAA, 9.00 SV%) for Vegas, while Joey Daccord (2-0-0, 1.00 GAA, .966 SV%) is likely to start for the home side.
Daccord and the Kraken will be tested frequently by Jack Eichel, who has points in all three games to begin the season. He scored a goal with three points in a 5-2 win over Chicago on Sept. 29 on Opening Night, while posting three assists in the past two games. He has a power-play assist in each of his first three games, as the Vegas power-play unit looks to be red-hot again this season.
The value is on the Kraken at home as moderate underdogs, with the market generally in the +140-145 range. We’ll also go low based on the goaltender matchup. While the sample size is obviously very small, both netminders  are off to sharp starts early on. Also, for good measure, let’s take Jack Eichel to record at least one assist.
Kraken Moneyline (+145 at DraftKings Sportsbook)Under 6.5 Goals (-130 at DraftKings Sportsbook)Jack Eichel 1+ Assists (-155 at DraftKings Sportsbook)Florida Panthers 
at Los Angeles Kings 
The Panthers (1-0-2) and Kings (0-1-1) meet at Crypto.com Arena at 10:00 p.m. ET on ESPN.
The Panthers have played into overtime in all three of their games, with overtime losses in Anaheim and San Jose in the first two legs of the Golden State trip.
The Kings have been scoring plenty of goals, but unfortunately for them, the goaltenders and defense have struggled tremendously. Darcy Kuemper allowed eight goals in the opener at Colorado, while Anton Forsberg let in five against the Sharks on Saturday. The good news for Los Angeles is that it netted a pair of power-play goals in the overtime loss in San Jose.
It’s been a close shave every time out for the Panthers, playing three overtime games. The Kings played into overtime once in two tries. As such, Overtime (Yes +280 – DraftKings Sportsbook) is an intriguing wager for Tuesday’s matchup.Â
I like the way the Kings are scoring goals, and Jacob Markstrom has faced just 35 shots through two games. I think Los Angeles is able to generate slightly more offense against Florida’s defense, getting through for a few goals. However, I also think the Panthers are able to capitalize on the shaky defense of the Kings and get more by Kuemper in his season home debut.
Let’s roll with the Over, and go rather aggressively on that, especially if you find it at 5.5, rather than a flat 6, or at 6.5. We’ll also take the Panthers to get the job done on the road, perhaps in overtime again. I like the Both Teams to Score 2+ Goals (-185) prop, but only as part of a parlay. Risking nearly two times your potential return isn’t a suggested betting strategy.
Panthers Moneyline (-118 at BetMGM, FanDuel Sportsbooks)Over 5.5 Goals (-130 at DraftKings Sportsbook)Both Teams to Score 2+ Goals (-185 at DraftKings Sportsbook)*
*-only as part of a multi-leg parlay
Don’t make any bets on your favorite sports betting apps without first consulting the latest NHL odds.
Parlay Strategy and Picks for Tuesday’s NHL Betting Slate3-Leg NHL Same-Game Parlay – VGK-SEA (+900 at DraftKings Sportsbook)Kraken Moneyline (+145) vs. Golden KnightsKraken vs. Golden Knights – Under 6.5 Goals (-130)Golden Knights C Jack Eichel 1+ Assists (-155)3-Leg NHL Same-Game Parlay – FLA-LAK (+900 at DraftKings Sportsbook)Panthers Moneyline (-122) at KingsPanthers at Kings – Over 5.5 Goals (-130)Both Teams to Score 2+ Goals (-130)