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Best Bets2026-10-09

Best Bets for Friday, October 9: WSH 56%, DET 56% and 2 More Picks Across the NHL

By Verdexed Analytics

A hockey puck spraying ice across centre ice under bright arena lights
Illustration: Verdexed, AI-generated

4 picks to win on the Model Cards for Friday, October 9, across the NHL, plus 5 props. The firmest call is Washington Capitals at 56% (-148). Yesterday's cards: NFL 0-1, MLB 1-0, NHL 5-0 with the parlay hitting. Every card posts at 11 AM ET and stays live until its games start: each leg locks at its own first pitch or puck drop at the line then on offer, and graded in public on the Model Cards page; nothing is edited after the fact.

Today's card

GameCallPickOur numberPriceMarketEdgeLeagueWhy
NYR at WSHLeanWSH56%-14857%-1NHLstreak +8.0, expected goals (5v5) +2.0
SEA at DETLeanDET56%-14256%0NHLmotivation +5.0, head to head +3.8
ANA at WPGLeanWPG52%-12553%-1NHLmotivation +5.0, venue +3.4
PIT at CBJLeanCBJ52%-11852%0NHLmotivation +5.0, rest +3.4

Lock is 65% or better on our number, Play 58% or better, Lean anything the card still takes as the most likely winner. Price is the pick's moneyline when the card froze; Market is the vig-free probability that price implies; Edge is our number minus the market's, in points. The leagues are listed together here but never played together: each card, each ticket and each ledger is one league.

Why each pick

Washington Capitals over New York Rangers, 56%, -148. Lean on the NHL card. What drives it: streak (+8.0 points), expected goals (5v5) (+2.0 points), expected goals (+0.9 points). The case against is power play (-3.4 points). The line WSH -1.5, total 5.5. NYR starter: Igor Shesterkin (projected). NYR out: Joonas Korpisalo, Adam Sykora, Joe Veleno. WSH starter: Logan Thompson. WSH out: Matt Roy, Rasmus Sandin.

Detroit Red Wings over Seattle Kraken, 56%, -142. Lean on the NHL card. What drives it: motivation (+5.0 points), head to head (+3.8 points), expected goals (5v5) (+3.7 points). The case against is streak (-5.8 points). The line DET -1.5, total 6.5. SEA starter: Joey Daccord (projected). SEA out: Jake O'Brien, Ryan Lindgren, Jacob Melanson. DET starter: John Gibson. DET out: Marco Kasper, Mason Appleton, Simon Edvinsson, J.T. Compher.

Winnipeg Jets over Anaheim Ducks, 52%, -125. Lean on the NHL card. What drives it: motivation (+5.0 points), venue (+3.4 points), shot margin (+2.9 points). The case against is streak (-9.7 points). The line WPG -1.5, total 6.5. ANA starter: Lukas Dostal (projected). ANA out: Drew Helleson, Ian Moore, Troy Terry. WPG starter: Clay Stevenson (likely). WPG out: Connor Hellebuyck, Elias Salomonsson, Walker Duehr.

Columbus Blue Jackets over Pittsburgh Penguins, 52%, -118. Lean on the NHL card. What drives it: motivation (+5.0 points), rest (+3.4 points), schedule load (+2.2 points). The case against is streak (-3.1 points). The line CBJ -1.5, total 6.5. PIT starter: Arturs Silovs (projected). PIT out: Ryan Graves, Andrei Kuzmenko, Justin Brazeau. CBJ starter: Cam Talbot.

The props card

PlayerCallTeamGamePropOur projectionOur probabilityLeague
Alex TuchLockWSHNYR at WSHOver 1.5 shots on goal2.889%NHL
Kyle ConnorPlayWPGANA at WPGOver 3.5 shots on goal4.874%NHL
Dylan LarkinLeanDETSEA at DETOver 2.5 shots on goal3.269%NHL
Jared McCannLeanSEASEA at DETOver 2.5 shots on goal3.268%NHL
Cutter GauthierLeanANAANA at WPGOver 3.5 shots on goal4.567%NHL

Each prop is the half-point line where our distribution for the player gives the over at least 65%; Lock is 80% or better, Play 70% or better. Props carry no market price here, so take a leg at -120 or better. Every one is graded on the box score.

The tickets

LeagueTicketLegsPaysOur probabilityFair
NHLGamesWSH; DET; WPG; CBJ+8509%+1068
NHLPropsAlex Tuch over 1.5 shots on goal; Kyle Connor over 3.5 shots on goal; Dylan Larkin over 2.5 shots on goal; Jared McCann over 2.5 shots on goal; Cutter Gauthier over 3.5 shots on goal+383 (fair)21%+383
NHLBest of bothWSH; DET; WPG; Alex Tuch over 1.5 shots on goal; Kyle Connor over 3.5 shots on goal; Dylan Larkin over 2.5 shots on goal+10337%+1239

Three tickets per league: the whole game card as one parlay at its locked lines, the props card at fair odds (props have no posted price), and the best of both (the top three picks with the top three props). Our probability is the product of the legs; Fair is the price that probability deserves. Every ticket is graded as its legs resolve.

Injuries that move the number

Who is out is priced, not counted: every absent skater, hitter and skill player is valued by his own production above the next man up, discounted for absences the team has already been playing through. These are the lines that clear 0.4 points on today's slate.

GameLeagueWho is outEffect
ANA at WPGNHLWPG without Salomonsson; ANA without Terry, Moore0.9 pts toward WPG
SEA at DETNHLDET without Edvinsson, Kasper0.8 pts against DET
NYR at WSHNHLWSH without Sandin, Roy; NYR without Sykora0.4 pts against WSH
PIT at CBJNHLPIT without Kuzmenko0.4 pts toward CBJ

Schedule spots

Back to backs, heavy weeks and long trips are in the model as features, not as hunches. Two seasons of results: NHL teams on the second of a back to back win 43.7% against 51.1% overall.

TeamLeagueSpotGameOur number
SEANHL3.1K km since the last game, 3 time zones crossedSEA at DETDET 56% (our pick is the other side)
ANANHL2.5K km since the last game, 2 time zones crossedANA at WPGWPG 52% (our pick is the other side)
WPGNHL4 games in 7 daysANA at WPGWPG 52% (our pick)

How yesterday's cards landed (Oct 8)

NFL: 0-1

GamePickOur numberPriceResult
TB at DALDAL72%-500Miss
PlayerPropOur probabilityActualResult
Dak PrescottOver 296.5 passing yards65%316Hit
Javonte WilliamsOver 60.5 rushing yards66%45Miss

Tickets: the props parlay (+134) missed; the best-of-both ticket (+181) missed.

MLB: 1-0

GamePickOur numberPriceResult
CLE at CWSCLE51%-117Hit
PlayerPropOur probabilityActualResult
Parker MessickOver 4.5 strikeouts67%5Hit
Jo AdellOver 0.5 hits65%1Hit

Tickets: the props parlay (+128) hit; the best-of-both ticket (+323) hit.

NHL: 5-0

GamePickOur numberPriceResult
VAN at CARCAR68%-340Hit
CHI at NYINYI63%-185Hit
PHI at OTTOTT61%-180Hit
COL at CGYCOL64%-238Hit
TOR at VGKVGK60%-170Hit
PlayerPropOur probabilityActualResult
Sebastian AhoOver 2.5 shots on goal72%1Miss
Tage ThompsonOver 2.5 shots on goal87%6Hit
Steven StamkosOver 2.5 shots on goal72%2Miss
Macklin CelebriniOver 2.5 shots on goal73%-Pending
Jack EichelOver 1.5 shots on goal90%6Hit

Tickets: the games parlay (+599) hit; the props parlay (+232) missed.

The record

LeagueCardsLegsUnitsROIPropsGame parlays
NFL4 since Oct 16-4-1.08 u-10.8%7-4 (64%)0-1
MLB8 since Sep 3010-10-3.12 u-15.6%21-10 (68%)0-6
NHL8 since Sep 3021-9+4.07 u+13.6%28-11 (72%)2-6

Units are a flat one unit on every game leg at the price locked at its game's start; the ledgers are per league and are never added together. The live ledgers, every past card and every graded ticket are on the Model Cards page; the model's full pick record by league, with every voided pick and its reason, is on the record page.

Responsible play

This is model output, not betting advice. Verdexed publishes its model's probabilities and edges for informational and entertainment purposes only. Nothing here is a recommendation to place a wager, and no outcome is guaranteed, even the model's highest-confidence picks lose regularly.

You must be of legal betting age in your jurisdiction and located where sports wagering is legal to bet. Sports betting is not available everywhere; know and follow the laws where you are. Never bet more than you can afford to lose, and never chase losses.

If gambling is affecting you or someone you know, help is available. In the US, call or text 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537), or visit ncpgambling.org. Please play responsibly.

Follow the cards live

Every card posts at 11 AM ET, stays live until each game starts, locks leg by leg at first pitch and is graded in public as the games finish; the ledgers run per league.