Tuesday NHL Betting Picks: Expert Bets for Jan. 27th

We have a little over a week to go to turn this hockey machine around before the season freezes ahead of the Olympic games. Speaking of the cold, here’s a couple NHL picks to keep you warm during this nationwide Ice Age.

Record: 18–30
Units: –11.49

Capitals vs. Kraken

Kraken ML (+120 DraftKings)

Seattle has gone just 3-5-2 in their last 10, but they did get back in the win column on Sunday with a 4-2 victory over the Devils at home. Joey Daccord looked sharp, saving 27 of the 29 shots he faced.

Meanwhile, the Capitals come in off a wild one in Edmonton on Saturday as Washington gave up a three-goal, three-assist night to Evan Bouchard and a late tying goal to Zach Hyman, eventually losing 6-5 in overtime to the Oilers.

The Caps are 1-4-1 in their last six games. Tom Wilson is back after missing eight games recently, but the team’s defense is leaking right now—they’ve allowed 3.6 goals per game over their last 10. Charlie Lindgren had to face 40 shots in Edmonton. Logan Thompson is the better goalie and he’s expected to start tonight, but he’ll need improved play in front of him.

Seattle’s hardly a juggernaut, but they’re at home where they’ve gone a respectable 4-2-1 in 2026 with a 26-21 goals edge. Philipp Grubauer should get the nod, and he’s been excellent this season with a .918 save percentage and 11.47 GSAA. The Caps have a rest advantage of one extra night, but they’re on Game 5 of a six-game western swing while the Kraken play their fifth straight at home.

Let’s roll with the Kraken here.

Sharks at Canucks

Sharks ML (-130 Fanatics)

There is actually a worse team out there than the Rangers! I bring you the Vancouver Canucks, currently sitting on a 1-12-1 streak dating back to December 30th. They have scored 30 goals while yielding a whopping 60, which my back-of-the-envelope math tells me is an impossibly bad ratio.

So why are they not bigger underdogs? I am not real sure.

We actually won with the Sharks on Friday vs. the Rangers, which was the last time San Jose played. So they come in oddly well rested at a point in the NHL schedule where the games are very bunched ahead of the imminent Olympic break. The Sharks have alternated wins and losses for seven straight games, and a victory tonight would break that pattern—but c’mon, that’s going to end sometime!

Going back a bit further, they’re on a 9-4 roll since December 27th and remain right on the playoff cusp.

Give me some Sharks!