The Islanders, Red Wings and Senators closed January on winning streaks and could catch incredible value at the window during the final stretch before 4 Nations
LAS VEGAS -- As January proved to be a topsy-turvy month for some teams, February brings a sense of urgency for others immediately.
With teams taking nearly two weeks off for the 4 Nations Faceoff, from Feb. 12-20, the opening stretch of the month might be a chance to find some value with a few teams that might suddenly be making a run into the playoff race after seeing how the closed January.
Here are three Eastern Conference teams to watch before the break:
The New York Islanders, who are fifth in the Wild-Card race, finished January 6-0-0, making $100 bettors a net profit of $700 thanks to two plus prices. They'll open the month in Florida, playing at the Lightning and Panthers, and should be catching a dog price in both. After a sandwich home game against the Golden Knights, they'll hit the road for games in Winnipeg and Minneapolis, where once again they will catch value. During their six-game win streak, the Isles have outscored the competition, 21-7.
The Detroit Red Wings enter February on a four-game win streak and sitting just in front of the Islanders in fourth place of the Wild-Card standings, including Thursday's 3-2 shootout win over the Oilers in Edmonton. And over their past five games, no opponent has scored more than two goals, as the Wings have outscored their foes, 15-8. During their four-game run, a $100 bettor has made $560, bolstered by a +220 price in Edmonton. Their remaining schedule finds them with stops in Calgary, Vancouver and Seattle before hosting the Lightning before the break. Be sure to keep an eye on the prices in those games.
The Ottawa Senators will head into the second month of 2025 on a three-game win streak, while having won eight of 11 since Jan. 11. Along the way, the Sens own wins over Dallas, Boston, New Jersey, Toronto and Washington. Those aren't by accident, either, as the Sens aren't chasing the race - they're already in it. Ottawa comes out of January sitting in third place in the Atlantic Division, just five points back of division-leading Florida. Over that 11-game span, a $100 bettor is up roughly $500. After closing out a four-game homestand with Minnesota on Saturday, the Sens will head into the break after visits to Nashville, Tampa for two games, and Sunrise, Fla., to play the Panthers.