by Dan Adkisson
The NHL preseason will start on September 24., with the Maple Leafs hosting the Ottawa Senators. The new season will start officially on October 11—New York Rangers will play against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
If you love Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) or bet on hockey games regularly, now is the right time to improve your skills. Discover how to analyze NHL news in a way that could maximize your correct NHL predictions below. Let’s get started.
Choose Trustworthy News Sources
Nowadays, there are tons of sports news channels, websites and apps. Many of them deliver news for all major sports, including hockey. That’s alright. But you want sports news networks that cover the NHL comprehensively:
– ESPN
– NBC Sports
– Bleacher Report
– NHL.com
– Sports Net Canada
– The Score
– The Athletic
The websites highlighted above have departments whose goal is to cover everything that happens in the NHL. Check out each site to learn how they write their stories, how often they publish NHL news and whether they predict NHL games.
Having good NHL sources is the beginning of analyzing hockey matches efficiently. That’s because you can’t really watch every NHL game on TV. But you can read about these games and make predictions confidently.
Because sports networks cover a full range of sports, decide whether to consume all the content or filter out NHL news. Many of the sites allow you to choose the specific sports news you want to receive in your email. Choose NHL, AHL and another other hockey leagues you like.
Pick a Reliable Sportsbook
ESPN and the Score can help you keep up with NHL fixtures. They can also let you know about line ups, injuries and draft news. Still, to be clear, you need a sportsbook to turn your knowledge of hockey into correct predictions.
Top Canadian sports betting sites don’t just give you competitive odds. They also welcome you with free bets. What’s more, they offer a variety of bet types. Some of them also stream live hockey matches, meaning you can watch NHL games through your betting app.
There are many reasons to choose a reliable sportsbook besides good odds and NHL coverage. You probably love quick banking—both deposits and withdrawals. You also like companies with efficient customer service. These are services you receive only at top-tier sites.
Although not common, some sportsbooks also feature news sections and sports predictions. Of course, don’t follow these predictions blindly. Make betting decisions after having analyzed NHL games and news extensively.
Know What Information to Look For
Sports news networks cover all sorts of things, from match results to the personal lives of NHL stars. You don’t need every bit of NHL news to make betting predictions.
Know what information is important in predicting matches. Look at past games and results. Check a team’s form, line up, head-to-head records and other factors like the weather. Also, check whether your preferred team will be playing at home or on the road.
Truth be told, knowing what to check on the news is one thing. Using the information to win NHL bets consistently is a different matter altogether. You see, there are numerous variables that influence sports games.
A last-minute penalty shot or red card can change the outcome of a match. Also, you have to consider a team’s motivation and psychology. Maybe it’s an unimportant game. They might not put in as much effort compared to a game where they are fighting to get into the playoffs.
Watch the NHL Regularly
Want to become good at predicting NHL games? Dedicate more time to attending NHL matches. If you can’t make it to the arenas, subscribe to watch NHL games throughout the season.
Watching NHL matches is entertaining. It’s also educating. You get to learn how different players defend and attack. What’s more, you can identify title contenders early on.
Additionally, watch hockey games regularly expose you to information news networks omit. For example, you might realize that certain teams perform incredibly in the first two quarters. Knowing that, you can specialize on predicting NHL matches by the quarter.
In case you’re wondering, streaming NHL isn’t expensive. It costs as little as $20 at some of the following networks:
-Sling TV
– ESPN+
– Fubo TV
– Hulu+
– YouTube TV
Learn from the Experts
It takes time to become an expert at analyzing NHL games. Before then, consider learning from people who know how to do it. Maybe you can’t tell why some teams perform well at home. Or, you’re not good at predicting games featuring Canadian teams.
Subscribe to a couple of websites that specialize in NHL analyses. Learn what they look for in teams and players. Read their explanations on why a team is likely to win its division, conference or league.
Some tipsters charge money for their analyses. Should you pay? As a beginner, focus on free tips. You want to discover what you should be looking for in the news to form your predictions so that you can do analyses on your own.
Paying for betting tips work at times. But tipsters also get predictions wrong. So, if you have to pay for tips, ensure they’re worth it.
Practice Often
As the saying goes, practice makes perfect. To become better at analyzing NHL news for sports predictions, practice often. Pick an NHL game, even if it’s a pre-season match and analyze it.
Look at the two teams involved. Determine the favorite side by looking at its players and records. You can also check odds to find out the favorite. Next, read news to learn about the match—where it will be played, the line ups, injuries, coaches and its importance.
You can also stake money on the game. This will motivate you to analyze the match professionally. If you end up winning, you will know what to look at the next time you want to bet on the NHL.
If your bet loses, take it as a lesson. Learn why you were wrong. Maybe your preferred team was not motivated to win. Perhaps it did not field its strongest team. With time, you will become better at the craft.