NHL betting schedule breakdown & rest edges: Dec. 2 – Dec. 8

Rest can make or break a game in the NHL. For fans with skin in the game—whether betting or playing fantasy—it’s just as important to consider a team’s schedule as it is to look at stats. Every week, we break down the matchups to spot where rest could give teams an edge or create problems.

The table below shows how home-ice advantage was affected by rest last season:

Rest Diff	Games	Home Win %
Home >	373	59.0%
Home =	690	53.8%
Home <	249	47.8%

Here’s how rest has affected home-ice advantage this season:

Rest Diff	Games	Home Win %
Home >	115	59.1%
Home =	210	52.4%
Home <	66	47.0%

As you can see, rest’s impact on home-ice advantage this season is similar to last year. Home teams win about 53 percent of the time, but that can swing more than five percent depending on whether they’re rested or tired.

Monday, December 2nd

Monday’s NHL schedule features three games following a busy weekend. Dallas looks to extend its winning streak to three games, while Chicago aims to avoid a third consecutive loss. The Stars, coming off a 3-1 win over the Jets at home, head to Utah to begin a three-game road trip—Utah’s third game in four days. 

Meanwhile, the Blackhawks will face the red-hot Maple Leafs in Toronto after their 6-3 loss to the Blue Jackets. The Maple Leafs will have had one day off. The Devils and Rangers clash in a matchup that will be the third game in four days for both teams.

Other	Rest Days	Visitor	Home	Rest Days	Other
3/4	1	NJD	NYR	1	3/4
2/2	0	CHI	TOR	1
2/2	0	DAL	UTA	1	3/4

Tuesday, December 3rd

Tuesday’s games feature mostly rested teams, with no back-to-back matchups. Montreal is the only “tired” team, playing its third game in four days against the Islanders, who will have had two days off. That said, the Bruins are in the process of playing six games in nine days. The Calgary Flames and Minnesota Wild each hold a one-day rest advantage, facing Columbus and Vancouver, respectively. 

Other	Rest Days	Visitor	Home	Rest Days	Other
	1	DET	BOS	1
	2	COL	BUF	2
	2	NYI	MTL	1	3/4
	2	FLA	PIT	2
	2	SJS	WSH	2
	2	SEA	CAR	2
	1	VAN	MIN	2
	2	STL	WPG	1
	1	CBJ	CGY	2
	2	EDM	VGK	2

Wednesday, December 4th

Wednesday brings a quiet slate with just four games, but some intriguing schedule dynamics. Boston will play its sixth game in nine days when visiting Chicago, though the Blackhawks will also be playing their third game in four days. Nashville returns from a three-day break to face Toronto, holding a two-day rest advantage. 

Similarly, Los Angeles hosts the Stars, who will be on short rest, playing their third game in four days. Lastly, Anaheim enjoys a two-day rest advantage over Vegas when the Ducks host the Golden Knights after Tuesday’s home game against Edmonton.

Other	Rest Days	Visitor	Home	Rest Days	Other
	3	NSH	TOR	1
6/9	0	BOS	CHI	1	3/4
2/2	0	VGK	ANA	2
3/4	1	DAL	LAK	3

Thursday, December 5th

Thursday’s schedule ramps up with nine games, including a few notable rest mismatches. The Predators will visit Montreal in the second half of a back-to-back, while the Canadiens play their fourth game in six days. Tampa Bay and Philadelphia hold three-day rest advantages over San Jose and Florida, respectively. Ottawa also has a two-day rest edge when hosting Detroit. The remaining games feature teams on equal rest.

Other	Rest Days	Visitor	Home	Rest Days	Other
	1	WPG	BUF	1
2/2	0	NSH	MTL	1	4/6
	1	DET	OTT	3
	1	SJS	TBL	4
	1	FLA	PHI	4
	1	COL	CAR	1
	1	SEA	NYI	1
	1	STL	CGY	1
	1	CBJ	EDM	1

Friday, December 6th

Seattle and Columbus are back in action on Friday with tough road matchups. The Kraken visit New Jersey, where the Devils will be rested after three days off, while the Blue Jackets continue their Western road trip in Vancouver against a Canucks team with two days off. Vegas and Dallas square off, with Dallas playing its fourth game in six days and Vegas its third in four. Meanwhile, Washington and Minnesota each hold a one-day rest advantage over Toronto and Anaheim, respectively.

Other	Rest Days	Visitor	Home	Rest Days	Other
	2	WSH	TOR	1
2/2	0	SEA	NJD	3
	2	PIT	NYR	3
2/2	0	CBJ	VAN	2
4/6	1	DAL	VGK	1	3/4
	2	MIN	ANA	1

Saturday, December 7th

Saturday brings the busiest day of the week with 11 games. Washington and Minnesota will both play the second half of a back-to-back. The Capitals continue their Eastern Canadian road trip in Montreal against the Canadiens, who will have had a day to rest, while Los Angeles holds a two-day rest advantage over the Wild. 

Nashville wraps up a four-game road trip, playing its third game in four days against Ottawa. Utah enjoys the biggest rest advantage, coming off four days off before visiting Buffalo. Boston and Chicago also hold slight rest advantages in their matchups.

Other	Rest Days	Visitor	Home	Rest Days	Other
	1	PHI	BOS	2
	4	UTA	BUF	1
	1	WPG	CHI	2
	1	CAR	NYI	1
	1	SJS	FLA	1
2/2	0	WSH	MTL	1
3/4	1	NSH	OTT	1
	1	COL	DET	1
2/2	0	TOR	PIT	0	2/2
2/2	0	MIN	LAK	2
	1	STL	EDM	1

Sunday, December 8th

Sunday wraps up the week with a seven-game slate, where fatigue is likely to impact several teams. Ottawa, Winnipeg, and Philadelphia highlight games involving tired squads. The Senators host the Islanders, the Jets face the Blue Jackets, and the Flyers take on Utah. Five of the six teams will be playing their second game in two days, while Columbus concludes a grueling stretch of three games in four days.

Seattle visits the Rangers, also playing their third game in four days. Meanwhile, Tampa Bay and Calgary enjoy slight rest advantages, with the Lightning facing Vancouver and the Flames meeting Dallas. Colorado and New Jersey square off on equal rest.

Other	Rest Days	Visitor	Home	Rest Days	Other
3/4	1	SEA	NYR	1
	2	TBL	VAN	1
2/2	0	NYI	OTT	0	2/2
3/4	1	CBJ	WPG	0	2/2
2/2	0	COL	NJD	1
2/2	0	UTA	PHI	0	2/2
	2	CGY	DAL	1