Why December Separates the Playoff-Bound from the Others
It’s the month that sets the table for next Spring. December is a crucial month in the NHL. The schedule makes an impact with heavier travel and shorter rest times. Front-office decisions come down and can make or break teams. It’s all worth watching to see where there’s an edge in nightly NHL betting or making your NHL Futures picks for the Stanley Cup and playoff action.
The Grind: December Schedule Density and Travel Reality
The December NHL schedule is a different beast because of the Christmas break. While the NBA and NFL take advantage of having large groups of TV viewers off work and sitting in large groups, the NHL still gives its players a short break. That means more work for the rest of the month though. Most teams are looking at 14–16 games in roughly 30 days, which often means three to four games per week and multiple back-to-backs with limited practice time built in.
And in an Olympic year, where the league needs to lend its stars to all the countries with a hockey team going for gold, it gets even crazier. The NHL wants its playoffs and Stanley Cup Finals to start close to the same time as they always do – nobody wants to see hockey in July – so they need to find a way to squeeze regular season games into the schedule. Three weeks off in February means the other months will get squeezed.
Many teams in 2025-26, for example, are playing 15 games in the month of December because of the Olympics. That means plenty of back-to-backs and minimal recovery time.
For NHL betting? The smart money is watching the travel schedule closely any time of year to find an edge, but in December it’s especially worthwhile. You can spot the potential for an upset coming against a favorite playing its 3rd game in four nights, especially if they don’t have the depth needed on defense or in nets.
Travel chaos this month ramps it all up even more. Western Conference teams regularly log way more travel miles, just because there are fewer teams on the Pacific side. When December comes, it brings long road swings that pull them across multiple time zones. With minimal time to adjust. Even a 2-hour time zone change takes time to adjust to, and you see in players’ legs and endurance. Make note of that, especially if you’re into NHL live betting, because late-game leads can evaporate and outright upsets can happen.
On top of the travel issue, some teams who might have had a hot opening month can really fall apart in December. That first month, everyone is fresh. After that, depth matters.
Coaches that coasted by leaning on their top 6 forwards for maximum minutes in October and November – mainly because their third and fourth lines are so weak – can get exposed. They now need to lean on their third and fourth lines and 5th and 6th d-men more or they risk burning out their McDavids, MacKinnons, or Makars. Bettors watch for teams that can roll their third and fourth lines late in games. Secondary scoring matters too, and the teams that run into trouble at the end of the calendar year are the ones who only have 4-5 goals from their checking and PK lines. If they can’t get it done by December, relying on them for the NHL playoffs is a dicey call.
Same with goaltending.
The NHL is well beyond the Brodeur and Roy era now, where a star netminder could rack up 70 games a season. But the top goalies still get 55-60+ starts. Load management – we’ll borrow that from the NBA – is a real consideration for coaches now. In a condensed, travel-heavy December schedule, those top goalies need to be managed for burnout. That means a reliable #2 has to be ready to go.
For hockey betting, look for those back-to-back games later in the month where the backup goalie isn’t very strong. The team usually doesn’t play with as much freedom and confidence in front of them, so totals and wins are where you might find your edge.
The Holiday Factor
There are a few days of complete rest, with zero games on the NHL schedule, starting on Christmas Eve.
That usually means the week leading up to it is packed with games. The league also likes to load up big-name matchups. NHL fans and bettors get divisional battles and playoff-style environments as a Christmas gift.
That means close games when it comes to divisional matchups, where teams will play each other multiple times a season. Bad blood means tight checking, physical games, even when the teams might have a big gap talent-wise. Bet accordingly.
And those holiday season games aren’t just about vibes and hits. Parity in the NHL is a constant theme these days, so most teams are separated by only a few points in the standings, especially in December since only 25-30 games have been played by each team. A team that is sitting comfortably in 2nd place in the conference can find itself outside a playoff position with a simple 3-game winless streak.
About 75% of teams in playoff spots in early December end up making the postseason. That means there’s movement between 8-10 teams at the lower end – some going down and the others ramping up. That also means a real urgency to every extra shift where a player can run out of gas and give up a 2-on-1. Again, check for depth to see which teams might be pretenders in December.
Off-Ice Decisions Start in December
In December, NHL general managers begin mapping out who they’re willing to move and when they’ll make those moves. Some teams on the bubble might need one key piece to make a push. Or they’ll need depth – a few key penalty killers and grinders. Other teams that are really looking rough before the New Year arrives might have already decided to pack it in. Off the ice, that is. GMs will shop around some top players for picks if the wins aren’t coming by December.
Watch for big moves to affect a team’s chances from night to night. Gutting a team can lower morale and provide big betting opportunities, just like injecting a skilled center can take a team to new heights overnight.
Teams that handle that all the December chaos – managing rest, depth, goaltending, and mental fatigue – are the ones that are usually still standing in April. On top of the nightly betting swings, it’s a great time to score some solid odds for NHL Futures too.