Wild

A tough decision can be made easier with these charts showing you the best five and worst five schedules for upcoming seven-day periods. Some of you used them last year but for the benefit of new readers here is a refresher. The number next to the team indicates the ‘multiplier’ to use on a player’s point-per-game pace to give you an idea how many points to expect for that week.

The Tampa Bay Lightning have been struggling mightily lately; heading into Thursday's game against the Rangers they had lost five in a row and only two of their last nine. They have a league high 10 road losses so far and play five of their next seven away from St. Pete's. Not only have they allowed four goals or more in four straight games, they've only scored 18 goals in their last nine games, a stretch which includes a five goal outburst against Florida.

The Jets are another team much better at home then on the road, going 8-4 in Winnipeg versus 4-7-4 on the road. They've also been climbing the standings in the East going 7-2-1 in their last 10 and are in the midst of playing 13 of 15 at home. The even better news is that they've only played four of those 13 home games and are basically in Winnipeg until a New Years Eve date against the Leafs.

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The month of December is either going to make or break the Anaheim Ducks season. Before Thursday's games, Anaheim was already nine points back of the final playoff spot in the West, with five teams between them and eighth. They have a league low two wins on the road scoring only 18 goals in their 11 road games. Boudreau's rough start is looking to get a bit worse as the Ducks play only one home game in their next eight, where all games are against teams ahead of them in the standings; St.Louis, Nashville, Chicago, Winnipeg, Dallas, Los Angeles and San Jose.

Friday Dec 9 to Thursday Dec 15, 2010
Best Bets
San Jose 4.62 – @StL, @Chi, @Col, Col
NY Rangers 4.00 – @Buf, Fla, Dal, @StL
Winnipeg 3.85 – Car, @Det, Min, Was
Vancouver 3.43 – @Ott, @CBJ, @Car
Edmonton 2.28 – Col, @Cgy, @Phx
Steer Clear
St. Louis 1.71 – SJ, NYR
Anaheim 1.83 – @Nas, Phx
Toronto 1.89 – @Was, Car
Chicago 1.95 – SJ, @Min
Pittsburgh 2.18 – @NYI, Det
Saturday Dec 10 to Friday Dec 16, 2010
Best Bets
San Jose 4.62 – @StL, @Chi, @Col, Col
Dallas 4.02 – @LA, @NYR, @NYI, @NJ
NY Rangers 4.00 – @Buf, Fla, Dal, @StL
Calgary 3.99 – Edm, @Nas, @Fla, @TB
New Jersey 3.95 – Mon, @TB, @Fla, Dal
Steer Clear
St. Louis 1.71 – SJ, NYR
Colorado 1.86 – SJ, @SJ
Carolina 1.97 – @Tor, Van
Toronto 2.04 – Car, @Buf
Edmonton 2.12 – @Cgy, @Phx
Sunday Dec 11 to Saturday Dec 17, 2010
Best Bets
San Jose 4.50 – @Chi, @Col, Col, Edm
New Jersey 4.04 – @TB, @Fla, Dal, @Mon
NY Rangers 3.99 – Fla, Dal, @StL, @StL
Washington 3.50 – Phi, @Win, @Col
Vancouver 3.43 – @CBJ, @Car, @Tor
Steer Clear
St. Louis 1.71 – NYR, Nas
Carolina 1.97 – @Tor, Van
Edmonton 2.01 – @Phx, @SJ
Detroit 2.62 – @Pit, @Nas, LA
Columbus 2.63 – Van, LA, TB
Monday Dec 12 to Sunday Dec 18, 2010
Best Bets
Calgary 4.07 – @Nas, @TB, @Fla, @Chi
New Jersey 4.04 – @TB, @Fla, Dal, @Mon
Columbus 3.71 – VAN, LA, TB, @StL
Washington 3.50 – Phi, @Win, @Col
San Jose 3.47 – @Col, Col, Edm
Steer Clear
Edmonton 2.01 – @Phx, @SJ
Detroit 2.62 – @Pit, @Nas, LA
Philadelphia 2.67 – @Was, @Mon, Bos
Colorado 2.66 – SJ, @SJ, Was
Ottawa 2.68 – @Buf, Bos, Pit
Tuesday Dec 13 to Monday Dec 19, 2010
Best Bets
Vancouver 4.40 – @CBJ, @Car, @Tor, Min
Los Angeles 4.30 – @Bos, @CBJ, @Det, @Tor
Anaheim 4.23 – Phx, @Chi, @Win, @Dal
Minnesota 4.17 – @Win, Chi, NYI, @Van
Dallas 4.09 – @NYR, @NYI, @NJ, NYR
Steer Clear
Tampa Bay 2.17 – Cgy, @CBJ
Ottawa 2.68 – @Buf, Bos, Pit
Winnipeg 2.76 – Min, Wash, Ana
St. Louis 2.78 – NYR, @Nas, CBJ
Phoenix 2.85 – @Ana, Edm, NYR
Wednesday Dec 14 to Tuesday Dec 20, 2010
Best Bets
Anaheim 4.23 – Phx, @Chi, @Win, @Dal
Calgary 4.15 – @TB, @Fla, @Chi, Min
Minnesota 4.02 – Chi, NYI, @Van, @Cgy
Chicago 3.94 – @Min, Ana, Cgy, @Pit
Phoenix 3.90 – @Ana, Edm, NYR, @Fla
Steer Clear
Carolina 1.87 – Van, Fla
San Jose 2.14 – Col, Edm
Tampa 2.17 – Cgy, @CBJ
Ottawa 2.58 – Bos, Pit, Buf
Toronto 2.69 – @Buf, Van, LA
Thursday Dec 15 to Wednesday Dec 21, 2010
Best Bets
Vancouver 4.18 – @Car, @Tor, Min, Det
Calgary 4.15 – @TB, @Fla, @Chi, Min
Dallas 4.13 – @NYI, @NJ, Ana, Phi
Philadelphia 4.12 – @Mon, Bos, @Col, @Dal
St. Louis 4.12 – NYR, @Nas, CBJ, @Col
Steer Clear
Ottawa 1.78 – Pit, Buf
Boston 1.92 – @Phi, Mon
Toronto 2.69 – @Buf, Van, LA
New Jersey 2.71 – Dal, @Mon, NYR
Carolina 2.80 – Van, @Fla, Phx
Friday Dec 16 to Thursday Dec 22, 2010
Best Bets
Buffalo 4.25 – Tor, @Pit, @Ott, @Tor
Anaheim 4.20 – @Chi, @Win, @Dal, @La
Minnesota 4.13 – NYI, @Van, @Cgy, @Edm
Montreal 4.06 – NJ, @Bos, @Chi, @Win
Florida 4.06 – Cgy, Car, Phx, @Ott
Steer Clear
Boston 1.92 – @Phi, Mon
San Jose 1.95 – Edm, TB
Carolina 1.88 – @Fla, Phx
Washington 2.13 – @Col, Nas
Tampa Bay 2.16 – @CBJ, @SJ
Saturday Dec 17 to Friday Dec 23, 2010
Best Bets
St. Louis 4.32 – @Nas, CBJ, @Col, @Phx
NY Islanders 4.27 – @Min, @Win, @NYR, Tor
Los Angeles 4.17 – @Det, @Tor, Ana, @SJ
Minnesota 4.13 – NYI, @Van, @Cgy, @Edm
NY Rangers 4.08 – @Phx, @NJ, NYI, Phi
Steer Clear
New Jersey 2.60 – @Mon, NYR, @Was
Dallas 2.73 – Ana, Phi, Nas
Chicago 2.76 – Cgy, @Pit, Mon
San Jose 2.77 – Edm, TB, LA
Boston 2.87 – @Phi, Mon, Fla
Sunday Dec 18 to Saturday Dec 24, 2010
Best Bets
Florida 3.97 – Car, Phx, @Ott, @Bos
Calgary 3.87 – @Chi, Min, Det, @Van
St. Louis 3.43 – CBJ, @Col, @Phx
Philadelphia 3.26 – @Col, @Dal, @NYR
NY Islanders 3.18 – @Win, @NYR, Tor
Steer Clear
New Jersey 1.64 – NYR, Was
Washington 1.80 – Nas, @NJ
Boston 1.82 – Mon, Fla
San Jose 1.80 – TB, LA
Edmonton 1.94 – Det, Min