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NHL Odds & Best Bets Today: Schedule, Picks for Saturday

Scott Cullen

Last Updated: February 4, 2023 12:06 PM EST • 2 min 33 sec read.

NHL best bets
NHL best bets

The latest edition of the NHL All-Star Game takes place in Florida on Saturday. Read on for our NHL Best Bets based on the latest odds.

The All-Star Game is all about the show, which tends to make the games Nolan Ryan specials without hitting.

In 2017, the NHL switched the All-Star Game format to a three-on-three tournament. There's a lot more open space, especially when the players aren't interested in defending.

It’s the only NHL action on the Saturday schedule, so let’s find some value on the board to make the games more interesting.

Here are our NHL Best Bets for Saturday (odds via FanDuel Sportsbook and DraftKings; Pick confidence is based on a 1-to-5-star scale).

Saturday’s NHL schedule and odds

(odds via DraftKings)

  • Central Division (-125) vs. Pacific Division (+105)
  • Metropolitan Division (+105) vs. Atlantic Division (-125)

Saturday’s NHL best bets

  • Future: Metropolitan Division to win (+330 via FanDuel) ⭐⭐
  • Total: Central-Pacific Under 13.5 (-105 via DraftKings) ⭐⭐
  • MVP: Jack Hughes (+2500 via FanDuel) ⭐⭐

Saturday's NHL top picks

Future: Metropolitan Division to win (+330) ⭐⭐

Handicapping matchups between teams that aren't seriously invested in the outcome of an exhibition game adds an element of risk from the drop of the puck. That's why this pick is getting two stars, and that uncertainty means it's worth looking at the team offering the longest odds.

Obviously, every squad boasts plenty of talent during an All-Star Game. But the Metropolitan Division will trout out Sidney Crosby, Jack Hughes, Johnny Gaudreau, and Artemi Panarin, among others. They're all skilled and creative forwards who can make the most of the three-on-three situation.

Hughes and Gaudreau rank first and third, respectively, in points per 60 minutes among All-Star skaters that have played at least 20 minutes of three-on-three action since the start of the 2021-22 season.

Additionally, the Metropolitan goaltending tandem of Ilya Sorokin and Igor Shesterkin is good enough to steal a game or two.

The Atlantic Division, which includes the hometown Florida Panthers, is the consensus favorite to win the tournament, with odds of +200 at FanDuel and +230 at DraftKings. But there should be more value with the Metropolitan priced at +320 through DraftKings and +330 at FanDuel.

Check out our latest Vezina Trophy odds!

Total: Central-Pacific Under 13.5 (-105) ⭐⭐

The new-age All-Star game format leads to higher game totals, with the open ice and lack of defense fueling the scoring.

First-round games in the three-on-three format have been averaging 12.17 goals, with five of those 12 contests reaching 14-plus goals.

Taking the Under in an All-Star game could lead to massive frustration. But when the total is as high as 13.5 with more juice to take the Over, the Under makes sense. The pick is still getting two stars due to the players' lack of motivation.

The other first-round game between the Metropolitan and Atlantic divisions has been given a total of 11.5, making the Over the better play.

Keep the Under in mind prior to the final game, too. The final has reached double-digit goals just once over the six years of the current format.

Check out our latest Norris Trophy odds!

MVP: Jack Hughes (+2500) ⭐⭐

If the Metropolitan Division is going to win, then a player from that division is most likely to get named the MVP.

Enter Jack Hughes, the rising star of the New Jersey Devils. Hughes is a terror during three-on-three play, and his style seems like a natural fit for this format.

Connor McDavid might appear to be an obvious choice, and he's the favorite at +1000 through FanDuel. However, the All-Star Game MVP tends to be a wide-open race, so getting Hughes leads to strong value.

Check out our latest Rocket Richard Trophy odds!

NHL Best Bet picks made 2/4/2023 at 8:30 a.m. ET.

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Written By:
Scott Cullen
Scott Cullen is SportsbookReview.com's Sports Betting Analyst and is one of the most well-known sports betting writers on the web. He wrote about fantasy sports for TSN for many years, and he has also written for The Athletic, NHL.com, The Hockey News, Monkey Knife Fight, and McKeen's Hockey. Born in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada, Cullen was an Economics major at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario and played for the Laurier Golden Hawks hockey team.