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

Connor Cooper

Last Updated: March 11, 2023 1:47 PM EST • 4 min 16 sec read.

NHL best bets
NHL best bets

NHL bettors are treated to a massive 15-game card Saturday. See who we like in our NHL best bets for Saturday based on the top NHL odds.

Saturday’s 15-game NHL card features three huge mismatches as the Boston Bruins, Colorado Avalanche and Tampa Bay Lightning all lay -385 or more at home against weaker opposition. The game of the day comes in Toronto, where the Maple Leafs host the red-hot Edmonton Oilers, while several other contests hold significant playoff implications for both teams.

Here are our best NHL picks for Saturday (odds via DraftKings Sportsbook, PointsBet, BetMGM and Caesars Sportsbook; pick confidence based on a 1-to-5-star scale).

Check out our NHL picks.

Saturday’s NHL schedule and odds

  • Detroit Red Wings (+300) at Boston Bruins (-385)
  • Philadelphia Flyers (+222) at Pittsburgh Penguins (-278)
  • New York Rangers (-155) at Buffalo Sabres (+130)
  • Arizona Coyotes (+345) at Colorado Avalanche (-455)
  • St. Louis Blues (-130) at Columbus Blue Jackets (+110)
  • Chicago Blackhawks (+360) at Tampa Bay Lightning (-480)
  • Edmonton Oilers (+105) at Toronto Maple Leafs (-125)
  • New Jersey Devils (-267) at Montreal Canadiens (+215)
  • Vegas Golden Knights (+175) at Carolina Hurricanes (-210)
  • Winnipeg Jets (+110) at Florida Panthers (-130)
  • Washington Capitals (+110) at New York Islanders (-130)
  • Dallas Stars (-120) at Seattle Kraken (+100)
  • Ottawa Senators (-125) at Vancouver Canucks (+105)
  • Nashville Predators (+135) at Los Angeles Kings (-160)
  • Minnesota Wild (-178) at San Jose Sharks (+150)

Saturday’s NHL best bets

  • Puck Line: Flyers +1.5 vs. Penguins (-105 via DraftKings) ⭐⭐⭐
  • Total: Rangers vs. Sabres Over 6.5 (-125 via PointsBet) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Moneyline: Jets vs. Panthers (+115 via BetMGM) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Team Total: Capitals Under 2.5 Goals vs. Islanders (+102 via Caesars) ⭐⭐⭐

Saturday’s NHL top picks

Puck Line: Flyers +1.5 vs. Penguins (-105 via DraftKings) ⭐⭐⭐

If you were surprised to see the Pittsburgh Penguins blow a late two-goal lead at home to the N.Y. Islanders Thursday, you shouldn’t be. The Penguins have been dismal for months, posting just three regulation-time home victories since Dec. 12. The 4-3 OT loss to New York marked the 12th time in 14 home game the Pens gave up at least three goals.

While we’re eager to fade the Penguins, backing the Philadelphia Flyers isn’t easy as Philly enters action with just one win in its last seven matchups. However, the Flyers always get up for a visit to their in-state rivals, taking the Pens to OT in each of their last three trips, and Philly showed in Thursday’s 1-0 loss at Carolina that it can still keep things close against a tough opponent.

Seven of Pittsburgh’s last nine home wins were by one goal, and I don’t expect this one to be easy either. The Flyers’ lack of scoring punch prevents me from making this any bigger than a 3* play, but I’ll gladly lay up to -115 challenging the Pens to win by margin.

Total: Rangers vs. Sabres Over 6.5 (-125 via PointsBet) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

At this point, betting the Over in Buffalo Sabres home games is an obvious choice. Six of Buffalo’s last seven home contests saw at least eight goals scored, including 14 in the Sabres’ embarrassing 10-4 loss Thursday to the Dallas Stars. Buffalo gave up three goals or more in 15 of its last 17 at KeyBank Center, a huge reason the Sabres are just 13-18-2 at home.

With numbers like that, we’d normally expect a total of 7 instead of 6.5, but oddsmakers still price the Rangers as if they’re a strong defensive team. There’s been little evidence of that lately. New York held just two of its last 11 opponents — the Flyers and L.A. Kings — under three goals.

Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin allowed three goals on just 26 shots in Thursday’s 4-3 shootout win over the Montreal Canadiens and sports a goals-against average over three since the end of January.

The opportunity to get this total at 6.5 instead of 7 — meaning you win your bet if both teams simply get to three goals — is enough to boost this up to a full 5* play, although I’d also play the Over 7 up to -110 as a 4* play.

Moneyline: Jets vs. Panthers (+115 via BetMGM) ⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Winnipeg Jets dropped seven of their last eight and now hold just a 4-point lead over the Calgary Flames for the West's final wild card spot, but the Jets show signs of turning things around. Winnipeg was seconds away from beating the San Jose Sharks Tuesday before allowing a late equalizer and then falling in OT. The Jets also outshot the Minnesota Wild 48-22 Thursday but Wild goalie Marc-Andre Fleury stonewalled them in a 4-2 loss.

Points are equally important for the Florida Panthers, who won three straight and five of seven to move within 2 points of Pittsburgh for an Eastern playoff berth. However, Florida had a hard-fought 4-3 overtime win over the Chicago Blackhawks last night, putting them at a disadvantage against a rested Winnipeg squad. It’s worth noting the Panthers are 1-7 in their last eight games when playing the second night of a back-to-back.

Expect a determined effort from the Jets as they open a tough three-game road trip, and for Florida to struggle to match that intensity. I like this as a 4* play down to +110 but would still back the Jets as a 3* play at +100 or better.

Team Total: Capitals Team Total Under 2.5 vs. Islanders (+102 via Caesars) ⭐⭐⭐

Although the Washington Capitals are only 5 points out of a playoff spot, the ship has sailed on Washington’s postseason hopes. Management certainly believes it, dealing away several veterans at the trade deadline, and the Caps’ recent play didn't do much to change that opinion. Washington dropped nine of its last 12 games, largely because of a punchless offense that was held to two regulation goals or less in nine of its last 13.

Look for Washington’s attack to struggle once again against an Islanders side that's surging right now, posting a 7-2-1 mark in their last 10 matchups to climb into a playoff position. Seven of the Isles’ previous 10 road opponents failed to score more than two goals in regulation, and New York held Washington to just 17 regulation-time markers in their last nine meetings — with six of those coming in one game.

Saturday’s NHL Best Bets picks made 3/11/2023 at 11:46 a.m. ET.

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Written By:
Connor Cooper
Connor Cooper is a contributing writer for Sportsbook Review, specializing in the National Football League and college football, as well as the National Hockey League and National Basketball Association. A diehard Maple Leafs and Blue Jays fan growing up in Toronto, Connor quickly shed all his allegiances once he realized that making money betting on sports was much more fun than cheering for his favorite team. He still holds a soft spot for the Leafs, Jays, Toronto Raptors, Denver Broncos, and Florida Gators, but Connor won’t hesitate to bet on — or against — anybody if that’s where the value lies. In addition to analyzing recent and season-long statistics, Connor always looks to account for the human element when breaking down games, weighing situational and motivational factors into his handicapping process.