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Top Shelf Picks: Best NHL Bets Today (Expect Oilers vs. Maple Leafs to be a High-Scoring Affair)

Breaking down the three best bets to place for Saturday's NHL action including a play on the interconference matchup between the Edmonton Oilers and Toronto Maple Leafs.

By Iain MacMillan

Dec 14, 2021; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Edmonton Oilers forward Connor McDavid (97) and Toronto Maple
Dec 14, 2021; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Edmonton Oilers forward Connor McDavid (97) and Toronto Maple / Perry Nelson-USA TODAY Sports
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Just because we're in the middle of March Madness doesn't mean we should forget about the NHL, especially with Saturday having a jam-packed slate.

There are notable games across the league set to take place today including an All-Canadian showdown between Connor Mcdavid and the Edmonton Oilers against Auston Matthews and the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Let's dive into my three best bets for today's slate including my play on this must-watch interconference matchup.

If you want to bet on today's slate, be sure to take advantage of this offer from BetMGM. For a limited time, new users who sign up for an account using the link below will receive $150 in bonus bets when they place their first $5 wager!

NHL Best Bets Today

  • Wild vs. -145 vs. Blues
  • Oilers vs. Maple Leafs OVER 6.5 (-115)
  • Sharks -105 vs. Blackhawks

Blues vs. Wild prediction

No team has been worse from a metrics stand point than the St. Louis Blues over the past month of hockey. In their last 25 games, they're dead last in the NHL in CORSI% and 5-on-5 expected goal percentage, with an expected goal differential of -1.06 per 60 minutes of 5-on-5 play.

That makes them a no-brainer to fade against the Minnesota Wild today, who rank seventh in that stat over the same time frame.

The Wild have also been hot during this run, going 15-7-3 in their last 25 games. They're pushing for a playoff spot and should have no trouble on their home ice today against a regressing Blues team.

Oilers vs. Maple Leafs prediction

Few teams have scored more goals lately than the Edmonton Oilers and Toronto Maple Leafs. Over their last 25 games, the maple Leafs are second in the NHL in goals per 60 minutes at 3.79 and the Oilers are fourth at 3.66. That's a combined average goals of 7.45 goals per 60 minutes yet we can still get a good price on the OVER for tonight's game.

Let's sit back and root for goals in tonight's game between two of the best players in hockey in McDavid and Matthews.

Blackhawks vs. Sharks prediction

The Chicago Blackhawks shouldn't be favored on the road against any team in the NHL. Period. The Sharks are no exception.

The Blackhawks are dead last in goals per game over their last 25 outings, scoring a measly 2.11 per contest. Over that span, they've scored on just 7.35% of their shots on goal, the worst mark in the league.

The Sharks aren't much better, averaging 2.44, but they're on their home ice tonight which can make all the difference in the world between two bad clubs.

I'll back the Sharks as short underdogs.

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

You can check out all of Iain's bets here!

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