Top Shelf Picks: Best NHL Bets Today (Will Auston Matthews Notch Goal No. 70?)

The NHL Playoff field is set and side from some seeding in the Western Conference, there's nothing left to play for in the final two days of the regular season.

That's why tonight's best bets are going to be narrative driven. There are two main ones to watch for tonight's slate and we're going to bet on both of them coming to fruition. As much as I'm a stats-based bettor, they're mostly useless when neither team on the ice is playing for much and the playoff teams are looking to remain healthy before the start of the postseason. With that in mind, we're sticking to a couple of narrative-based bets tonight.

If you want to tail these plays, click the link below to sign up for an account at DraftKings Sportsbook. For a limited time, new users will receive $150 in bonus bets when they place their first $5 wager.

Best NHL Bets Today

• Auston Matthews to score a goal (-150)
• Coyotes +150 vs. Oilers

Maple Leafs vs. Lightning prop bet

Neither the Maple Leafs or Lightning can move in the standings at all before the playoffs start. Toronto will take on the Bruins in the opening round and Tampa Bay will face the Panthers in a battle of Florida.

That means the only narrative left for this game tonight is whether or not Auston Matthews can notch his 70th goal of the season, something that hasn't been done in the NHL since the early '90s. I can guarantee you the Leafs will do everything they can do set him up for a goal, even if it means leaving them in a bad defensive position. With nothing else on the line, it's going to be only thing that members of the Leafs will care about.

Sounds like a great bet at -150 odds.

Oilers vs. Coyotes prediction

News broke just a few weeks ago that the Arizona Coyotes will move to Utah this offseason. That means that this will be the final game played in Arizona in its 28-year history there.

The Coyotes are eliminated from the playoffs and the Oilers are locked into the No. 2 spot in the Pacific Division so the only thing on the line tonight is pride as the 'Yotes try to give their Arizona fans one last win.

With narrative and emotion on their side against a team with nothing to play for, I won't hesitate to back Arizona in its final home game as a sizable underdog.

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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