Top NHL Picks and Predictions Today (Two Favorites and a Total for Tuesday March 1st)
We're fresh off a 2-1 night with my best NHL bets, so let's keep it rolling tonight!
We have a slate of nine games set for tonight, so we have a few options to choose from. Let's dive into my three best bets.
All odds listed are via WynnBET Sportsbook.
Oilers vs. Flyers Prediction and Pick
The Oilers are -160 favorites, but that's much too short of a price for a team as hot as Edmonton. They rank fourth in the NHL in CORSI% over their last 25 games, and maybe more importantly, they're finally showing some competence in their own end, ranking seventh in expected goals against per 60 minutes.
They should get some unintended help on defense tonight due to playing a Flyers team that ranks 30th in shooting percentage over their last 25 games. The Flyers are finding the back of the night on only 8.02% of their shots, while also sporting an ugly save percentage of .890%.
Sure, it's a chalky play, but I think there's value at the -160 price. Take their puck line at +145 if you want to get aggressive, but I'll play it safe and bet on their moneyline.
Pick: Oilers -160
Devils vs. Blue Jackets Prediction and Pick
I wrote yesterday about how the Blue Jackets are surprisingly one of the most profitable teams to bet on in the NHL this season. I'm going to ride that train tonight and take them as slight favorites at home. Some of the Devils advanced analytics are promising, but their goaltending is so bad that they wouldn't be much worse off if I strapped on the pads for them.
Jon Gillies is likely getting the start tonight. He's allowed six goals in two-straight starts, and has an abysmal 3.7 goals against average and .887 save percentage this season. Now he gets to face a Blue Jackets team that's eighth in shooting percentage over their last 25 games.
I'll ride with Columbus tonight.
Pick: Blue Jackets -115
Flames vs. Wild Prediction and Pick
As much as I've been yelling about how good the Flames are in recent weeks, I think their odds are starting to reflect where they should actually be at. With that in mind, I think the odds for tonight's game are set at the right price, so I'm going to look at the total instead.
The OVER has been a positive trend for both teams as of late, but I think that's giving us some value on the UNDER tonight. The Flames rank second in the NHL in high danger scoring chances against in their last 25 games, and the Wild are close behind, ranking seventh in that category. The Flames also rank third in expected goals against per 60 minutes.
With the UNDER 6 available at plus-money, that's the bet to make tonight.
Pick: UNDER 6 (+105)
Iain is 38-35-1 (+0.95 units) with his NHL picks in 2022. Check out his detailed record here.