Navigate

Top NHL Odds, Picks & Predictions: Saturday (2/17)

by |

We are now in the second half of the season, as the NHL returned from the All-Star break earlier this week. Let's analyze today's matchups and give you the best bets.

Our NHL Prop Bet Cheat Sheet assists bettors by comparing lines from leading sportsbooks with62 our daily projections >>

Saturday's NHL Best Bets

(Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook)

Ottawa Senators (-192) at Chicago Blackhawks (+158) | O/U 6.5 (+104/-128)

It's been a tough year for the Senators, but they have won in four of their last five, including against Detroit and Toronto. They still have an impressive offense, scoring  3.36 goals per game, but that gets erased by how bad their defense is. The good news is they have Anton Forsberg back in the net, and he got the win in his first game back, so let's hope he can help this team.

This matchup may not be so difficult going against Chicago. They are last by scoring 2.06 goals per game and second to last in expected goals. They have been on an abysmal run, scoring just one point out of a possible 16. The good news is we saw Connor Bedard return from a broken jaw; he clocked in 21 minutes and had one assist in a loss.

We should see more ice time from Bedard, which is a massive upgrade for this team. They just faced the Rangers, Canucks, and Penguins, three tough defensive teams. This will be a reprieve against Ottawa, and they look good as a home underdog.

Pick: Blackhawks Moneyline (+158)

Florida Panthers (-128) at Tampa Bay Lightning (+106) | O/U 6.5 (-102/-120)

The Panthers look like a team that wants to return to the Stanley Cup Finals but want to be a higher seed. Each aspect of the team is doing its part; they are second in expected goals on even strength, allowing the second-fewest goals, and sixth in power plays and penalty kills. 

You can't say much different about the Lightning. The top lines have five members with 50 or more points, including heavy Hart Trophy favorite Nikita Kucherov. While they are incredible at 5-on-5, they're lethal in the power play at a league-leading 30.4%. The defense was a little shaky to start the season, including when Andrei Vasilevskiy returned, but he's gotten much better, allowing 2.77 goals per game, and the blue line is allowing under 30 shots per game.

The Panthers beat the Lightning last time, winning game No. 2  of an eventual eight-game winning streak. They have not come away with a point in just three of their previous 20 games. It's a tough game on the road, but the Panthers are showing no weaknesses at this time.

Pick: Panthers Moneyline (-128)

Carolina Hurricanes (+102) at Vegas Golden Knights (-122) | O/U 6.5 (+110/-134)

We could be getting a peek at a potential Stanley Cup Finals preview. The Hurricanes are defensively strong because of their goaltending. The blue line is awful, allowing the most shots on goal, but they have the lowest expected goals against 60. Rookie Pyotr Kochetkov has taken over as the starter, and he looks to be their future with a 2.52 GAA.

There is no debate about this: the Golden Knights are better when Adin Hill is between the pipes. He's having another spectacular season with a 14-3-2 record, 2.00 GAA, and a .933 save percentage, and when he missed time with an injury, the team wasn't playing their best. One of those contents was against Carolina, where they took a 6-3 loss. 

The last contest was a shootout, but with Hill in this game, you shouldn't expect that. This is why you should look for the Under.

Pick: Under 6.5 (-134)

Make sure to check out our other best bets for Saturday:

Try Premium for FREE in our mobile app

BettingPros App