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

Scott Cullen

Updated on March 16, 2023 at 2:07 PM EDT, this article is a 4 minute and 48 second read. Find more information on Twitter and Google News.

NHL best bets
NHL best bets

Thursday’s National Hockey League schedule features 11 games, many of which have playoff implications. Keep reading for our top NHL betting picks for Thursday based on the most favorable NHL odds available.

There are high stakes at play on Thursday with four matchups featuring playoff teams on both sides, as well as several games involving teams still in the playoff hunt.

The Dallas Stars are facing off against the Edmonton Oilers in a highly anticipated matchup during their road trip. With a record of 7-2-1 in their last 10 games, the Stars are currently leading the Central Division with 87 points in 68 games, just one point ahead of the Minnesota Wild.

In their last 26 games, the Oilers have a record of 16-5-5 and currently hold the third spot in the Pacific Division, just one point ahead of the Seattle Kraken despite playing one more game. Connor McDavid, the favorite for the Hart Trophy, is dominating the scoring race with 129 points in 68 games, holding a 29-point lead over his teammate Leon Draisaitl.

The playoff races are heating up, making Thursday’s games, including the Stars and Oilers matchup, even more crucial.

These are our top NHL selections for Thursday, ranked by confidence on a scale of 1 to 5 stars and including odds from DraftKings, FanDuel, Caesars, BetMGM, and PointsBet.

Take a look at our NHL selections.

Thursday’s NHL schedule and odds

(odds via DraftKings)

  • Montreal Canadiens (+275) vs. Florida Panthers (-330)
  • Colorado Avalanche (-130) vs. Ottawa Senators (+110)
  • Pittsburgh Penguins (+115) vs. New York Rangers (-135)
  • Tampa Bay Lightning (+110) vs. New Jersey Devils (-130)
  • Chicago Blackhawks (+215) vs. Nashville Predators (-255)
  • Boston Bruins (-155) vs. Winnipeg Jets (+135)
  • Dallas Stars (+115) vs. Edmonton Oilers (-135)
  • Calgary Flames (-105) vs. Vegas Golden Knights (-115)
  • Vancouver Canucks (-145) vs. Arizona Coyotes (+125)
  • Seattle Kraken (-170) vs. San Jose Sharks (+145)
  • Columbus Blue Jackets (+235) vs. Los Angeles Kings (-280)

Thursday’s NHL best bets

  • Moneyline: Flames (-105 via DraftKings) vs. Golden Knights ⭐⭐⭐
  • Spread: Kings -1.5 (-115 via FanDuel) vs. Blue Jackets  ⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Total: Bruins-Jets Over 6 (-120 via DraftKings) ⭐⭐⭐
  • Prop: Eeli Tolvanen anytime goal (+250 via FanDuel) ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thursday’s NHL top picks

Moneyline: Flames (-105 via DraftKings) ⭐⭐⭐

Despite being unpredictable, the Calgary Flames are still in the playoff race. They have earned 7 out of a possible 10 points in their last five games, bringing their total to 74 points in 68 games. This puts them just 5 points behind the Winnipeg Jets for the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference.

Calgary missed out on many opportunities to earn points, going 6-14 in games that went into overtime. However, the Flames have shown competitiveness on the road, with only one regulation loss in their last eight games away from the Saddledome.

The Las Vegas Golden Knights have won four consecutive games, giving them a 3-point lead in the Pacific Division. They have won eight of their last nine games at T-Mobile Arena, regaining a strong home-ice advantage. Earlier in the season, they struggled at home with a 13-13 record in their first 26 games.

This pick is based on the fact that the Flames are expected to have better results soon, as they have the third best score-and-venue-adjusted expected goals percentage (55.4%) during five-on-five play. They are overdue for success.

According to DraftKings and FanDuel, the Flames are slight underdogs at -105, while other top sportsbooks have the game as a pick ’em with both the Flames and Golden Knights priced at -110. I personally consider the Flames as a small favorite, so I recommend taking the -105 at DK or FD.

Take a look at our most recent Stanley Cup betting lines!

Spread: Kings -1.5 (-115 via FanDuel) ⭐⭐⭐⭐

The L.A. Kings are putting pressure on Vegas for the top spot in the Pacific Division with a record of 6-0-1 in their last seven games.

The Kings have earned 87 points in 68 games, winning their last four matches by a margin of at least two goals. Their explosive attack has propelled them to second place in goals scored per 60 minutes since the All-Star break, with an average of 3.79 goals.

Despite the Columbus Blue Jackets securing an overtime victory in San Jose on Tuesday, they have had a challenging season, currently holding the league’s lowest 49 points in 66 games.

Columbus is ranked 27th in expected goals against since the All-Star break. Despite being 19th in actual goals against average during that time, this ranking includes performances by defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov and goaltender Joonas Korpisalo, who were both traded to the Kings before the deadline.

FanDuel offers the most favorable puck line number for the Kings at -1.5 with odds of -115, surpassing BetMGM at -120. DraftKings, Caesars, and PointsBet all have odds at -125, indicating that there is potential value in comparing prices. It is recommended to place the wager at FanDuel in this scenario.

Come see our most recent Norris Trophy betting odds!

Total: Bruins-Jets Over 6 (-120 via DraftKings) ⭐⭐⭐

The typically strong Boston Bruins are unexpectedly showing vulnerability on their current road trip, suffering multi-goal losses in their first two games against Detroit and Chicago. This is a departure from their usual dominant form that had led them to the top of the NHL standings with 105 points in 66 games.

The Bruins and Jets are more likely to surpass the Over due to Boston’s defensive strength. Despite recent losses to the Red Wings and Blackhawks, the Bruins maintain a league-leading 2.20 GAA, making them a formidable opponent.

If Boston’s goals against average and NHL-leading save percentage of .926 are expected to decrease, this could give Winnipeg the opportunity to contribute to pushing the total score over.

Even though the Jets’ 3.08 goals per 60 minutes is tied for 17th in the league, their forward talent gives them the ability to score against the Bruins. However, Winnipeg also struggles defensively, as they rank 23rd with a 3.44 goals against average since the All-Star break.

Top sportsbooks like DraftKings, BetMGM, and Caesars all agree on the total, with the Over at -120. PointsBet is slightly higher at -121. FanDuel offers a total of 6.5, with the Over at +108 and Under at -132, but the extra half goal may not be worth the risk.

Take a look at our most recent Vezina Trophy betting odds!

Prop: Eeli Tolvanen anytime goal (+250 via FanDuel) ⭐⭐⭐⭐

I’m jumping back on the Eeli Tolvanen bandwagon after his goal last week, and I’m picking the Kraken winger to score at any time against San Jose.

Tolvanen seized the opportunity presented to him in Seattle, tallying 12 goals in 33 games after being claimed off waivers from the Nashville Predators. He even managed to score at least one goal in five out of 18 road games.

Tolvanen’s matchup against the struggling Sharks, who have the worst home ice GAA in the league at 4.02, adds significant value to this play. With Tolvanen excelling in his new role and seeing first unit power play time, I believe the odds of him scoring a goal are favorable at +190.

FanDuel has good value at +250, while Caesars also offers positive expected value at +220. DraftKings, BetMGM, and PointsBet are all at +180, which is less appealing. It is important to shop around for the best price, especially in the props market where there is more variance.

NHL top picks for 3/16/2023 were selected at 12:26 p.m. Eastern Time.

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Written By:
Scott Cullen
Scott Cullen is UnderscoregReview.com’s Sports Betting Analyst and is one of the most well-known sports betting writers on the web. He wrote about fantasy sports for TSN for many years, and he has also written for The Athletic, NHL.com, The Hockey News, Monkey Knife Fight, and McKeen’s Hockey. Born in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada, Cullen was an Economics major at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario and played for the Laurier Golden Hawks hockey team.