Today’s NHL schedule and picks for Tuesday, along with the best bets available.

Tuesday’s NHL schedule is packed with ten games, promising an exciting night on the ice. Check out our top NHL betting picks for the evening, determined by the most favorable odds available.

It has been a decade since the Buffalo Sabres last made a playoff appearance in the 2010-2011 season, so it has been quite a while since they have competed in meaningful games in March.

After a 3-2 defeat against the Edmonton Oilers on Monday, the Sabres are gearing up for a crucial game on Tuesday as they travel to face the New York Islanders.

The Sabres trail the Islanders by four points in the race for the first Eastern Conference wild-card spot, but Buffalo has played three fewer games. This upcoming head-to-head matchup is critical for both teams.

Below are our top NHL selections for Tuesday, with odds from DraftKings, FanDuel, Caesars, BetMGM, and PointsBet. The confidence of each pick is rated on a scale of 1 to 5 stars.

Take a look at our NHL selections.

The NHL schedule and betting odds for Tuesday are as follows:

(odds via DraftKings)

• Carolina Hurricanes are favored at -325 while the Montreal Canadiens are the underdogs at +270.
• Toronto Maple Leafs are underdogs with odds of +110 while New Jersey Devils are favorites with odds of -130.
• Columbus Blue Jackets are +250 underdogs against the Pittsburgh Penguins who are -300 favorites.
• The Philadelphia Flyers are the underdogs with odds of +240, while the Tampa Bay Lightning are the favorites with odds of -285.
• Las Vegas Golden Knights are +125 underdogs against Florida Panthers who are -145 favorites.
• Buffalo Sabres are the underdogs at +140 against the favored New York Islanders at -165.
• Calgary Flames are the underdogs with odds of +120 against the Minnesota Wild, who are the favorites with odds of -140.
• San Jose Sharks are underdogs at +275 against the favored Colorado Avalanche at -330.
• St. Louis Blues are favored at -140 against Arizona Coyotes at +120.
• Anaheim Ducks are +250 underdogs as they face off against the favored Seattle Kraken, who are -300.

Tuesday’s NHL best bets

• Panthers are favored to win against the Golden Knights with a moneyline of -145, according to DraftKings. ⭐⭐⭐
• Avalanche are favored by 1.5 goals against the Sharks with a -133 spread via BetMGM. This pick is rated four stars.
• Total: Sabres-Islanders Under 6.5 points, with odds of -115 offered by BetMGM. This bet is rated four stars.
• Proposition: Bet on Eeli Tolvanen scoring a goal at any time in the game with odds of +240 on FanDuel. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Tuesday’s NHL top picks

Panthers are favorites to win with a moneyline of -145 on DraftKings, rated 3 stars.

The Panthers need to seize this opportunity to make a push for the postseason before it’s too late.

The Panthers are among four Eastern teams tied with 68 points, all vying for wild card spots currently held by the Islanders and Pittsburgh Penguins with 72 and 71 points, respectively.

At even strength, Florida appears to have the makings of a playoff team, with the Panthers boasting a +20 goal differential during five-on-five play.

Despite only losing one game in regulation in their last 12 games (9-1-2), the Golden Knights have struggled on the road with only three wins in their last 11 games away from T-Mobile Arena.

This presents an opportunity for a struggling Panthers team. However, the Golden Knights are a formidable opponent and are likely to secure a victory on the road. This pick is rated three stars.

DraftKings offers the most favorable moneyline price for the Panthers at -145, slightly surpassing BetMGM at -149. The other top sportsbooks on our list fall between -155 and -160.

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

Spread: Avalanche -1.5 at -133 odds on BetMGM, rated four stars.

Despite losing three straight games, the Avalanche are in a strong position to defeat the Sharks on Tuesday.

San Jose is heading to Colorado after a 3-2 overtime win in Winnipeg on Monday night. The Sharks have a poor 3-8 record on back-to-back games, making this game against a well-rested Avalanche team seem like an uphill battle from the start.

San Jose has struggled with a 3-8-1 record in the last four weeks, losing seven of those nine games by more than one goal.

In their last 12 games, the Sharks have only converted 7.2% of their shots, ranking 31st in the league. Additionally, they have traded away their top goal-scorer, Timo Meier, to New Jersey. This will pose a challenge for the Sharks to compete with the Colorado team, who has been dominating with a record of 14-4-3 in their past 21 games, winning 10 of those by more than one goal.

BetMGM offers the top puck line number for the Avalanche at -133, slightly better than DraftKings at -135. Caesars and PointsBet both have the Avs at -140, while FanDuel has the highest line at -142.

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

Total points: Sabres vs Islanders Under 6.5 (-115 at BetMGM) with a four-star rating.

The Islanders have the opportunity to control the game as the Sabres are on the road, playing their second game in as many nights, a situation in which they have struggled this season with a record of 3-6-1.

The New York team has a 2.33 goals-against average at UBS Arena, the second-best in the league at home after the Boston Bruins. Additionally, the Islanders score 2.91 goals per 60 minutes at home, ranking 23rd in the league.

The Islanders have scored six goals or fewer in their last six games and are likely to continue that trend against the Sabres.

BetMGM and PointsBet both have the over/under set at 6.5, with the under at -115. DraftKings is offering -120, FanDuel is offering -122, and Caesars has the highest total at -130.

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

Proposition: There is a +240 odds on Eeli Tolvanen scoring a goal at any time during the game, as per FanDuel. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Even when a player is struggling, small samples can still provide opportunities to find value with greater variance in the marketplace.

In 29 games with the Kraken, Tolvanen has scored 10 goals, four of which were at home. Over the last two months, he has consistently played over 15 minutes per game and has solidified his position in the top nine forwards as well as on the second power play unit.

I am willing to overlook Tolvanen’s recent lack of scoring, as his credentials are strong enough for me. Despite only scoring two goals in his last 14 games and taking only 11 shots on goal in his past seven games (five of which were in his last game against the Avalanche), I still have faith in his abilities.

The Kraken are facing a Ducks team with one of the weakest defensive units in hockey. Anaheim has the highest rates of shots against, expected goals against, and goals against, making them a prime target for any goal scorer.

I have set my odds for a Tolvanen goal against the Ducks at +160, so FanDuel’s +240 offer is a great deal. Caesars is the only other major sportsbook offering similar odds at +215.

The NHL’s top betting options were identified on 3/7/2026 at 12:45 p.m. Eastern Time.

These are our top sportsbooks:

• Get up to $1,000 back on your first bet with FanDuel’s No Sweat offer. Check out our review of FanDuel for more information.
• Caesars: Get up to a $1,250 Bet Credit | Check out our Caesars Review
• DraftKings: Wager $5 and Receive $150 in Bonus Bets | Check out our DraftKings Review
• PointsBet is offering the opportunity to earn five second-chance bets, each up to $50. Check out our PointsBet Review for more information.
• BetMGM offers a bonus bet of up to $1,000 – Check out our BetMGM review for more details.

*Bonuses are not valid in Ontario. If you are 21 or older and have a gambling problem, please call 1-800-GAMBLER.

Related pages

• Top Online Discounts | Top Discount Offers (Only available in the U.S.)