Best NHL Bets Today | NHL Picks, February 9

Edmonton Oilers vs Philadelphia Flyers

Flyers +1.5 -154 (FanDuel)

The Edmonton Oilers will face the Philadelphia Flyers for the first of two times this season. These teams play on different sides of the North American continent, so they do not see each other too often.

The Oilers are the better team, so I expect them to win. However, they struggle defensively, so this game will be close. The Flyers will make things interesting and only lose by one. Bet on Philadelphia to cover.

The Oilers are playing very well as of late. They have won eight of their previous nine games, and their sole loss was in overtime. Offensively, they have been firing on all cylinders all season and are led by the center duo of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. McDavid leads the NHL in points with 93, and there has been discussion of him finishing the season with 160.

That would be difficult, but it is entirely possible. Draisaitl is also playing at a high level and has 76 points. There are other players performing well, but I only need to talk about those two. With all that being said, Edmonton does not have solid goaltenders and defensemen. They give up 3.22 goals per game, putting them in the bottom half of the NHL.

The Flyers are having a disappointing season, but they do have home-ice advantage. Interestingly, their defense is a little better than the Oilers, but their offense is much worse. 

Philadelphia only averages a measly 2.75 goals per game. However, here is the real reason the Flyers will cover. They have lost three of their previous four games, but only by one goal. Even though they are losing, they are keeping games close. Bet on Philadelphia to cover.

Calgary Flames vs Detroit Red Wings

Flames Moneyline -156 (FanDuel)

The Calgary Flames will take on the Detroit Red Wings for the first time this season. These teams are having significantly different seasons, so this game may not be all too interesting. The Flames are right outside of the Playoff picture, but the Red Wings are nine points out of the second Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference and will likely not make it. With that being said, the Flames are the better team and will win this game. Bet on the Calgary moneyline.

The Flames are an interesting team. They have the potential to be really good but are merely mediocre. Calgary has four solid players in Elias Lindholm, Tyler Toffoli, Nazem Kadri, and Jonathan Huberdeau. These players are veterans but not necessarily playing up to their potential. Jonathan Huberdeau was traded to Calgary in the offseason but has been having a quiet year. He only has ten goals in 41 games. Overall, the Calgary offense ranks right in the middle of the pack, but they are facing a Red Wings squad whose offense ranks in the bottom ten.

The Red Wings may keep this game close, but they will not win. Their offensive output is low, and they have only scored twice in their previous two games. In addition, they often struggle defensively and allow 3.31 goals per game. There are worst defenses, but there are also many better ones. Therefore, I would play this bet safe and bet on Calgary.

San Jose Sharks vs Florida Panthers

Sharks +1.5 -124 (FanDuel)

The San Jose Sharks will battle with the Florida Panther in an interesting matchup. The Panthers are the better team, but neither of these squads are excelling. Bet on San Jose to cover.

It looks like the Sharks will miss the Playoffs once again, as they sit 15 points outside of the Western Conference playoff picture. They won their previous two games but are having a difficult season overall. 

Their offense is mediocre, but their defense provides the real problem. The Sharks allow a whopping 3.73 goals per game, putting them in the bottom five. Offensively, they rank a little below average, but an average offense cannot make up for a horrendous defense. In addition, the Sharks also have subpar netminders with save percentages below .900.

I realize I just spoke fairly negatively about the Sharks, but they will keep this game close. The Panthers will win, but only by one goal. The Panthers had an excellent regular season last year but have not been able to replicate that success this year. Florida will not cover the spread because they struggle on the defensive end and have questionable goaltending. 

The Panthers allow 3.45 goals per game, so I would not be surprised if the Sharks finish with three. The Panthers are also missing their top two goaltenders and will likely be forced to rely on Alex Lyon this same. Lyon is allowing an absurd 3.89 goals per game this season. Bet on San Jose to cover.

Vegas Golden Knights vs Minnesota Wild

Wild Moneyline -125 (FanDuel)

Our final bet of the day is a safer one. It involves the Vegas Golden Knights and Minnesota Wild. The Golden Knights are having the better season, but I would bet on the Minnesota moneyline.

The Golden Knights missed the Playoffs last season but have flipped the script this year and have the third-best record in the Western Conference. Their offense is mediocre, but their defense and goaltending has been solid. That has put them in this winning position. However, it will not be enough in this game.

The Wild are coming off a tough road loss to the Dallas Stars but will be back at home for this matchup. On paper, Minnesota is worse than Vegas. 

Their defenses operate at a similar level, but the Wild offense is a little slower. However, the main reason they will win is because they are playing at home. Minnesota has a great fan base and performs better at the Xcel Energy Center. They have a similar team to the Golden Knights, so home-ice advantage will be enough to push them to victory. Bet on Minnesota.