Best NHL Bets Today | NHL Picks, March 12

Last night’s games were the first time for players recently traded to make an impact for their new teams. Tonight will have several games that will have great betting opportunities to earn casual fans and sports bettors some money. Many great games have incredibly close odds that should be an easy decision to jump in on. Most of these games are playoff-caliber matchups, including a potential Stanley Cup Finals preview.

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New York Rangers vs. Carolina Hurricanes

• Time: 7:00 PM E.T. - Tuesday

• Moneyline: Rangers (+136) | Hurricanes (-162)

• Puck Line: Rangers +1.5 (-180) | Hurricanes -1.5 (+150) 

• Total: Over 6 (+105) | Under 6 (-125)

Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook. Bet $5, Get $150 in Bonus Bets Immediately!

My Pick: Carolina Hurricanes (CAR)

Many teams bought in heavily during the NHL Trade Deadline. The New York Rangers (41-28-4) were a team that made serious improvements in depth and offensive production. The Carolina Hurricanes (39-19-6) went all-in in the attempts to go for a Stanley Cup Finals trophy this season and potentially beyond. The Hurricanes made big trades right before the trade deadline, but the biggest move was for forward Jake Guentzel from the Pittsburgh Penguins, whose return from injury is unknown.

Tonight is a huge Metropolitan Divisional matchup as the Rangers go on the road to take on the Hurricanes. The Hurricanes are feeling more than confident to jump over the Rangers at the end of the season and win the divisional title.

The Hurricanes are getting hot at the right time as they have won three consecutive games and five of the last six games. This is before Guentzel makes his first appearance on the ice for the Hurricanes. Their latest game was a 7-2 home win over the Calgary Flames last Sunday.

The Rangers are currently on a two-game winning streak with their most recent being a 3-1 home win over the New Jersey Devils. Their two recent wins are preceded by a two-game losing streak to the Florida Panthers and the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Even if the Hurricanes don't have their new star forward on the ice tonight, they have the offensive production to take down an elite Rangers' defense, who allow an average of 2.66 goals per game (fourth in the league). Carolina is ranked eighth in the league in goals per game (3.66).

The most important factor coming into this game is that the Rangers are in the second night of a back-to-back. The Hurricanes are more rested and feeling great on their chances to defeat the Rangers for the second time in three games this season.

Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Ottawa Senators

• Time: 7:00 PM E.T. - Tuesday

• Moneyline: Penguins (-115) | Senators (-105)

• Puck Line: Penguins -1.5 (+210) | Senators +1.5 (-258) 

• Total: Over 6.5 (-105) | Under 6.5 (-115)

Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook. Score $150 in Bonus Bets with DraftKings when wagering just $5!

My Pick: Ottawa Senators (OTT)

While the Carolina Hurricanes are feeling great about their chances to contend for a Stanley Cup Finals trophy with the addition of forward Jake Guentzel, the Pittsburgh Penguins (28-27-8) are ready to face the facts. The championship window is closed, the trading of Guentzel to a rival team, and the recent losses have put the Penguins in a tough mentality.

Pittsburgh has lost three consecutive games as well as six of the last seven. They could be facing a .500% record for the first time since the middle of December. In their last four losses, the Penguins have been outscored 18-2. Their most recent loss was a 4-0 home loss to the Edmonton Oilers this past Sunday.

The Penguins are now set to go on the road to take on the Ottawa Senators (25-33-4), who possess an offense that could be too much for Pittsburgh to contain. The Senators are ranked 13th in the league in goals allowed per game (3.19), they are feeling more confident than the defense of the Penguins, who give up an average of 2.89 goals per game (10th in the league). The Penguins, however, have been a disappointment shortly before the trade deadline.

Their offense is only averaging 2.83 goals per game (25th in the league), which is shocking when Sidney Crosby and Guentzel (before being traded) are playing at a high level. The Penguins’ only hope is they use that momentum from the 5-3 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets last Tuesday and account for a solid performance.

Florida Panthers vs. Dallas Stars

• Time: 7:00 PM E.T. - Tuesday

• Moneyline: Panthers (-108) | Stars (-112)

• Puck Line: Panthers +1.5 (-265) | Stars -1.5 (+215) 

• Total: Over 6 (-110) | Under 6 (-110)

Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook. Bet $5 and claim $150 in Bonus Bets at DraftKings Sportsbook.

My Pick: Florida Panthers (FLA)

Perhaps the best game of the night and the entire week is set for a potential Stanley Cup Finals preview as the Dallas Stars (40-17-9) host the Florida Panthers (44-17-4). The Panthers and the Stars have been among the most dominant teams in their respective conference past the NHL All-Star Break.

This game will be the second time that the Panthers and the Stars will meet on the ice this season. Their only previous meeting will have to go as far back as December 6 when the Panthers hosted the Stars. A trio of centers for the Panthers were the stars of the game as Evan Rodrigues accounted for two goals and two assists, Aleksander Barkov accounted for one goal and one assist and Sam Reinhart accounted for one goal and two assists. The Panthers survived a three-goal performance from the Stars in the final period.

The Panthers have won 13 of the 16 games after the NHL All-Star Break with their most recent loss being to the Philadelphia Flyers on March 7 with a 2-1 score. Those three losses in the post All-Star Break have had the Panthers get outscored 5-2 which shows their defense playing great but their offense collapses.

The Stars have been up and down past the All-Star Break as they have won ten of their last 17 games. They are, however, on a five-game winning streak with most of those wins being against the Anaheim Ducks and the San Jose Sharks.

The Stars have built themselves to one of the most efficient offenses in the league as they average 3.62 goals per game (second in the league). They will face the best defense in the NHL in the Panthers, who allow a league-best 2.34 goals per game.

On the other side of the ice, the Panthers have shown they can score consistently as they average 3.31 goals per game (ninth in the league). If they get hot against the Stars’ defense, which has been slipping as the season progressed, they should get the big win.