Best NHL Bets Today | NHL Picks, March 26

This week in the NHL started with a mild two games, but that is going to change drastically tonight. There are multiple games that will leave a significant impact in the race for the playoffs and will also have huge sports betting potential. Among the best games played tonight are rivalry games and matchups that have a huge impact in the race for the postseason. Look for some of the best lines to be made through DraftKings.

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Carolina Hurricanes vs. Pittsburgh Penguins

• Time: 7:00 PM E.T. - Tuesday

• Moneyline: Hurricanes (-192) | Penguins (+160)

• Puck Line: Hurricanes -1.5 (+130) | Penguins +1.5 (-155) 

• Total: Over 6.5 (+100) | Under 6 (-120)

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

My Pick: Carolina Hurricanes (CAR)

The Carolina Hurricanes (45-20-7) are meeting the Pittsburgh Penguins (30-30-10) for the first time since the NHL Trade Deadline. During the deadline, the Penguins made the difficult decision to trade their young star forward Jake Guentzel to their Eastern Conference in an attempt to rebuild for the future. This game tonight will be Guentzel's first game facing his old team and his first game back in Pittsburgh as a member of another team.

The Hurricanes and the Penguins are heading in completely different directions as a franchise. Carolina is becoming a serious threat to the Stanley Cup Finals title with the addition of new stars like Guentzel.

Pittsburgh, on the other hand, is old and poorly coached into their championship window closing prematurely. The Penguins had a 4-0 lead late into the second period on the road against the Colorado Avalanche. The Avalanche would score two goals late in the second period and two in the third period to force overtime to eventually give Colorado the 5-4 win.

The Penguins have lost three consecutive games and have only three of the 13 games played in March. The Hurricanes, meanwhile, are 9-3 in their 12 games played in March and are feeling great about their chances of extending their winsteak.

Look for the Hurricanes to make a statement in Penguins territory.

New Jersey Devils vs. Toronto Maple Leafs

• Time: 7:30 PM E.T. - Tuesday

• Moneyline: Devils (+124) | Maple Leafs(-148)

• Puck Line: Devils +1.5 (-198) | Maple Leafs +1.5 (-198) 

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

Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook. Bet $5 get $150 instantly!

My Pick: Over 6.5 Points Scored

One of the highest anticipated scoring games of the day, perhaps the week, is set as the New Jersey Devils (35-33-4) go on the road to take on the Toronto Maple Leafs (40-21-9). This game has the potential to be a high-scoring matchup based on the productivity of the offenses facing off against underwhelming defenses.

The Maples Leafs are currently sitting well in the third-place spot of a tough Atlantic Division. At this point of the season, it is more likely that the Tampa Bay Lightning have a chance to pass the Maple Leafs than Toronto passing either the Boston Bruins or the Florida Panthers. For the Devils, they are three teams behind the Washington Capitals for the final Eastern Conference Wild Card spot in a tight race. It is not impossible for them to make up ground in the next few weeks, but they will have to play nearly perfectly to get back into the Wild Card slot

This game will be the first time this season that these two Eastern Conference teams will meet on the ice. The last time the Maple Leafs and the Devils faced each other was over a year ago on March 7, 2023, when Toronto defeated New Jersey with a 4-3 score. The Maple Leafs have defeated the Devils 10 out of the last 11 times.

Both the Maple Leafs and the Devils possess some of the most productive offenses in the league based on the numerous stars and role players throughout the roster. The Maple Leafs are ranked third in the league in goals per game (3.61), while the Devils are ranked 11th in goals per game (3.26).

Another reason that this game could be a high-scoring matchup is the lack of efficiency on the defensive side of the ice. Toronto allows an average of 3.11 goals per game (19th in the league), while New Jersey allows an average of 3.38 goals per game (26th in the league).