Best NHL Bets Today | NHL Picks, March 9

New York Rangers vs Montreal Canadiens

Rangers -1.5 -111 (FanDuel)

Our first bet of the day involves the New York Rangers and Montreal Canadiens. These faced each other twice in January, and the Rangers won 4-1 in the first matchup but lost 2-1 in the second matchup. I expect New York to return to form this game and even cover the spread. Bet on the Ranger -1.5.

The Rangers have lost their previous two games to the Boston Bruins and Ottawa Senators but have a perfect opportunity to return to their winning ways today. They are facing a rebuilding Canadiens team going through a four-game losing streak. Surprisingly, the Canadiens have kept it close in all four games, but I would not pick them to keep it close today. Montreal has a weak roster and many injured players. They will be heading into this game without Kaiden Guhle, Justin Barron, Kirby Dach, Joel Armia, and Jordan Harris. Three of those five players are defensemen, so the Rangers should be able to run up the score.

It is also worth mentioning that the Rangers’ offense became significantly better at the Trade Deadline. New York traded for Vladimir Tarasenko and Patrick Kane, two veterans that would make any team better. These two are no longer stars but are proven players with goal-scoring abilities.

The Rangers may be playing on the road, but they have a dramatically stronger team than the Canadiens. Bet on them to cover the spread.

Dallas Stars vs Buffalo Sabres

Over 6.5 Goals -115 (FanDuel)

Our second bet of the day would be classified as a safe one. The Dallas Stars will take on the Buffalo Sabres for the second time this season. Both of these teams are known for having high-powered offenses, so I would recommend betting on the over.

The Stars come into this game averaging 3.30 goals per game. That is important to note, but it is more important to note that their offense has been firing on all cylinders as of late and has scored four or more goals in their previous five games. The Stars are averaging 4.8 goals per game during this period and will continue to score in this matchup.

The Sabres have one of the worst defenses in the NHL but also have one of the best offenses in the NHL. This is good for two reasons. The obvious reason is Buffalo can score and easily put up four goals. The less obvious reason pertains to their defense. The Sabres do not have many quality defensemen, so the Stars should have many opportunities to score and push the total goal count above 6.5. Bet on the over.

Philadelphia Flyers vs Carolina Hurricanes

Hurricanes -1.5 -160 (FanDuel)

Our third bet is the safest best of the day. It involves the struggling Philadelphia Flyers and the surging Carolina Hurricanes. The Flyers are having a tough go of it this season and sitting near the bottom of the Eastern Conference, but the Hurricanes are excelling and have the second-most points in the NHL. Bet on Carolina -1.5.

There are a few reasons Carolina will cover the spread. The most apparent reason is they have home-ice advantage. The Hurricanes play very well on the road, but they step it up even more at home. The less apparent reason is the Hurricanes are on a three-game winning streak. A three-game winning streak is not all too impressive, but Carolina has dominated their opponents in this period and outscored them 16-4. Simply put, the Hurricanes are sharp on every side of the puck.

The Flyers are going through the opposite of the Hurricanes. They have lost four of their previous five games, and it has not been close. In those four losses, Philadelphia has lost by a combined 14 goals. They only covered the spread in one of those games. It would not be reasonable to expect the Flyers to keep this game close, so I have to recommend taking the safe route and betting on Carolina to cover.

San Jose Sharks vs St. Louis Blues

Blues Moneyline -150 (FanDuel)

Our fourth bet of the day takes us to the midwest for an interesting game between the San Jose Sharks and St. Louis Blues. Neither of these teams will be making the playoffs, but the Blues are the superior squad. Bet on their moneyline.

Both the Sharks and Blues have lost four of their previous five games, but the Blues’ one win came against the Sharks. That is not the sole reason the Blues will win again today, but it does help. St. Louis also has home-ice advantage. The Blues are not great at home or on the road, but they are slightly better at home.

My first argument in favor of St. Louis was not too strong, so I will add this. The Blues are healthier and playing a Sharks team that is a little bit shorthanded. That will be enough to give them the victory. Bet on the St. Louis moneyline.

Ottawa Senators vs Seattle Kraken

Kraken Moneyline -134 (FanDuel)

Our final bet of the day takes us to Seattle for a matchup between the Senators and Kraken. These teams faced each other a few months ago, and the Kraken destroyed the Senators 8-4. I expect the Senators to have success today but not as much. Bet on the Seattle moneyline.

On paper, the Kraken are the better team. Not many can dispute that. However, the Senators have been playing quite well lately. They lost their last game to the Chicago Blackhawks but won their previous five before that. The Senators’ season numbers are right around the league average, but they have been able to tap into a different gear lately. That will not be enough to get them the victory against the Kraken, but it will be enough to keep the game close. Ottawa will likely cover the spread, but they will not win. Bet on the Kraken moneyline.