NHL Best Bets Tonight: Nicholas Martin’s Top Picks and Predictions for Saturday (March 2)
Michael Reaves/Getty Images. Pictured: Connor Bedard #98 of the Chicago Blackhawks
Here are my NHL best bets tonight with my favorite picks and predictions for the Saturday, March 2 hockey slate.
The NHL odds board features betting options for a full slate of 13 games today.
However, for my NHL best bets tonight, I'm targeting two games – one at 6 p.m. ET and another at 8 p.m. ET – with two player props.
Check out those picks below.
(Hockey fans: Get ready for the launch of North Carolina sports betting on March 11! Get the latest news here.)
NHL Best Bets Tonight | Picks for Saturday, March 2
The Predators enter this Central Division matchup on a seven-game heater, largely due to elite offensive play. They have scored 4.57 goals for per game during this recent tear. Captain Roman Josi is on fire, and his dominant offensive play has been a key reason for their upswing.
Over the last 25 games, Josi has put up 32 points. He has registered a single point in 20 of those matchups (62.5%), and he should be able to sustain that rate moving forward. There is a clear fit between his playing style and Andrew Brunette's strong offensive zone strategy.
The Avalanche are quietly a better-than-average matchup for Josi to produce a point. Colorado's greatest strength lies with its tremendous offensive play, but the Avs are giving up more than their share at the other end. They have allowed 3.54 xGA/60 since the start of February, yet their reputation as an elite defensive team still seems to be holding up.
It's plain to see that Bowen Byram, Jack Johnson and Samuel Girard are not in good form defensively right now. Their bottom two offensive lines aren't helping things either.
We are getting a good price to back Josi to stay hot at -145, and I would play anything better than -155.
The Pick: Roman Josi Over 0.5 Points (-145 at DraftKings)
Connor Bedard was visibly frustrated after hammering the crossbar Thursday versus Colorado – in a game the Blackhawks ultimately lost 5-0. F
rankly, he has every right to be frustrated. His team has done a horrific job of helping him to get any kind of chance on net recently, but the times he has found a pocket of space to work with he still looks excellent.
Connor Bedard dancing around opponents but not his teammates. Oops! #Blackhawkspic.twitter.com/2kpnPpmjyT
— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) March 1, 2024
Even for as bad as the Blackhawks roster is right now, they should be able to help Bedard more than we've seen over his four-game goalless drought. They have played four playoff teams during that span, but they finally get a plus matchup tonight versus the Blue Jackets, who have allowed the second-most goals against in the league this season.
The other interesting factor is that the Blackhawks are trending extremely low in terms of recent power-play opportunities. Yes, it is easier to avoid taking penalties when defending a limited offensive roster like the Hawks are offering. Still, they've drawn only four minor penalties over the last four games, which is another cause for Bedard's low output offensively.
This sets up as a great buy-low opportunity to back Bedard finding the back of the net in a great matchup. He is priced at +165 on FanDuel, and I would bet anything better than +155. Backing him to record two points – or notching four shots on goal – are also options to consider for tonight's matchup.
The Pick: Connor Bedard Anytime Goalscorer (+165 at FanDuel)
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