Top NHL Betting Picks for the Week – February 26th

The Boston Bruins enter the week on a rare two-game losing streak, but they still look bullish going into the postseason after dealing some youth to the New York Rangers in exchange for scoring threat Rick Nash. They sit five points behind Tampa Bay atop the Eastern Conference, with two games in hand. It’s the Philadelphia Flyers who are lighting up the East, though, with a 9-0-1 record in their last 10 games to put them just a point out of the lead in the Metropolitan Division. In the West, St. Louis has hit a rough patch, dropping six games in a row, while Nashville and Minnesota are the hottest teams in the conference right now, winners of four games in a row. Take a look at our best NHL betting picks for the week ahead.

Top NHL Betting Picks for the Week – February 26th

The NHL landscape may change pretty dramatically after this week. Take a look at the pre-trade deadline Power Rankings here. https://t.co/4APVejmVmm pic.twitter.com/xNqaVjLsEs

— NBC Sports Capitals (@NBCSCapitals) February 26, 2018

Tuesday, February 27

Carolina at Boston (7:00pm ET, FSS / NESN)

The Carolina Hurricanes have slipped to seventh in the Metropolitan Division, and they didn’t help their cause on Saturday, when they lost 3-1 in Detroit to the lowly Red Wings. Their road trip continues on Tuesday when they head to Boston. The team is suffering from the indefinite loss of center Jordan Staal, whose infant daughter passed away, and that pall over the team won’t help. They were already 26th in scoring (2.6 goals per game) and 21st in goals permitted per game (3.0), and they hit Boston at a time when the Bruins are figuring out how to add yet another talented scorer to their mix. How have the B’s gotten so hot? By emphasizing defense. They are second overall in the NHL in goals permitted (2.5) and have climbed to fourth on the penalty kill (83.1%). They did lose, 4-1, at Buffalo on Sunday, but on the basis of how they’ve played over the last 10 games, adding Nash should be the shot in the arm they need to bring some big offense at home against a Hurricanes team that doesn’t offer much resistance. NHL Betting Prediction: Boston 3, Carolina 1

New Jersey at Pittsburgh (7:00pm ET, MSG+, AT&TSN)

New Jersey is hanging around in the wild card conversation in the East, but they need to get on a hot streak in order to make it into the postseason. They picked up an impressive 2-1 win over the New York Islanders on Saturday, shutting down one of the NHL’s most prolific attacks. Kyle Palmieri scored both Devil goals in the third period to key the win. Now the Devils, who rank 14th in the league at scoring (2.9 goals per game) and 20th overall in goals permitted (3.0) to take on a Penguins team that is looking to keep climbing the Metropolitan standings. The Penguins took a tough 6-5 loss in Florida on Saturday. They started their run in the middle of the season thanks to a renewed emphasis on defense, but they have slipped to 18th in goals permitted, with 2.9 per game. They are fourth in scoring (3.2) and tops on the power play (27.2%), but when you can’t outscore your defense’s miscues, you have a real problem. Can the Penguins solve those problems in time to take on the Devils? NHL Betting Prediction: Pittsburgh 4, New Jersey 3

Thursday, March 1

Minnesota at Arizona (9:00pm ET, FSN / FSAZ)

Despite average numbers in scoring and defense, the Wild have been on a hot streak lately. The team got a crucial overtime win over San Jose at home on Sunday, prevailing 3-2 thanks to a Jared Spurgeon goal in the extra period. The team put Chris Stewart on waivers yesterday and are looking to put together a lineup that can get them into the postseason. They are in third place in the Central Division right now but need to get more offensive consistency to stay there. The Wild visit Arizona on Thursday night. The Coyotes took a 3-1 home loss against Vancouver on Sunday, and given that this team is dead last in scoring (2.4) and 27th in goals permitted (3.2), this is a team that you can expect to lose almost every night. They have just 46 points in 62 games, and the Wild should be able to impose their will on this game fairly quickly, as the Coyotes are basically playing for next year at this point. NHL Betting Prediction: Minnesota 4, Arizona 1