NHL Best Bets & Picks: Penguins vs Oilers & Red Wings vs Wild – Expert Game Previews
The National Hockey League (NHL) has eight games on the slate for Thursday night, with four puck drops at 7:00 p.m. EST, including the Chicago Blackhawks and Carolina Hurricanes on ESPN+/Hulu. The more interesting games seem to be at 8:00 p.m. EST and later, so that's what we'll highlight, including a banger on the ice in St. Paul on ESPN at 9:30 p.m. EST between the Detroit Red Wings and Minnesota Wild.
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For the latest NHL Odds, including NHL Futures and NHL player props, visit RotoWire's NHL Betting page. For up-to-date NHL player news and NHL Injury Report info, head to RotoWire's NHL Lineups page. You can find more picks at Bookies.com/picks. Here are our NHL Best Bets today, featuring expert NHL picks for an action-packed slate of games.
Pittsburgh Penguins 
at Edmonton Oilers 
The Penguins (24-14-11) and the Oilers (25-18-8) meet at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta on Thursday evening. Puck drop is set for 9:00 p.m. EST on ESPN+.
The Pens, tied for second place in the Metropolitan Division, meet the Oilers for the second time this season. Edmonton won 6-4 as moderate favorites (-145) in the first meeting on Dec. 16 as the Over (6.5) cashed. That was right after the big trade swapping goaltenders Tristan Jarry for Stuart Skinner.
Pittsburgh picked up a 4-1 win in Calgary on Wednesday night as moderate favorites (-140) as the Under (5.5) cashed, halting a three-game Over run. Skinner made 18 saves on 19 shots in the victory. The Pens led wire-to-wire, as Evgeni Malkin opened the scoring in the first period, and he assisted on Yegor Chinakhov's goal midway through the second period. The Flames scored with three seconds left in the second period, but Pittsburgh never relinquished the lead.
Bryan Rust and Thomas Novak scored third-period goals to wrap up the scoring, and Jack St. Ivany had a pair of assists on the night, while Novak had a goal and an assist.
The Pens have picked up at least one point in five straight outings, going 3-0-2 in the span. In the past four games, Pittsburgh is averaging 4.8 goals per game (GPG) while allowing 2.8 GPG.
Tristan Jarry made 26 saves on 30 shots in the mid-December 6-4 win in Pittsburgh against his former team, but he then spent some time on the shelf due to injury. He missed nearly a month due to a lower-body issue, but he is 1-1-1 with a 1.98 GAA and .920 SV% with 1 shutout in three starts since returning on Jan. 13. He allowed two goals on 17 shots in a hard-luck 2-1 loss to the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday, so he'll be rested and raring to go against his former team.
While the Pens are rolling along, it is likely going to be Arturs Silovs (8-6-8, 3.05 GAA, .892 SV%, 1 SO) between the pipes. That heavily favors the Oilers, as well as Jarry against his former team. Pittsburgh is 2-3-3 this season when playing on no rest, while the Over is 4-1 in the past five games in the second end of a back-to-back. Take Edmonton, and let's go Over.
- Oilers ML (-170 at Bet365, BetMGM and Fanatics Sportsbooks)
- Over 6.5 (-105 at Caesars Sportsbook)
Don't make any bets on your favorite sports betting apps without first consulting the latest NHL odds.
Detroit Red Wings 
at Minnesota Wild 
The Red Wings (31-16-4) and Wild (28-14-9) battle at Grand Casino Arena in St. Paul. This is the only game of the night on ESPN, with a puck drop at 9:30 p.m. EST.
These teams each won on the opponent's ice, with one-goal road victories for each. The Under is 4-2 in the past six meetings in this series as well.
Detroit has had a flare for the dramatic lately, winning each of the past two games in overtime, and three of the past five matchups in the extra session. The Red Wings 7-1-0 in the past eight games as well, and they are tied with the Tampa Bay Lightning with 66 points atop the Atlantic Division. Detroit is also in a three-way tie for the top spot in the Eastern Conference along with the Carolina Hurricanes.
The Under is 3-1-0 in the past four games, and that's in large part due to the exploits of John Gibson. The veteran has had a resurgence lately, leading the NHL since the start of December with 16 victories. However, Cam Talbot (11-7-3, 2.95 GAA, .891 SV%) has also been good, and he is likely to go in this one.
For the Wild, Filip Gustavsson (16-9-5, 2.56 GAA, .908 SV%, 3 SO) has been confirmed to patrol the crease in St. Paul for the home side. He made 27 saves on 30 shots in a 6-3 win against Toronto on Monday, and he is 4-2-2 with a 2.67 GAA and .892 SV% across his past eight outings.
Detroit is red-hot lately, while Minnesota is just 2-3-1 in the past six games and 3-4-2 across the last nine matchups.
The safe play is backing the Red Wings, whether it's Gibson or Talbot in the crease, even with the game being played in the Twin Cities. Additionally, with Minnesota cashing the Over in six in a row and 12 of the past 13 games, go high until that wave crashes. That's an overwhelming trend right now.
- Red Wings ML (+130 at Caesars Sportsbook)
- Over 6 (-115 at Caesars Sportsbook)
Parlay Strategy and Super Parlay Picks for NHL Betting Slates
4-Leg NHL Super Parlay (+1062 at Caesars Sportsbook)
- Oilers ML (-170) vs. Penguins
- Over 6.5 (-105) - Oilers vs. Penguins
- Over 6 (-115) - Red Wings at Wild
- Red Wings ML (+130) at Wild
2-Leg NHL Sides Parlay (+253 at Caesars Sportsbook)
- Oilers ML (-170) vs. Penguins
- Red Wings ML (+130) at Wild
2-Leg NHL Totals Parlay (+237 at Caesars Sportsbook)
- Over 6.5 (-105) - Oilers vs. Penguins
- Over 6 (-115) - Red Wings at Wild
