This article is part of our NHL Picks series.
Tough start to my articles coming out of the All-Star break with yesterday's slate… But we're still firing winners at a near 60% pace since the start of 2023, and we have another chance to pad the stats tonight with just two games on the NHL slate. Here's a bet for each!
Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook. Sign up at DraftKings using the DraftKings promo code to instantly unlock $200 in bonus bets when you wager five dollars.
NHL Best Bets
Canucks vs Rangers
The Canucks, believe it or not, are 5-0 in their last 5 games against the Rangers, and even more surprisingly no other team possesses a longer active winning streak against the Broadway Blue Shirts. This is their first meeting this season, and these teams are on opposite ends of the winning spectrum. The Canucks just went through a dramatic coaching change to pull themselves out of the gutter of the Western Conference and are 2-1-1 since Rick Tocchet took over. The Rangers have been surging since December and headed into last week's All-Star break winners of 2 in a row and 6 of their last 10, holding onto the 8th-best record in the NHL. I think the Canucks come out firing with the new coach energy to start their post-All-Star break slate, but ultimately, the Rangers' stout defense that is 3rd in the league in goals-against average will be too much. Give me the Rags with an empty-netter late to seal the puck line spread.
Rangers PL -105
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Wild vs Stars
Big Central Division tilt in Dallas tonight as the Stars welcome the Wild to town. The Stars are in the driver's seat in the division, and in the Western Conference overall, sitting atop the standings. They sort of stumbled into the All-Star break though only winning 4 of their previous 10 games, so they'll be looking to start the de facto back half of the schedule on a high note on home ice. These clubs have split the season series so far, with the Wild winning 6-5 in Dallas on 12/4 and the Stars winning 4-1 in Minnesota on 12/29. The Wild also stumbled into the All-Star break, dropping 4 of their final 6. These teams both played 3-straight overtime games before the break. This one may be close at the end too, but I like the home team when it's all said and done.
Stars ML -155