NHL Predictions – Expert Picks on Saturday, February 22:
Here are tonight’s NHL predictions:
Seattle Kraken at Florida Panthers (-265, 5.5)
6 p.m. ET
I would proceed with caution in wagering on the Florida Panthers today when they host the Seattle Kraken. Florida head coach Paul Maurice said on Friday that he doesn’t expect Matthew Tkachuk to play on Saturday. Tkachuk watched the final 40 minutes of the Championship game from the USA bench, unable to play due to a lower-body injury. The latest from George Richards, who covers the Panthers for Florida Hockey Now, Matthew Tkachuk, Sam Bennett and Sam Reinhart were all absent from the team’s morning skate in preparation for tonight’s game. The Panthers next play on February 25 when they travel to Nashville for a game against the Predators, giving the three players time to adjust from an emotional and exhausting tournament. In all, Florida had a league-high eight players participating in the 10-day event.
The Kraken could be without defenseman Brandon Montour for today’s contest. The former Panthers defenseman is dealing with an upper-body injury.
NHL Prediction: Seattle Kraken ML +215 – ½ unit
Oliver Bjorkstrand anytime goal +410 – ¼ unit
Andre Burakovsky anytime goal +550 – ¼ unit
Dallas Stars (-115, 5.5) at New Jersey Devils
6 p.m. ET
The Dallas Stars come into New Jersey with four straight road wins against the Devils (outscoring New Jersey, 18-6) and have taken six of the last nine overall between the two teams. Dallas has been one of the league’s best as a road favorite (13-7).
New Jersey is still without goalie Jacob Markstrom, who has been out since January 22 with an MCL strain. Jake Allen and Nico Daws have been handling the goaltending duties. New Jersey is 4-3 in Markstrom’s absence, including a pair of shutouts, both by Allen. In Allen’s other three starts, he has given up 3, 4 and 3 goals, so it’s been feast or famine for the Devils goalie. Based on the Devils’ morning skate earlier today, Jesper Bratt, Jack Hughes and forward Nico Hischier, who missed the final eight games heading into the break (4 Nations Tournament) due to an oblique injury, will all be in the lineup tonight.
The Stars are hoping they can regain the mojo they had heading into the break, winning six of eight before the league went on pause. Mikael Granlund, who came to Dallas in a trade from San Jose, had four assists in four games with Dallas prior to the 4 Nations Tournament and then stayed hot, scoring three goals and an assist for Finland in the tournament. Defenseman Thomas Harley, who was a late add to Team Canada and played the third most minutes among Canadian defensemen in the Championship game, is expected to play today for the Stars. Defenseman Miro Heiskanen is still out with a knee injury.
NHL Predictions: Dallas Stars ML (-115) – ½ unit
Colorado Avalanche (-135, 5.5) at Nashville Predators
6 p.m. ET
Another one of those games where I expect key players to be given the game off, and those key players both play for Colorado. I would not be surprised if the Avs sit both Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar having had just one day off following the conclusion of the 4 Nations and combined with Colorado playing again on Sunday at St. Louis.
NHL Prediction: Nashville ML (+114) – ½ unit
Anaheim Ducks at Boston Bruins (-225, 5.5)
7 p.m. ET
It will be a slightly different atmosphere at the TD Garden Arena on Saturday, just two days after it played host to the 4 Nations Championship as the Anaheim Ducks and Boston Bruins take to the ice. Boston sits just one point out of a playoff spot but has played more games than the teams they are chasing. The Bruins are expected to have both Brad Marchand (Canada) and Jeremy Swayman (USA) available for today’s game. It’s not like either player had any travel issues following Thursday’s Championship game. Boston will be without two of their top defensemen. Hampus Lindholm has been out since November with a lower-body injury, and Charlie McAvoy is out for an extended period as he is dealing with a shoulder infection and an AC joint injury suffered at the 4 Nations Tournament.
Anaheim has won two of the last three meetings at TD Garden Arena. Four of the last six meetings between the two teams have had a combined seven goals or more. The Ducks as a team arrived in Boston on Thursday and should be well adjusted to the Eastern time zone. Anaheim went into the break, winning six of seven and gave up two goals or less in five of their last seven games. The Ducks, Mason McTavish was on a roll, scoring seven goals in the eight games.
NHL Predictions: Anaheim Ducks ML (+185) – ½ unit
Ducks/Bruins Over 5.5 (-105) – ½ unit
Anaheim Ducks TT over 2.5 (+105) – ½ unit
Mason McTavish anytime goal (+310) – ¼ unit
Chicago Blackhawks at Columbus Blue Jackets (-175, 6.5)
7 p.m.
Going to keep this one simple. The Blackhawks have been one of the best first period Over (1.5 goals) teams this season, cashing in 19 of their last 22 games before the league went on pause. Going to continue to ride this one till it loses two in a row (maybe three).
NHL Prediction: Blackhawks/Jackets 1st Period Over 1.5 (-140) – ½ unit
Kirill Marchenko anytime goal (+195) – ¼ unit
Philipp Kurashev anytime goal (+600) – ¼ unit
Winnipeg Jets (-150, 5.5) at St. Louis Blues
7 p.m. ET
The Jets went into the break with the league’s best record and the longest current win streak (8 games). They are hoping that they can pick up where they left off when the visit the Blues tonight in St. Louis. The road team has won each of the two previous meetings this season. Conversely, the Blues have just two wins in eight games.
I do expect this game to be a battle of backups as both Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck and Blues goalie Jordan Binnington have had only one day off since the conclusion of the 4 Nations tournament. St. Louis also will be hosting Colorado on Sunday, so I would expect it would be more likely for Binnington to get the start on the second half of the back-to-back. Jets goalie Eric Comrie has given up three or more goals in six of his seven road starts this season. Comrie has been far better on home ice, giving up two goals or less in each of his last four starts. Blues goalie Joel Hofer has given up three or more goals in each of his last three starts. The Jets could be without defenseman Josh Morrissey who missed the 4 Nations Championship game with an illness.
NHL Predictions: Jets/Blues Over 5.5 goals (-130) – ½ unit
Utah HC at Los Angeles Kings (-170, 5.5)
9 p.m. ET
Going to keep this one simple and play the Regulation Draw. Five of the last 7 Utah games heading into the break ended in a Draw. The Kings played to a regulation draw in their final two games heading into the break.
NHL Predictions: Regulation Draw +320 – ½ unit
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