The NHL is back in full swing after an exciting 4 Nations Face-Off tournament, where Canada stood atop in international play. We have thrilling matchups – including an outdoor game, playoff races, and star-studded performances. Whether you’re betting on classic rivalries or high-stakes showdowns, bet365 has your back with their $1,000 First Bet Safety Net.

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Key NHL Matchups to Bet On This Week

1. San Jose Sharks vs. Winnipeg Jets (Feb 24):
   • We kick off the first full week of NHL play since the 4 Nations Face-Off with the Winnipeg Jets hosting the San Jose Sharks on Monday night.
   • San Jose is coming off a 3-2 loss against the Calgary Flames Sunday night and will travel to Manitoba overnight. While the playoffs are out of reach, Tyler Toffoli thinks the break could be a turning point for San Jose’s season, and what to expect in years to come. However, the loss on Sunday is disheartening after a terrible stretch before the break. They entered the break on a four-game losing streak, being outscored 20-9 in that span. There’s a lot to like about what the Sharks are building though. 2024 No.1 overall pick, Macklin Celebrini looks to be the favorite to win the Calder Trophy, and William Eklund is turning into a dynamic player on both ends of the ice.
   • The Jets picked up right where they left off on Saturday in a thrilling battle with the St. Louis Blues. They battled with the Blues, tied up at two goals apiece when Pavel Buchnevich scored a power-play goal to take a 3-2 lead with 2:50 left. However, as the time dwindled, Gabe Vilardi scored his second goal of the night to keep the Jets’ eight-game winning streak alive. Eventually, the game was capped off by solid goaltending from Eric Comrie and a shootout goal from Kyle Connor, as Winnipeg remains the league’s top team, while simultaneously holding a nine-game winning streak. Now, with two-time Vezina Trophy winner Connor Hellebuyck coming back into the fold, can the Jets extend their streak to 10 games?
2. New York Rangers vs. New York Islanders (Feb 25):
   • The Battle of New York always generates eyeballs. Despite both the Rangers and Islanders not having ideal seasons (though they’re still alive in the playoff hunt), when these teams meet, there’s always bad blood.
   • While there was optimism before the break on Broadway, the Rangers stumbled out the gate in their first game back, getting embarrassed 8-2 by the Buffalo Sabres. Luckily for them, they bounced back, defeating the Penguins, 5-3, the next day. Currently, the jury seems to be out on the Blue Shirts given their inconsistencies. Goalie Igor Shesterkin uncharacteristically let up five goals in the first period, forcing coach Peter Laviolette to turn to veteran backup Jonathan Quick. Perhaps there’s a little hangover from the 4 Nations break, or maybe Adam Fox, J.T. Miller, Vincent Trocheck, and Chris Kreider – who all played for Team USA – are worn out. Needless to say, it was highly concerning to see a team with high hopes go out on a poor note.
   • The Islanders continue to be one of the league’s most confusing teams. Are they rebuilding? Are they making a playoff push? General manager Lou Lamoriello insists they’re making a push, and until further notice, that’s what they’ll be. The 4 Nations break allowed defensemen Ryan Pulock and Scott Mayfield to recover from their injuries, but Mathew Barzal is still on the shelf indefinitely. On Sunday night, they lost against the Dallas Stars, and before the break, lost three out of their final four games. As we head closer to the March 7 trade deadline, this upcoming week will be crucial to New York’s plans for players like Brock Nelson and Kyle Palmieri. However, one thing’s for sure: a battle against the cross-town rivals is always a game circled on their calendars.
3. Vancouver Canucks vs. Los Angeles Kings (Feb 26):
   • While Vancouver ended the first half of the season on a three-game winning streak, it kicked off the second half with losses in Vegas and Utah. It’s a new era in the City of Glass, though, after the Canucks traded the aforementioned Miller to the Rangers, who was the center of controversy with superstar forward Elias Pettersson. It remains to be seen what’s to be expected from the Canucks, who recently placed goaltender Thatcher Demko on IR, and extended Kevin Lankinen to a five-year contract. As of Feb. 24, Vancouver holds the final Wild Card position in the Western Conference, only one point ahead of the Calgary Flames. Can it hold on strong? Or does the descent begin?
   • Home sweet home for the Los Angeles Kings. When the Kings are playing at Crypto.com Arena, they hold a dominating 18-3-2 record. However, the one caveat is that one of those regulation losses was to the Canucks in November. Los Angeles also opened up the season with a 5-3 home victory against Utah and will host the Vegas Golden Knights on Monday night. In order to continue this trend, they’ll need to get exemplary production from the offense. Adrian Kempe leads the Kings in scoring, and he was one of Sweden’s top performers in the 4 Nations Face-Off, scoring a pivotal goal against Canada on Feb 13. Goalie Darcy Kuemper has been a revelation this season after a porous 2023-24 campaign with Washington. Kuemper also has a 14-7-2 record with a career .922 SV% against Vancouver.
4. Edmonton Oilers vs. Florida Panthers (Feb 27):
   • A 2024 Stanley Cup rematch already occurred when the defending champion Florida Panthers overtook the Edmonton Oilers, 6-5, in northern Alberta on December 16. This time though, we head to Sunrise.
   • While Connor McDavid won the hearts of Canadian hockey fans worldwide, the Oilers are having a tough time getting readjusted to the season. They started with a 6-3 loss to the Flyers in Philly, and then the following day were walloped by the Capitals, 7-3. The Oilers have traditionally been slow starters, but dating back to February 7, they’re fielding a three-game losing streak. What will continue to be a hindrance for the Oilers, though, is their goaltending. Stuart Skinner has won some big games throughout his tenure, but he’s notorious for letting in soft goals. It’s clear that Edmonton has relied on its dynamic offense to carry the load, but the inconsistent goaltending can drive a wedge between contending for a Cup.
   • The 4 Nations Face-Off was bittersweet for fans of the Florida Panthers. It looks like they won’t be seeing superstar forward Matthew Tkachuk, who suffered a groin injury, anytime soon. Florida will be missing his point-per-game pace, but Sam Reinhart and Aleksander Barkov will have to carry the load. Reinhart ended the first half of the season with a six-game point streak, and in the 4 Nations, registered four points for Canada. Florida will be a team to keep an eye on, though, within the coming weeks to see if it makes a significant move before the trade deadline. Without Tkachuk, it could open the door for a fresh face to shake things up.
5. Minnesota Wild vs. Colorado Avalanche (Feb 28):
   • The Minnesota Wild had themselves an interesting return to NHL play. After falling 3-1 early to the Red Wings, Minnesota picked itself back up to tie it and force overtime. It eventually ended on a Marco Rossi breakaway goal to give the Wild a three-game winning streak. As good as they’ve been their superstar, Kirill Kaprizov, will still be out of commission, and it was recently determined that he will be out for longer than expected. That forces players like Rossi, Matt Boldy, and Joel Eriksson Ek to step up. This upcoming match against Colorado will also be Minnesota’s third game in four nights, so this roster may be exhausted by the time it lands in Denver, despite holding a 20-7-3 road record.
   • Since returning from the extended break, it has been a rough go for the Colorado Avalanche. They started off falling 2-1 to the Predators in Nashville, and then the following day, they lost 3-1 to the Blues in St. Louis. Along the way, the Avs will have also hosted the New Jersey Devils this Wednesday. Coach Jared Bednar wasn’t very encouraged with the performance of the three players who played in the 4 Nations – Cale Makar, Nathan MacKinnon, and Devon Toews – but he also understood. Those three are going to continue to receive rest days while the rest of the team catches up on their conditioning after having two weeks off. Additionally, ever since arriving in Colorado, goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood has been a revelation. In 22 starts, he’s only allowing 2.17 goals per game and holds a .921 SV%.
6. Detroit Red Wings vs. Columbus Blue Jackets – Stadium Series (Mar 1):
   • At the turn of the month, we have our annual Stadium Series game where the Detroit Red Wings face the Columbus Blue Jackets at the legendary Ohio Stadium. Both of these teams will have a feeling-out process though as they will meet in Detroit on February 27.
   • Detroit started the second half of the season with two consecutive overtime games. However, both games were a result of coughed-up leads by Detroit. In the first game against Minnesota, the Red Wings blew a 3-1 lead in the third period. Meanwhile, against Anaheim on Sunday, they blew a 4-1 lead, only to then come back with the overtime win with a goal from Patrick Kane. Goaltending will continue to be a major question mark for Detroit moving forward. Its offense isn’t good enough to pick up the slack, and a tandem of Alex Lyon and Cam Talbot is as discouraging as it gets. While both have done an admirable job, each is not reliable enough to lead the Wings into the playoffs – where Detroit currently holds the first Wild Card spot.
   • This will be the first-ever outdoor game in Blue Jackets’ history, so you can expect Ohio Stadium to be rocking. Columbus has managed to insert itself in the playoff race, tying with Ottawa for the final wild-card spot. Not only that, it started off the second half of the season with a bang, after throttling the Blackhawks by the score of 5-1. All this success is mostly due to the amazing play of defenseman Zach Werenski, and a breakout season for Kirill Marchenko – both of whom are averaging over a point per game. Additionally, Kent Johnson, Dmitri Voronkov, and Adam Fantilli have all emerged as critical pieces to this offense, with Johnson and Voronkov each with 19 goals. Similarly to their counterparts, Columbus has dealt with major goaltending problems – though Elvis Merzlikins has played admirably this season.
7. Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Pittsburgh Penguins (Mar 2):
   • Dating back to the beginning of February, the Maple Leafs are red hot, going 5-1, including wins in both games back from the extended break. Captain Auston Matthews and William Nylander each have found themselves on the scoresheet in both games back, but Mitch Marner has been held pointless in three straight – his longest pointless drought of the season. With the Panthers missing their superstar in Tkachuk, it opens the door for the Leafs to pull away with the Atlantic Division title. Toronto currently has a one-point lead over Florida and a four-point lead over Tampa Bay.
   • A duel with the Pittsburgh Penguins could help Toronto’s case. Pittsburgh continues to fall in the standings, losing three in a row, and going 3-6-1 in its last 10 games – including an 8-3 beatdown from the Capitals. With all the rich history that the Penguins organization has, it seems like it’s going to be the third year in a row they miss the playoffs, barring some resurgence in their final 23 games. Not only that, this game will be on the back end of a back-to-back in which Pittsburgh has a 5-6 record but has lost its previous four in that scenario.

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Best NHL Betting Strategies

1. Player Prop Bets:

• Focus on stars like McDavid, Matthews, and Nylander. Popular options include Player to score anytime or Over/Under points.
• Example: Bet on McDavid to record Over 1.5 points in Edmonton’s games this week.

2. Over/Under Bets:

• When expecting a higher score in a certain game, betting the over is an optimal choice. Alternative totals depending on what sportsbook is in use, are also available. However, depending on what total is chosen, expect the odds to change
• Example: Each game listed, its total is 5.5 which is typically a barometer for a lower scoring game. However, if you have good reason and analysis to suggest a high-scoring game, the over – essentially, that both teams combine to score 6 or more goals – is the bet you want to place.

3. Live Betting Opportunities:

• Tight games like the Wild vs. Avalanche is ideal for live betting, where momentum shifts can create unique opportunities.
• Example: Minnesota took a two goal lead heading into the third period. Once the third starts, Colorado scores a goal in the first minute, creating an opportune time to live bet Colorado to continue its momentum.

Best NHL Bets For This Week

This week’s NHL action promises big matchups and even bigger betting opportunities. With bet365’s $1,000 First Bet Safety Net, you can bet boldly knowing you’ll get a second chance if your first wager doesn’t hit.

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