3 Best NHL Bets and Predictions for Monday 3/24/25

Whether it's moneylines or total goals, there are plenty of ways to bet on the NHL action all season. It's a long 82-game campaign, meaning that the best selections of each night can be very different based on backup goalies coming into play, injuries that add up, and if teams are due for positive or negative swings.

For additional NHL insights, check out FanDuel Research's daily NHL projections, powered by numberFire.

Let's dive into the best bets for tonight.

Note: Lines are subject to change throughout the day after this article is published. All NHL betting odds and totals are from the NHL odds at FanDuel Sportsbook. All advanced statistics are used from MoneyPuck.com and NaturalStatTrick.com. Lineup notes come from Daily Faceoff.

NHL Betting Picks Today

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Minnesota Wild vs. Dallas Stars

Wild Moneyline (+180)

We’re in the stretch drive of the 2024-25 NHL season, and division playoff races are heating up. Five Central Division teams are firmly entrenched in the Western Conference postseason picture. Two of those foes, the Minnesota Wild and Dallas Stars, take to the ice Monday night and battle it out for two crucial points.

The host Stars enter this intra-divisional battle as hefty chalk, a -220 price tag of which they are undeserving. Dallas has looked out of sorts lately. They’ve been outplayed in five of their last seven, with their previous two performances looking shockingly bad. Across those two most recent contests, the Stars have produced just 30 scoring and 15 high-danger chances, yielding a 33.6% expected goals-for rating.

Minnesota comes into this one on stronger footing. The Wild have outplayed their opponents in two straight and haven’t given up a goal at five-on-five in three straight. As expected, the playoff hopefuls have leaned into their typically stout defensive coverage to facilitate those results. None of those last three opponents have eclipsed eight quality chances.

The Stars’ chances of winning aren’t nearly as high as the betting line implies. On that basis, there’s an edge in backing the Wild in this spot.

Columbus Blue Jackets vs. New York Islanders

Islanders Moneyline (-130)

The New York Islanders are fighting for their playoff lives. Sitting two points out of the final wild card spot and seven points back of third in the Metropolitan Division, the Isles can’t afford any missteps over the season's final few weeks. We expect them to put their best foot forward in tonight’s clash versus the Columbus Blue Jackets.

New York’s recent performances reflect its desperate need for points. The Islanders have outplayed their opponents in three of their past four, producing a vastly improved 59.9% expected goals-for rating. They’ve out-chanced their opponents by a cumulative 46 to 28 margin in high-danger opportunities, yielding a 62.1% rating.

Meanwhile, the Jackets are struggling to translate production into output. Despite an increase in scoring and high-danger chances, Columbus has been held to one or fewer goals at five-on-five in four of its previous five. Sadly, ongoing correction is anticipated as the Blue Jackets remain above their expected goals-for total on the season.

The Jackets are right behind the Islanders in the standings, but the current gap between these teams is much more significant. As a result, we see an edge in backing the Isles as short favorites on home ice.

Detroit Red Wings vs. Utah Hockey Club

Over 6.5 (+104)

The Utah Hockey Club have had a resurgent campaign. They’ve been one of the worst professional franchises of the past decade but have turned things around and are competing for a playoff spot. They’ll put their offensive proficiency streak on the line versus the Detroit Red Wings tonight.

Utah has seen a massive increase in scoring recently. The NHL’s newest franchise has 11 goals over its last two games with all but three coming at five-on-five. Moreover, they have the production to sustain that torrid pace, recording 10 or more high-danger chances in five of their last six.

Detroit will be happy to trade chances with Utah all night. The Red Wings are firing on all cylinders, recording at least ten quality opportunities in six straight. Across the six-game sample, they’re up to 12.0 high-danger chances per game, albeit while giving up 11.3 per game over their last four.

Both teams are prioritizing offensive hockey right now, which should translate to a high-scoring affair in Utah. As such, we can’t overlook the value of the over in this inter-conference affair.

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