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

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.

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New York Islanders vs. New York Rangers

Islanders Moneyline (-102)

The Battle of New York rages on as the Rangers host the Islanders in a pivotal Metropolitan Division showdown on Monday night. Both clubs head into tonight’s tilt outside of the playoff picture. The New York Rangers moved within two points of the final wild card spot by virtue of their win on Sunday. The New York Islanders are still within striking distance, albeit five points back. Tonight’s winner gains some much-needed ground in the Eastern Conference standings.

The Rangers are short home favorites, but they probably shouldn’t be. The Broadway Blueshirts have outplayed only one of their last four opponents and have constantly been chasing the puck. Across that modest sample, they’ve combined for a cumulative 41.1% expected goals-for rating. More concerningly, all but one of those efforts have fallen below 31.3%.

The Islanders have been a much more reliable analytics bet. They’ve outplayed four of their last six opponents while generating a ton of chances in the attacking end. Altogether, the Isles are up to 12.2 high-danger chances per game over that stretch, contributing to a 53.8% expected goals-for rating.

The Rangers handled their goaltending situation appropriately, reserving Igor Shesterkin for tonight’s intra-divisional battle. Still, that won’t be enough to offset their analytic shortcomings. We see an edge in backing the visitors tonight.

Los Angeles Kings vs. Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks Moneyline (+198)

The Los Angeles Kings conclude their mini three-game road trip with a stop in the Windy City to take on the Chicago Blackhawks. As is expected, the Kings enter the contest as prohibitive -245 favorites, but that only amplifies the value on the host Blackhawks.

LA has come out of the break completely flat. The Kings have been outplayed in four of their last five, dropping all but one of those decisions. Ineffective play in the attacking zone continues to be an inhibiting factor, but they’ve all but abandoned their defensive responsibility. Three of those five opponents have eclipsed double-digit high-danger opportunities, resulting in the Kings being out-chanced in all but one of those outings.

The Hawks remain a below-average analytics team, but their recent efforts have been more inspired. Chicago has put up above-average high-danger chances in two straight, contributing to a scoring boon. They’ve tallied 11 goals across the modest two-game sample, with nine of those coming at five-on-five.

The Kings’ second-half collapse coincides with a rejuvenated Blackhawks attack. On that basis, Chicago shouldn’t be priced this far behind LA on Monday night. That leaves a bettor-friendly advantage in backing the Hawks.

San Jose Sharks vs. Toronto Maple Leafs

Over 6.5 (+106)

The San Jose Sharks are running through a gauntlet of top teams on their seven-game road trip. Those concerns intensify when we consider the condensed scheduling that is impacting their on-ice performances. That’s a recipe for a high-scoring affair as they take on the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Scotiabank Arena.

Monday’s tilt marks San Jose’s fifth straight road game and third contest in five nights. They’ve put forth valiant offensive efforts, averaging 10.5 quality chances per game but continue to struggle at preventing goals. Their last two opponents have combined for nine goals, with five of those coming at five-on-five.

The Maple Leafs will exacerbate those high-scoring trends. The Original Six franchise has tallied five or more goals in four of their last five, getting ample production at five-on-five and across all strengths. Predictably, that scoring surge correlates with a reliable over trend, with four of those five contests sailing over the total.

The Leafs are playing on the second night of a back-to-back, which could contribute to a sloppier effort in their defending zone. The Sharks will be ready to capitalize, but that likely won’t be enough to tilt the ice in their favor. In the end, we’re forecasting this one going over 6.5 goals.

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