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3 Best NHL Bets and Predictions for Saturday 2/8/25

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3 Best NHL Bets and Predictions for Saturday 2/8/25

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

Get inside the crease and access who is starting in tonight’s NHL matchups and save projections with SportsGrid’s Starting Goalies Page.

New York Rangers vs. Columbus Blue Jackets

Blue Jackets Moneyline (+120)

Moneyline

Columbus Blue Jackets
Feb 9 12:08am UTCMore odds in Sportsbook

The Columbus Blue Jackets were one of the hottest teams in the league to start 2025. While they’ve hit a roadblock more recently, we’ve got them earmarked for progression. That starts with Saturday’s Metropolitan Division showdown against the New York Rangers.

Scoring has been an issue for the Jackets recently, but their production metrics support that greener pastures are on the horizon. Columbus has been held to just 12 goals across their last five games. Still, five-on-five scoring has been a strength, and their production metrics support an influx of goals. The Blue Jackets have eclipsed double-digit high-danger chances in two of their last three, a solid indicator that more scoring awaits them.

That increase should come against New York. The Rangers have posted deteriorating defensive metrics, giving up an average of 10.0 high-danger chances per game across their past four. More concerningly, they elected to start primary netminder Igor Shesterkin last night, meaning backup Jonathan Quick and his 90.1% save percentage is the projected starter on Saturday.

There’s value in backing the Blue Jackets at home. We expect a surge in scoring, and the Rangers’ defensive concerns and goaltending decisions make them a prime candidate to facilitate that anticipated progression.

New York Islanders vs. Minnesota Wild

Wild Moneyline (-156)

Moneyline

Minnesota Wild
Feb 9 1:09am UTCMore odds in Sportsbook

The Rangers aren’t the only New York-based team skating back-to-back on Saturday night. The New York Islanders are also in action, concluding their mini two-game road trip. Like their cross-city rivals, the Islanders could be undone by their inferior metrics and goaltending issues.

The Isles have been one of the hottest teams in the league. Winners of eight of its last 10, New York, has re-emerged as playoff hopefuls. However, a lot of that success is contraindicated in their recent game scores. The Islanders have been outplayed in five of their past eight, substantially overachieving relative to their underlying metrics. Over that eight-game sample, they’ve posted an actual goals-for rating of 57.1%, nearly 10 points higher than expected (47.8%).

Moreover, Ilya Sorokin started last night, meaning the Islanders have one of two options. As their second- and third-string netminders deal with injuries, Jakub Skarek is the backup. The inexperienced tendy posted an 84.4% save percentage in his first career start. New York can turn to him or put Sorokin back in the blue paint tonight. Neither choice is a solid option.

The Minnesota Wild have seen an uptick in production, recording 27 high-danger chances over their last two and supporting their position as favorites. As a result, we see an edge in backing the Wild as mid-range favorites.

Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Philadelphia Flyers

Penguins Moneyline (+132)

Moneyline

Feb 9 12:09am UTCMore odds in Sportsbook

Few rivalries can match the intensity of the Battle of Pennsylvania. The Pittsburgh Penguins are coming off a big win on Friday night and can continue that momentum in tonight’s in-state clash versus the Philadelphia Flyers.

The Pens continued their solid play last night. Pittsburgh outplayed the New York Rangers, posting a 50.2% expected goals-for rating. That was the fourth time in six games that they posted an above-average eGF rating, yet they remain well short of their expected mark for the season. Consequently, we’re anticipating more team-friendly outcomes in the short term.

Unfortunately, Philadelphia is trending in the opposite direction. The Flyers have been outplayed in two of their last three, spending too much time in their defending zone. Across that modest stretch, they’ve given up 82 scoring and 28 high-danger chances, getting out-chanced by a wide margin in all but one of those contests.

Philadelphia’s faltering play should give way to another solid outing from the Penguins. As tantalizing +132 underdogs, we see value in backing Pittsburgh in this one.


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