3 Best NHL Bets and Predictions for Saturday 4/5/25

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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Columbus Blue Jackets vs. Toronto Maple Leafs

Maple Leafs Moneyline (-196)

The Toronto Maple Leafs have started their postseason ascent and are looking to build on their lead atop the Atlantic Division standings. They’ll get that chance when they welcome the Columbus Blue Jackets for a Saturday night showdown.

Toronto is riding a wave of momentum. They’ve won three in a row while going 7-2-1 over their last 10. More importantly, their recent surge is backed up with improved analytics. The Maple Leafs have outplayed two of their last three opponents and have renewed traction in the attacking zone. They’re up to 31 high-danger chances over that stretch, hitting double-digits in two straight.

Toronto’s offensive resurgence coincides with the Blue Jackets’ collapse. Columbus has given up 10 or more high-danger chances in three straight, failing to out-chance its opponents in any of those contests. Not surprisingly, that’s resulted in an eroding expected goals-for rating, with the Jackets getting outplayed in two of those three outings.

The Leafs can’t afford to lose any ground in the Atlantic Division, and Columbus is losing ground in the Eastern Conference wild-card race. Those waves collide in what should end up being a one-sided affair. We see an edge on the Leafs in this one.

Carolina Hurricanes vs. Boston Bruins

Under 5.5 (-102)

The Boston Bruins have given up on the 2024-25 season. That reality is reflected on the ice and the scoresheet, with the B’s being relegated to the Eastern Conference basement. Another lackluster showing is anticipated when they take on the Carolina Hurricanes at TD Garden.

Since the start of March, Boston has eclipsed 10 high-danger chances only once. Still, they’ve hit a new low with their most recent efforts. The Bruins are averaging 5.6 quality opportunities over their last five, failing to surpass seven in any contest. Predictably, that correlates with diminished scoring. The B’s have totaled just six goals at five-on-five over the five-game sample, tallying nine across all strengths.

The Carolina Hurricanes aren’t the type of team to blow opponents out of the water. They prefer to sit back and play a calculated defensive game, using their offense to spring free at opportune times. The Canes have eclipsed 10 high-danger chances just once over their last five games, averaging 21.8 scoring and 7.4 high-danger chances across that span.

The Hurricanes are content to sit back and wait for chances, and the Bruins will just be happy when the game’s over. As a result, there’s value in betting this one stays under the total.

Vegas Golden Knights vs. Calgary Flames

Flames Moneyline (+138)

The Calgary Flames are making no friends on their climb up the standings. Calgary is 6-3-1 over its last 10, but still needs to make up ground in the Western Conference standings. They can pull off another stunning upset at home when they take on the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday night.

While it might not be reflected in their recent results, this has been the Flames’ most dominant stretch of the season. They’ve outplayed four of their last six opponents, generating a 56.7% expected goals-for rating and crossing the 60.0% threshold in three of those games. Calgary has increased its offensive contributions without compromising its defensive structure.

Vegas remains the class of the Pacific Division, but its most recent efforts have been less inspired. The Golden Knights have been held below nine high-danger chances in four straight, mustering 6.3 opportunities per game. As expected, that correlates with a decrease in their eGF rating, with the Knights getting outplayed in all but one of those contests.

It’s not reflected in the betting price, but analytically, these teams are trending in the opposite direction. Getting a piece of the Flames' moneyline is a sharp position.

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