NHL Betting Picks and Player Props to Target: Saturday 2/17/24

A big Saturday slate on the NHL schedule features 13 games to pick from and exciting matchups to watch.

Whether it's moneylines, total goals, or player props, there are plenty of ways to bet on the NHL action all season long. It's a long 82-game season, 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.

My favorite picks are on the way, but don't forget to check out FanDuel's Parlay Hub to see other trending bets in all sports -- including ice hockey.

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 come from FanDuel Sportsbook.

NHL Best Bets

Los Angeles Kings at Boston Bruins

Under 5.5 Goals (-104)

When two playoff teams square off, it's always a treat. But with how the Los Angeles Kings and Boston Bruins have been going, it's all about getting right on Saturday afternoon.

The Kings were once a top team this year, but they've struggled desperately over their last 25 games. After going 9-10-6 in their last 25, the Kings are now staring at a Wild Card spot in the Western Conference and are doing their best to hold on. Over the 25-game span, they're averaging only 2.47 Goals For per 60 minutes, ranking 29th in the NHL. The scoring drought has been the main reason for their struggles, as they're allowing just 2.83 Goals Against per 60 minutes in the same timeframe.

Meanwhile, Boston has not been the same team since coming back from the All-Star break. The main reason has been their inability to score, dropping four of their last five and scoring just eight goals in that stretch. For a team that's been scoring 3.26 Goals For per 60 minutes on the season, it's tough to see them like this.

Between what these two teams are doing, this is why the total is a slate-low 5.5 Goals.

We're going with the under for two reasons. The scoring trends for each of these teams are not in their favor to be lighting up the box score. The other reason is that the Kings are a West Coast team playing at 12:30 p.m. EST -- that's early for them. It can be unpredictable how they ultimately play, but they may not have their legs going to start, and that's enough to expect the tough times to continue for them.

These two teams are going to fight to get on track, and Under 5.5 Goals feels like the right bet in this one.

Anaheim Ducks at Toronto Maple Leafs

Maple Leafs -1.5 (-122)

The Toronto Maple Leafs should take care of business against the Anaheim Ducks.

It's as simple as the Maple Leafs being the far superior team to the Ducks, and the offensive machine that drives them should have their way in this game.

Toronto is averaging 3.40 Goals For per 60 minutes on the season, ranking seventh in the NHL overall. Anaheim, on the other hand, ranks 29th in Goals For per 60 minutes with 2.55. This is a difference between these two teams that should translate to the outcome of this game on Saturday night.

Defensively, things have been very different for the Maple Leafs as they're much closer to the Ducks in that respect. Unsurprisingly, the Ducks are bottom-10 with 3.37 Goals Against per 60 minutes (27th). Toronto's main problem remains between the pipes. Their group of goalies is allowing 3.11 Goals Against per 60 minutes, which ranks 19th. If there's any good news, it's that they have been far better in the last 10 games as they're limiting opponents to 2.78 Goals per 60. That's what to bank on for this tilt.

The Maple Leafs are the team headed for the playoffs and with a chance to win the Stanley Cup. They should be able to cover against a bad Ducks lineup.

NHL Prop Bets

David Pastrnak To Score a Goal (+100)

Expecting the Bruins-Kings game to be a low-scoring game doesn't mean we're going to ignore David Pastrnak potting a goal.

The Bruins' All-Star has been nothing short of impressive this season. He's scored 34 goals while dishing out 44 assists, totaling 78 points in 54 games. Reaching 60 goals for a second straight season isn't likely in his future, but as we've seen with Pastrnak, scoring goals does come in bunches for him.

He scored the lone goal in the Bruins' loss to the Seattle Kraken on Thursday night. This is important because he's scored in back-to-back games six times this year. Considering Pastrnak had gone four games without scoring, this feels like the right time for him to turn it on and, as a result, get the Bruins out of their rough stretch too.

Pastrnak leads the NHL in shots this season with 271, good for an average of 5.02 per game. He's had 20 in his last four games, so he is on the average even with just one goal in the meantime.

The Bruins need to get back on track, and they need their top player to get them there.

Connor McDavid To Score a Goal (+120)

Last year's Rocket Richard Trophy winner isn't scoring at his previous rate this season, but Connor McDavid feels due for a goal in a massive game against the Dallas Stars.

McDavid has 21 goals on the season to go with his 59 assists, good for 80 points in 48 games. It's those 21 goals that come as a shock, especially after he had scored 64 just a season ago. He will enter the game against the Stars not having scored in four straight games -- meaning he's due to find the back of the net sooner rather than later.

The Edmonton Oilers' captain is averaging 3.35 shots per game and has a 13.0% shooting percentage. And that should work against a Stars team that is allowing 2.96 Goals Against per 60 minutes. They're also allowing 29.93 Shots Against per 60 minutes, ranking as the 15th-most in the NHL.

There's room to score against the Stars and that's what the Oilers need. Having dropped three of the last five games after a 16-game winning streak, this is a game that the Oilers and McDavid are going to want to win. Expect their best player to show up big.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.