Apologies for leaving everyone hanging on the picks front last week. I needed some time on the LTIR to recover both physically and mentally, but I am back in business for our favorite day of the week.

I won't lie or try to hide it: I've been pretty cold of late, coming off back-to-back losing Saturdays to drag my season record back to the .500 mark. That's the thing about putting your opinion – and money – online each week, you have to keep plugging away. Like the great, wise Nipsey Hussle once said, "The marathon continues."

It continues today with a juicy 12-game board, which is sure to feature tons of playoff-like hockey for us to sprinkle some wagers on. With only six points or less separating the top three teams in each division, the race for the Stanley Cup is legitimately wide open, making for some great matchups and intense rivalries. Good luck and enjoy the day.

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2021-22 Saturday Record Breakdown (Complete Record Tracked/Posted @Flips_Picks)

Gold: 4-3
Silver: 1-6
Bronze: 4-3
Side bets: 12-9

Total Saturday Record: 21-21

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Gold Pick
Minnesota Wild @ L.A. Kings – Pick: Wild

If it hasn't been clearly stated already, the Minnesota Wild are very much for real. Maybe it's because the team doesn't get a ton of media attention up here in Canada, or it could be due to the fact that aside from Kirill Kaprizov, the club doesn't exactly tout a legitimate superstar at any position, but this team deserves some serious credit as one of the best in the business.

The Wild have been nothing short of sensational of late, and despite the earlier mention of a lack of top-tier talent, Minnesota has been scoring with the best of them all season long. Head coach Dean Evason, a Jack Adams Award finalist last year, has the Wild clicking on the offensive end to the tune of 98 goals in 26 games, good for a tie for second in the NHL in overall scoring. The Wild's balanced scoring attack and nightly commitment to playing a 200-foot game make them a very difficult team to match up against.

We've previously discussed the mediocrity that is the current L.A. Kings (11-10-4) in this article before, and while the Kings are still very much in the mix for a postseason berth, I think we can all agree these two franchises are heading in opposite directions and are now of two completely different calibers.

Minny is knocking off Cup contenders with regularity en route to a sizzling eight-game win streak, a stretch that includes wins against the Tampa Bay Lightning, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Edmonton Oilers. Meanwhile the Kings are struggling to stay at .500, posting a 3-5-2 record over their last 10.

The Wild have wins in four of their last five visits to the former Staples Center (KOBE FOREVER), and I expect that trend to continue tonight in the rink now known as Crypto.Com Arena. Minnesota keeps it rolling tonight for my Gold Pick of the week.

Silver Pick
Carolina Hurricanes @ Edmonton Oilers – Pick: Hurricanes

If you happen to be an Edmonton Oilers fan, it needs to be said: take a deep breath; it's a long season. Tuning into Edmonton sports radio or reading any local editorials these days might give you the impression that the Oilers are sitting in last place and sinking. Sure, Edmonton has not looked good dropping four in row, but it still sits in third place in the Pacific Division with so much of the season left to unfold.

Look, I get it. As a long-suffering Maple Leafs supporter, I understand better than most the early-season calls breaking out the panic button and hammering it with gusto. And as much as I think the Oilers are still a piece or two from being in serious contention for a Cup run, they still employ arguably the two best offensive pieces in the league in Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl and because of that will always be in the mix for spring hockey.

However, with all of that said, the fact remains Edmonton is struggling to score right now and that's leading to missed opportunities to advance its position in the Pacific Division standings. Enter the Carolina Hurricanes, a franchise establishing itself as one with serious postseason aspirations and one currently riding a three-game win streak.

The Hurricanes are also building a reputation as one of the best road teams in the NHL, posting victories in 11 of their last 15 games away from PNC Arena in Raleigh. I seriously love this spot for Carolina and after seeing that Edmonton is actually favored in this game, I love it even more. The Oilers continue to slide while the Canes flex their road muscle. Hammer Carolina for my Silver selection.

Bronze Pick
Philadelphia Flyers @ Arizona Coyotes – Pick: Flyers

The Philadelphia Flyers actually won a game. I repeat, the Flyers won a game! While it looked for a while like Philly might stay losing, the Flyers actually snapped their hideous 10-games losing streak last night with a gutsy 4-3 victory against the Golden Knights in Vegas. That is a massive W for a team in desperate need of one.

It's also likely to be a huge relief and morale booster for the Philly room, so you cannot deny that factor in a back-to-back situation facing such a weak opponent in the Arizona Coyotes.

No need to dig into the Flyers' recent record, as that has obviously been well documented. But it should be noted that Arizona is currently trying to do its best Philly impression by posting ugly losses by two or more goals in four consecutive games. Straight up, the Coyotes stink. And while rumors continue to swirl on where this team will play in the future, I can confirm for certain that the current product on the ice is just not cutting it. Someone save Phil Kessel before his hot-dog-eating days catch up with him. The man deserves better and I would love to see him get another kick at a Cup.

In all seriousness, I love this spot for Philly to continue to turn the page on one of the ugliest stretches in franchise history. The Flyers resurrection might take more than just two wins, but two points against the lowly Desert Dogs are a necessity.

Side Bets
Washington Capitals @ Buffalo Sabres – Pick: Capitals (-1.5)

Seattle Kraken @ Columbus Blue Jackets (Over/under 6.5) – Pick: Over 6.5

Dallas Stars @ San Jose Sharks – Pick: Stars

Flip Livingstone is a former NHL writer for theScore with past experience at outlets such as Narcity Media, Postmedia, and Hockey Night in Canada. You can follow him on Twitter @FlipLivingstone and @Flips_Picks.