Take a deep breath and exhale, hockey heads. The dust is starting to settle on an intense NHL trade deadline day. We're locked and loaded for what is sure to be an entertaining Saturday of betting action.

Now, there's no denying we've been pretty ice cold on the picks front over the previous fortnight, dragging our regular-season overall record to barely above the .500 mark. That's the perils of putting your opinion on the internet each week, but we're taking it on the chin, bouncing-back with a big Saturday and hitting some winners. With so many new faces in new places as players look to make their debut in fresh colours, this could be a bit of a gong show in terms of handicapping – but we're not backing down and we have our favourite plays outlined below.

As always, good luck and let's get this paper.

Complete 2024-25 Saturday Record (Daily Record Tracked/Posted @Flips_Picks):
Gold: 8-9
Silver: 8-9
Bronze: 7-10
Side Bets (Located at Bottom of Article): 29-20
2024-25 Combined Saturday Record: 52-48

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Gold Selection
Chicago Blackhawks @ Nashville Predators – Pick: Connor Bedard Anytime Assist (+148)

It might be an extremely small sample size, but Spencer Knight in a Blackhawks uniform is looking like a savvy move from the front-office, as it seems they now have a legitimate goaltender to anchor a rag-tag roster that's been a punching bag for most of the 2024-25 NHL campaign. That's not to say the Hawks won't continue to take their fair share of blows, but Knight has been lights out over his first two starts in the Chicago cage, putting up two impressive dubs while allowing only four goals on 80-plus shots. That confidence on the backend has allowed Chicago's forward group to play with a rejuvenated energy over the last 120 minutes of hockey, producing nine goals against two pretty good squads in the LA Kings and Utah Hockey Club.

Much-maligned budding superstar Connor Bedard is starting to benefit from that shored up crease by registering the 12th multipoint game of the season in Friday night's big overtime victory over Utah, and we expect that to be a springboard for a hot finish to the year for Bedard. It's only a matter of time before the soon-to-be 20-year-old phenom starts to really settle in and dominate games, so why not a performance like that tonight against a Nashville team that tends to allow goals in bunches and sits tied for third-worst in the goals-against category in the Western Conference. Bedard has three goals and three in seven career regular-season games against the Preds and he pads those numbers tonight in Smashville, adding to his 34 assists on the year with an anytime apple.

Silver Selection
Buffalo Sabres @ Florida Panthers – Pick: Panthers PL -1.5 (+102)

There really shouldn't be much need for explanation behind backing the Panthers here at home against a haphazard-looking Buffalo Sabres bunch, but the vibes around the Cats are just far too real. Not only is Florida playing some of its best hockey of the season right now and tearing up the Atlantic Division with eight wins in their last 10 games, but this group is also a confident one after adding two of the biggest names on the trade market in Seth Jones and Brad Marchand. The Little Ball of Hate is still three-to-four weeks away from making his Panthers debut, but this is already a much-improved team that's primed for yet another deep run at the Cup. Head-to-head against Buffalo also indicated a heavy lean toward Paul Maurice's men, as Florida flaunts an 8-2-0 record versus the Sabres over their last 10 and we expect that to improve after this evening's tilt.

The Panthers are eyeing Lord Stanley and the Sabres are starting to dust off the clubs in preparation for a lot of springtime action on the links, as Buffalo has picked a really bad time of the season to drop five consecutive games. Florida steamrolls in this one, covering the puck line and cashing our silver play.

Bronze Selection
Toronto Maple Leafs @ Colorado Avalanche – Pick: Over 5.5 (-170)

Two teams with legit Cup aspirations. Two teams that just made significant deadline trades. Two teams heading in opposite directions. Given the recent quality of the Tampa Bay Lightning and reinvigorated roster of the Florida Panthers, the Maple Leafs can ill afford to continue to drop games, especially with a sputtering offense. This has to be a response-type game from a Toronto side that's now reinforced by two players in Scott Laughton and Brandon Carlo that are tough to deal with and that play a heavy game that should free up some space for their three-headed offensive monster in Willy Style, Mitchy Marns, and Papi Chulo. Keep it simple here: take the total down to 5.5 and thank us later. This one goes over the total in a hurry with two teams looking to flex their revamped muscle.

Side Bets
St. Louis Blues @ L.A. Kings – Pick: Over 5.5 (-104)
Boston Bruins @ Tampa Bay Lightning – Pick: Lightning PL -1.5 (-112)
Toronto Maple Leafs @ Colorado Avalanche Pick: Cale Makar Anytime Assist (-140)

Flip Livingstone is an NHL betting and NHL fantasy writer and daily podcast host with experience at outlets such as theScore NHL, Narcity Media, Postmedia, and Hockey Night in Canada. You can follow him @Flips_Picks.