We're going to step up and take last week squarely on the chin, as a two-win, four-loss performance isn't sitting right with time running out for wagering on our favourite day of the NHL and hockey betting schedule. Only three Saturdays remain of full-slate action, so let's have a big weekend stacked with winners and get back to what we do best. A total of 11 NHL matchups awaits on today's board, so let's tap in and get this paper.

Complete 2024-25 Saturday Record (Daily Record Tracked/Posted @Flips_Picks):

Gold: 9-10
Silver: 10-9
Bronze: 8-11
Side Bets (Located at Bottom of Article): 31-24
2024-25 Combined Saturday Record: 58-54

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Gold Selection
Toronto Maple Leafs @ L.A. Kings – Pick: William Nylander Anytime Goal (+185)

Over the past three seasons of NHL hockey, only Leon Draisaitl and William Nylander have hit the 40-goal threshold in each one. That's another notch in an impressive belt of scoring feats for the smooth-skating Swede, but more importantly, an excellent comparison and indication of how far Willy's offensive game has come over that span.

Nylander is red-hot, registering four goals over his last two games and is clearly Toronto's most dangerous forward while the Buds are in the midst of some very mediocre play at the moment, rocking a 5-4-1 record over their last 10. It should also be noted that the Kings have only dropped three in regulation at home this season, but we expect this to be a motivated Craig Berube bunch after dropping their second game of the year to the lowly San Jose Sharks.

Back to Willy Styles, who has five goals and eight assists in 13 career regular season games against the Kings. The shifty winger deserves a lot of credit for his 42 tallies coming for the most part without the benefit of being on a line with Mitch Marner and Auston Matthews. Toronto owns a 6-3-1 record in its last 10 against L.A., so we love this spot for a bounce-back game from the team that runs through 88.

Silver Selection
Calgary Flames @ Edmonton Oilers – Pick: Over 5.5 (-156)

The Edmonton Oilers are in a precarious position. There's no sugarcoating it. The injuries have been well documented, everyone and their uncle have heard about the goaltending, but the main point that needs to be discussed is the bottom line: this group will need to be a lot better at both ends of the ice if it wants to be considered contenders amongst the Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars, Winnipeg Jets, and Vegas Golden Knights of the NHL world.

With the Flames very much in the wild-card hunt in the West and the Oilers clawing for a shot at the Pacific crown, this one is shaping up to be a bloodbath from the jump, meaning buckle up and prepare for battle. Head-to-head the last three meetings between these Albertan foes have gone under the number. However, seven of Calgary's last eight games overall and eight consecutive home tilts for Edmonton have all been high scoring over finishes and we like that trend to continue tonight in a tightly-contested playoff-like atmosphere matchup.

Most books have the number in this one sitting at 6.5, but slap the 5.5 into your favourite parlay of the day and thank us later, especially for a more-than-fair price of -156. This classic showdown goes over the number in a hurry. Lock it in for our silver play of the evening.

Bronze Selection
Dallas Stars @ Seattle Kraken – Pick: Stars ML (-150)

We really can't lay it out any plainer than this: The Dallas Stars are rounding into form as a true Stanley Cup threat at the most opportune time of the year as a very balanced and dangerous group at both ends of the rink. In contrast, the Seattle Kraken are a loss or two away from dusting off the clubs.

The Stars look deadly with one of the deepest top-nine forward groups in the entire league and that is going to be far too much for a Kraken defensive unit that has allowed the eighth-most goals against this season. Dallas also flaunts a neat-and-tidy 8-2-0 record in its last 10 against Seattle, and that's really all we need to hear in the classic case of two teams playing for totally different reasons and headed in opposite directions. The Stars take their six straight against the Kraken and cruise in this one, so considering the puck line in this spot might also be an advantageous angle to consider.

Side Bets
Toronto Maple Leafs @ L.A. Kings – Pick: Maple Leafs (+122)
Vegas Golden Knights @ Nashville Predators – Pick: Golden Knights ML
New York Rangers @ San Jose Sharks – Pick: Rangers ML (-172)

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.