Even though we've only been apart for a couple weeks in terms of the Saturday picks lineups, it feels like we've missed almost a month's worth of action when it comes to the happenings in the NHL. All-Star Game festivities, multiple coach firings, retirements, suspensions – you name it, the hockey world has seen it all over the past handful of weeks.

We regularly discuss the various stretches in the NHL schedule in this piece, different points in the year, that you really need to keep an eye on when it comes to betting, and this is one of the more important ones to really dig in, do your research, and be very selective in terms of where you are laying bets and for how much.

Also to note, today's board is a bit of a tricky one. Three early games followed by only five evening matchups on our favorite night of the week. Regardless, we have our selections ready for your betting pleasure. Enjoy the action and good luck.

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

Gold: 5-4
Silver: 2-7
Bronze: 6-3

Side bets: 15-12

Total Saturday Record: 28-26-0

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Gold Pick
New York Islanders @ Calgary Flames –Pick: Flames (ML) -175

With a bit of a closer look into the season the Calgary Flames are having, one can quickly see that this team might not be getting enough credit for the performance it has put up over the first half of the season and now two games into the second.

Anchored by the Vezina-level play from Jacob Markstrom (15-10-0, .927 SV%, 2.13 GAA, eight shutouts) who has been completely lights out at times, the Flames are a tough team to play against at both ends of the rink.

Calgary employs the third-best penalty killing squad in the league, allows the second-least goals-against per game at an impressive 2.41, and also sits tied for the least goals-against overall at only 106 across 46 games. OK, enough with the stat dump but what I am trying to get at here is this team is rounding into form at opportune time. Great news for Flames fans and bettors alike.

The Pacific Division is still very much up for grabs and with the Flames' top-six forward group really starting to click and produce offensively, this is a club you definitely would not want a piece of when it comes to potential first-round playoff scenarios.

Without getting too much into the Islanders, New York has been a disappointment this season after seemingly taking a legitimate step forward just a year ago. The Isles have only produced back-to-back wins twice this season and have struggled both on the road and of late against Calgary specifically. New York has only one win in its last six games against the Flames and I expect that trend to continue tonight in a big way for a Calgary team starting to really fire on all cylinders.

Not a ton of value on the moneyline but this is Calgary's game to lose. Flames on the moneyline for my Gold Pick of the week.

Silver Pick
Chicago Blackhawks @ St. Louis Blues – Pick: Blackhawks (+1.5) -145

If you're following along for daily picks and predictions online @Flips_Picks, then you would already know that once in a while I really don't mind taking underdogs on the puckline in good situations at decent odds. Now, that strategy paid out last night with the Arizona Coyotes keeping it close against the Tampa Bay Lightning, but it's a bit of a risky maneuver overall siding with poor teams for marginal odds. With that said, stay with me, when you're feeling it, you're feeling it.

Straight up, I know it was only one game and it was the first one following the All-Star break, but the Blues looked downright awful the other night when they got completely pumped at the hands of the lowly New Jersey Devils to the tune of a 7-4 beatdown. Yes, one game, no doubt. But I think it might be more of an indication of where the Blues are headed overall than most recognize. Nothing really jumps off the page for me with this Blues squad, so let's ride with the Blackhawks who have performed well against St. Louis over their past five meetings and still employ one of the greatest to ever to do it in Marc-Andre Fleury in the blue paint.

While Chicago only has one win in its last five against the Blues, all four of those losses were by a single goal. Bottom line: these two Central Division rivals keep it close when squaring off and I expect that again tonight in St. Louis. Blackhawks on the puckline for my Silver selection of the week.

Bronze Pick
Toronto Maple Leafs @ Vancouver Canucks (Over/Under 6) – Pick: Over -110

You know I can't return with the fire picks without talking about the Toronto Maple Leafs in some capacity. And while I am not siding with the Buds in terms of the Win/Loss outcome of this matchup, I do really like the angle for a high-scoring game between two clubs that tout some nasty, young offensive talent.

While the Leafs are still getting wins (7-3-0 over the last 10) they're also getting involved in a ton of high-scoring games while playing lackluster defense and getting questionable goaltending. Six of Toronto's last six games have all gone well Over the total and after getting shelled for seven tallies against the Flames on Thursday, I could see yet another crooked number produced in this one for both sides.

Not only do I expect a much better performance from Auston Matthews and Co. in terms of offensive production, Vancouver is also starting to pick up some steam on the offensive end, producing eight goals over the last two games since returning from the All-Star break. This is one of those spots that you could look at teasing the total down to 5.5 for a reduced odd, but I think we're safe in this one at six.

Leafs-Canucks goes Over the total, my Bronze Pick of the week.

Side Bets

Winnipeg Jets @ Nashville Predators (Over/Under 6) – Pick: Under

Carolina Hurricanes @ Minnesota Wild – Pick: Hurricanes (ML)

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 @Flips_Picks.