A bit of a mixed bag of results last week pushes our overall Saturday record to 39-27 on the year with a half season to go. With the clock ticking and the March 7 trade deadline already on the radars of a number of front-office executives across the NHL, there should be a number of players showcasing their talents with eyes on a move to a new city. This should result in a frenetic yet fun few weeks of hockey action while we get a better feel for what teams will be competing and which ones will disappear into obscurity.

An absolutely jam-packed NHL betting board awaits us on this fine Saturday of hockey and you know what to do: research, pick the right spots, and tap into our three top picks and favourite side bets below. Good luck and let's get this paper.

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

Gold: 6-5
Silver: 8-3
Bronze: 5-6
Side Bets (Located at Bottom of Article): 20-12
2024-25 Combined Saturday Record: 39-27

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Gold Selection
Edmonton Oilers @ Chicago Blackhawks – Pick: Connor McDavid 2+ Points (-150)

Fresh off a frustrating yet productive loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday night in which his Oilers got it handed to them at both ends of the ice, the best player on the planet is poised to have a big night against a Blackhawks club that's allowed the fifth-most goals against this season. There's really not much more to say about McJesus than what's already been said ad nauseam: this is the best player on the planet, and when he's on his game he's not just one step ahead of the competition, he's got two on 'em. A trio of apples apparently wasn't enough for the Oilers against Sid and the boys in Edmonton's last tilt, but with McDavid looking this dangerous while creating elite scoring chances for his teammates, it's the best time to expect more fireworks from the NHL's best all-around talent.

In addition to getting lit up in the goal column, Chicago also allows the fifth-most shots-against per game which should allow for the Oilers' top-six group of killers to do their thing in the offensive zone and on the man advantage, a group that's currently clicking at the eighth-best percentage in the league right now at a neat-and-tidy 24 percent. Expect goals aplenty in this one, so we also like the over here if anyone feels like sprinkling, but our favourite angle is a big night from 97 to the tune of two-or-more points.

Silver Selection
Vancouver Canucks @ Toronto Maple Leafs – Pick: Maple Leafs ML (-164)

We've said it before and will again: the Canucks are a very average team. To be honest, this squad is somewhat fortunate to be in the position it's currently in. Aside from Kevin Lankinen saving their bacon while holding down the blue paint with Thatcher Demko going through it with health concerns and some pretty good seasons from Conor Garland, Jake DeBrusk, and of course Quinn Hughes, there really isn't a ton to love about what Vancouver brings to the table. Locker room beefs, off-ice distractions, and a steady barrage of major trade rumours are clearly factoring into a team that's got two regulation wins over its last 10 and is barely holding onto the second and final wild-card spot in a tightening Western Conference playoff race.

The Canucks are playing their worst hockey of the season right now and they roll into a confident Toronto group that's holding down the top spot in the Atlantic Division with wins in five of their last six. Sure, the Maple Leafs can definitely tighten things up defensively and back-to-back dubs against the New York Islanders and Philadelphia Flyers shouldn't have Leafs Nation planning parade routes, but this is the classic betting scenario of two teams heading in completely different directions. Jump all over Toronto in a good spot at home.

Even with the recent head-to-head numbers leaning in Vancouver's favour (Canucks are 6-4-0 in their last 10 against the Leafs) we still love the Buds here to get it done and in regulation. The Leafs keep rolling and the Canucks keep sliding. The freefall is about to get very real out west.

Bronze Selection
Tampa Bay Lightning @ New Jersey Devils – Pick: Lightning ML (+130)

Someone throw some respect on the Tampa Bay Lightning right now. Somehow no one is talking about how good this team is at both ends of the rink and we really should be. Jon Cooper is one of the sharpest bench bosses around, their top line combination of Jake Guentzel, Brayden Point, and Nikita Kucherov is absolutely nasty, and their backend is anchored by two decorated veteran studs in Victor Hedman on the blue line and Andrei Vasilevskiy in the blue paint. Tampa has the third-best goal differential in the NHL right now at plus-36 and with two impressive wins over the Carolina Hurricanes and Boston Bruins in their last two games, the Bolts are rounding into form just in time to take on a Devils side they've owned over their last 10 meetings.

Tampa is rocking a 9-1-0 record over the previous 10 tilts against Jersey and we like that trend to continue tonight. Lightning on the moneyline for our bronze pick of the week.

Side Bets
L.A. Kings @ Calgary Flames – Pick: Kings ML (-128)
Tampa Bay Lightning @ New Jersey Devils – Pick: Under 6.5 (-134)
Colorado Avalanche @ Winnipeg Jets – Pick: Avalanche ML (-118)

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.