Best NHL Bets Today | NHL Picks, March 8

This weekend is almost here and the NHL is set for a handful of games this Friday night that can contain great sports betting value. Two games possess some of the best betting game lines value of the week, in a week that already had some great lines. Look for these games to have incredible potential for casual sports fans and bettors to earn some great winnings.

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Detroit Red Wings vs. Arizona Coyotes

• Time: 9:00 PM E.T. - Friday

• Moneyline: Red Wings (-135) | Coyotes (+114)

• Puck Line: Red Wings -1.5 (+180) | Coyotes +1.5 (-218) 

• Total: Over 6.5 (-110) | Under 6.5 (-110)

Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook. Get a No-Sweat First Bet up to $1,000 if you open your DK account today.

My Pick: Detroit Red Wings (DET)

One of the more interesting games in the NHL tonight will be the cross-conference matchup between the Detroit Red Wings (33-23-6) visiting the Arizona Coyotes (25-33-5). Both Red Wings and the Coyotes are coming off tough blowout losses.

Detroit is currently on a three-game losing streak after winning six consecutive games. Two of their last losses include a 4-0 home loss to the Florida Panthers and their most recent was this past Wednesday with a 7-2 road loss at the Colorado Avalanche.

Arizona came off a 14-game losing streak at the end of last week and accounted for two wins, before losing with disastrous results this week. The Coyotes lost with a 5-2 score in both home games to the Chicago Blackhawks this past Tuesday and to the Minnesota Wild the night before.

This is a game that is projected to be a potential high-scoring matchup as both the defenses for the Red Wings and the Coyotes are incredibly below average. Detroit gives up an average of 3.26 goals per game (22nd in the league), while Arizona gives up an average of 3.32 goals per game (23rd in the league).

The biggest difference in this game will be the offensive efficiency of both teams. Detroit is one of the most active and explosive offenses in the NHL thanks to the star talent on their roster. The Red Wings are averaging 3.48 goals per game, which is sixth in the league. Arizona is only averaging 2.9 goals per game, which is 25th in the league.

There is a lot of confidence that the Red Wings can make a significant postseason push based on their talent on offense and their productivity despite being bad on defense. A fatigued Coyotes team is not much of a threat on either side of the ice as indicated by the recent 14-game losing streak.

Winnipeg Jets vs. Seattle Kraken

• Time: 10:00 PM E.T. - Friday

• Moneyline: Jets (-125) | Kraken (+110)

• Puck Line: Jets -1.5 (+195) | Kraken +1.5 (-238) 

• Total: Over 5.5 (-112) | Under 5.5 (-108)

Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook. Score a No-Sweat Bonus at DraftKings when wagering just $5!

My Pick: Winnipeg Jets (WPG)

The final game of the night is set for a Western Conference battle between the Winnipeg Jets (39-17-5) and the Seattle Kraken (28-23-11). This is the game with the closest game odds, according to DraftKings, based on the recent success of both teams, but especially from the Kraken.

The Jets and the Kraken previously met for the first time this past Tuesday as Seattle went on the road to shock Winnipeg with a 4-3 score. Jets center Adam Lowry accounted for a goal and assist but Kraken forward Jared McCann had an outstanding game with one goal and two assists. Seattle's Andre Burakovsky was able to take the lead within the final couple of minutes in a power play.

That loss to the Kraken on Tuesday shed a two-game winning streak for Winnipeg. The Jets had won six of the last seven games before losing to Seattle. After losing their first two games after the NHL All-Star break, The Jets won nine of their last 12 games as they have been stellar on both sides of the ice.

Seattle has been inconsistent through most of the season as they battle through an incredibly tough Western Conference. The Kraken had lost three of their first five games after the All-Star break as they do not look any better than they did before February. Their luck changed as they were able to account for huge wins over the Boston Bruins twice, the Vancouver Canucks and the Calgary Flames before defeating Winnipeg.

Both teams would be completely rested up for this game as neither Seattle nor Winnipeg has played a game since that Tuesday night. This game could come down to which defense can hold out more efficiently. Winnipeg is ranked second in the league in goals allowed per game (2.41), while Seattle is ranked 8th in the league in goals allowed per game (2.77). Offensively, the Jets have a huge advantage as they're able to average 3.11 goals per game (17th in the league), while the Kraken only averages 2.76 goals per game (28th in the league).