The Buffalo Sabres' top goal for the 2026 NHL trade deadline should be to add an impactful right-shot defenseman. Due to this, they are now being linked to one of their former players.
Ristolainen, of course, was selected by the Sabres with the eighth overall pick of the 2013 NHL Entry Draft. From there, he spent his first eight NHL seasons with Buffalo before being traded to the Flyers. Now, five years after trading the big right-shot defenseman, the Sabres are open to the idea of bringing him back to Buffalo.
If the Sabres acquired Ristolainen, he could work nicely on their bottom pairing and penalty kill. However, he could also move up to the Sabres' top four if needed.
Ristolainen would be more than a rental for the Sabres if acquired. This is because he has a $5.1 million cap hit until the end of the 2026-27 season. As a result of this, Ristolainen has good trade value and could cost the Sabres a first-round pick in a potential move.
In 23 games this season with the Flyers, Ristolainen has recorded one goal, six points, and 25 hits.
PITTSBURGH, PA - MARCH 01: Bryan Rust #17 of the Pittsburgh Penguins celebrates his second period goal against the Vegas Golden Knights at PPG PAINTS Arena on March 1, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Objectively speaking, the 2025-26 Pittsburgh Penguins appear to be a really good hockey team. By every major piece of data that exists to evaluate hockey teams, the Penguins rate extremely well across the league through their first 59 games this season.
Entering play on Tuesday their .636 points percentage is the sixth-best in the NHL and the third-best in the Eastern Conference.
Their plus-30 goal-differential is fifth-best in the NHL.
They have 27 regulation wins, which is sixth-most in the NHL.
They are 9-3-3 against teams with a top-10 record.
They have a 51.7 percent expected goals share during 5-on-5 play, a rate that ranks eighth-best in the NHL. They are top-10 in pretty much every, goal, scoring-chance and possession-based metric during 5-on-5 play.
They have the NHL’s second-best penalty killing unit and the NHL’s third-best power play unit.
The goaltending has been, at the very least, competent.
They have a No. 1 center (when Sidney Crosby is healthy, that is), a No. 1 defenseman that has rediscovered his game, excellent scoring depth, good veterans, good young players, a lot of salary cap space in the future and more draft picks to work with than pretty much every other team in the NHL.
If you knew nothing of the Penguins preseason expectations, or what they were supposed to play like this season, you would look at all of that and not hesitate to say, “wow, that team must be a legitimate Stanley Cup contender and in a really good position long-term.”
That would be a logical conclusion. It would be a sensible conclusion. It might even be the correct conclusion.
Yet, when you have watched the Penguins play on a nationally televised broadcast this season, or listened to a national writer or analyst talk about their approach to the trade deadline, you would never guess where this team is in the standings. They played two nationally televised games this past weekend and the first of those games on Saturday started off with a discussion about Evgeni Malkin’s future, and asking Kyle Dubas if there was any chance Malkin would be traded before Friday’s NHL Trade Deadline.
There is a constant rumbling of whether or not the Penguins will sell players like Anthony Mantha, or if veterans could be on their way out due to the ongoing rebuild or re-tool.
You had T.J. Oshie saying they will fall out of a playoff position because of the injury to Sidney Crosby and how that will impact their power play, and Paul Bissonnette talking about how Sunday’s game against the Vegas Golden Knights was going to be a bad time for them. There still seems to be a sense of, “hey, they could maybe make the playoffs,” when it should probably be, “hey, what can this team potentially do when it does make the playoffs?”
It is meant to just point out that very few people outside of Pittsburgh have really paid much attention to what this team has actually played like and what it is doing. Honestly, I am not even fully convinced all of the city of Pittsburgh realizes how good this team has been so far.
It is almost as if everybody had an expectation in mind for what this team was supposed to look like this season and how it was supposed to play, and then nobody really took any time to pay attention to what they were actually doing or change their narrative.
This is, admittedly, easy to do when you are working in a national setting and trying to focus on 32 different teams. Sometimes things slip through the cracks. I know first-hand how difficult that can be because I have spent the better part of the past 18 years trying to write and blog about teams and sports on a big-picture, national level. It is a lot to try and look at. I do not expect every person covering the sport of hockey to have an in-depth knowledge of every single player and storyline on every single team. Again, over 32 teams that is nearly impossible to do on the same level as a local beat writer. You are just getting a basic, big picture view before you move on to the next game.
The Penguins have also made it kind of easy on themselves over the past few years to go unnoticed. They have not won a playoff series since the 2017-18 season. They have not actually made the playoffs in three years. This is supposed to be a rebuilding season. No matter what big names and future Hall of Famers you still have on your roster, it is still a results oriented business. The Penguins have simply not produced much in the way of results over the past few years.
The other issue potentially at play: Nobody likes to admit they are wrong. Nobody wants to look like they are waffling or changing their opinion.
But you still need to be able to adapt and at least pay closer attention to what is actually happening.
Do I know every detail of the Anaheim Ducks roster this season or what their third-defense pairing looks like on a nightly basis? No. I do not. Did I think they would miss the playoffs again before this season? Yeah, I did. But I do know they are currently a pretty good team, in a position to make the playoffs, perhaps in a position to win the Pacific Division, and I would not be treating them as the same bad, rebuilding team they have been the past few years. You would not be looking at them as sellers right now or questioning if they should trade, I don’t know, Troy Terry. Because they are now good. They have changed the narrative around their team and season.
The Penguins have done the same. It has just taken a long time for people to catch on to it because they have not done much over the past seven seasons and had very little in the way of expectations coming into the season. There is still a quarter of the season to play, and they still need to get Crosby back. They still have to keep collecting points and maintain this level of play. We will see if they can. In the meantime, they look the part of a really good team right now. Perhaps even a contender. They should probably be treated as such until they do something to show they are not.
The Montreal Canadiens will travel way south — and way west — to visit the San Jose Sharks tonight. These two young, exciting teams will meet for the first time this season.
My Canadiens vs. Sharks predictions expect Cole Caufield to stay on his torrid pace as he pushes to become the first Montreal player to reach 50 goals since 1989-90.
Canadiens vs Sharks best bet: Cole Caufield anytime goalscorer (+120)
Since January 15, no player has scored more than Cole Caufield.
The Montreal Canadiens forward has 14 goals in his last 12 games and has found the back of the net three times in two games since the NHL returned to action. A focal point of the Habs’ top six, Caufield now draws a San Jose Sharks squad that allows the third-most goals in the league.
It's the perfect matchup for Caufield to light the lamp at least once.
Canadiens vs Sharks same-game parlay
Speaking of red-hot Habs players, Noah Dobson has seen a notable uptick in offense recently. The Montreal defenceman has nine points in his last seven games, eight of which were at even strength.
The Canadiens and Sharks rank 24th and 30th in goals allowed, respectively. Additionally, Montreal boasts the fourth-best offense in the league. Both meetings last season went Over, with the Habs emerging victorious in both.
The Canadiens have won four consecutive games in San Jose, dating back to October 2021. San Jose hasn't beaten Montreal at home since the 2018-19 season. Find more NHL betting trends for Canadiens vs. Sharks.
How to watch Canadiens vs Sharks
Location
SAP Center at San Jose, San Jose, CA
Date
Tuesday, March 3, 2026
Puck drop
10:00 p.m. ET
TV
TSN2, NBCS-California
Canadiens vs Sharks latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
The Philadelphia Flyers are certainly a team to watch leading up to the 2026 NHL trade deadline. With the Flyers currently being on the wrong side of the playoff line, it is possible that they could end up making some changes to their roster.
Rasmus Ristolainen is the player on the Flyers who has been creating the most chatter as a trade candidate. While this is the case, another notable Flyer is being viewed as a player to watch.
In a recent article for The Athletic, Kevin Kurz predicted that the Flyers would trade forward Bobby Brink ahead of the 2026 NHL trade deadline.
"At 24 years old and still on the upswing, Brink isn’t the kind of player rebuilding teams tend to deal. But the Flyers are deep at wing, and have another, Porter Martone, on the way, perhaps as soon as the end of this season. Moving Brink, maybe for some help at center or in goal, would also allow Flyers coach Rick Tocchet the option of putting Matvei Michkov back on the right wing for the final six weeks," Kurz wrote.
There is no question that the Flyers have a lot of depth on the wing, so it could make sense for them to deal Brink. This is especially so if the skilled winger could be used in a trade package to help improve the Flyers' roster elsewhere.
Yet, trading Brink would also come with some risk. At just 24 years old, Brink undoubtedly has the potential to get better as he continues to gain more experience. He is also in the middle of a solid year for the Flyers, as he has scored a career-high 13 goals and recorded 26 points in 54 games.
It will be interesting to see what the Flyers do with Brink from here, but he is standing out as a trade candidate to watch.
In the run-up to the trade deadline, St. Louis Blues center Robert Thomas’ reported availability continues to make the headlines. The Central Division team is currently dead last in its division and second-to-last in the Western Conference and has let it be known that it’s ready to move on from some of its veterans, including their first-line center, Thomas.
According to multiple reports, the Montreal Canadiens are very interested in the pivot, and they have been for some time, as RG.org writer Marco D’Amico reports. The Habs brass contacted the Blues' front office but backed off due to the steep asking price. Last month, Nick Kypreos reported that Doug Armstrong and co. were after the equivalent of three first-round picks to let go of the pivot. Today, D’Amico reports that the ask would be equivalent to four first-round picks.
On the latest episode of The Sick Podcast, Sportsnet’s Eric Engels says he believes a deal for Thomas would likely look like the one between the Vancouver Canucks and the Minnesota Wild for Quinn Hughes in which Vancouver received defenseman Zeev Buium (12th overall pick at the 2024 draft), center Marco Rossi (9th overall pick at the 2020 draft), winger Liam Ohgren (19th overall pick at the 2022 draft) and Minnesota’s first-round pick at the upcoming draft. In other words, four first-round pick players.
If that’s the asking price, the Canadiens could definitely meet it, as they have the assets, but D’Amico believes Armstrong would want highly touted prospect Michael Hage to be part of the deal, and the Habs are reluctant to part with the youngster. As you might recall, the Canadiens traded up with the Los Angeles Kings at the 2024 draft to select Hage with the 21st overall pick, as they were quite high on the player.
Since then, the youngster has put two solid seasons together in the NCAA, recording 34 points in 31 games in his rookie season with the University of Michigan, and he now has 45 points in 34 games in his sophomore season. Furthermore, at the latest World Junior Championship, he led the scoring race with 15 points in just seven games. Whether the Habs’ brass likes it or not, right now, Hage has the wow factor to make that deal happen.
Michael Hage with the shootout winner against Penn St.
At the end of the day, Tomas is an established first-line center in the NHL, and those rarely become available. President of hockey operations Jeff Gorton and GM Hughes have said in the past that they would be willing to overpay for the right piece that would make the Canadiens a contender. While some will say it’s still too early for that and the Habs may be in a better place a year from now, the fact is that Thomas is available now. He’s 26 years old and fits in the Canadiens’ core age group; he’s signed for another four seasons at just $8,125,000 per year. He’s coming off two 80+-point seasons, and while he’s having a disappointing season, who isn’t in St-Louis?
The dilemma then becomes, will Hage be a better center than Thomas if and when he reaches the NHL? There’s no way to know that. Winning the scoring race at the WJC doesn’t guarantee offensive success in the NHL. Ryan Poehling was second in scoring in 2019 and won the tournament MVP, and he’s currently the Anaheim Ducks’ third-line centre. Then again, Poehling didn’t benefit from the development team the Canadiens currently have.
If the Canadiens decided that Thomas is too good an opportunity to pass on, it looks like they will have to let Hage reluctantly go on top of adding multiple other pieces that may leave their prospect cupboard a bit bare. Ivan Demidov, Juraj Slafkovsky, and Cole Caufield are probably untouchables. Still, the likes of Oliver Kapanen (even though he was a second-round pick), David Reinbacher, and Alexander Zharovsky, who was an early second-round pick but is certainly worth a first now, could also be in play. It would take some serious magic from Hughes to manage to land Thomas without sacrificing Hage.
Darren Raddysh has come out of nowhere and put forth one of the best offensive seasons among all defensemen.
My Lightning vs. Wild predictions expect him to have another active performance against a Minnesota team that bleeds shots to his position.
Let’s dive deeper into my NHL picks for Tuesday, March 3.
Lightning vs Wild prediction
Lightning vs Wild best bet: Darren Raddysh Over 2.5 shots on goal (-125)
Darren Raddysh ranks third among defensemen in shot attempts and second in shots on target over the past 10 games. He cleared 2.5 SOG in nine of them, missing by one shot against the Panthers.
The volume should remain high against the Minnesota Wild. They rank dead-last in suppressing shots from defensemen and 30th defending Raddysh’s primary shooting zone over the last 10 games.
Raddysh has excelled in similar matchups with or without Victor Hedman in the lineup. He has registered 3+ shots in 10 of his last 12 games against Bottom-10 teams in shots allowed to blueliners.
Lightning vs Wild same-game parlay
Raddysh has hit the scoresheet in 16 of his last 20 games, piling up 27 total points. He has put forth more than twice as many multi-point efforts (nine) as zeros (four). He has also picked up a point in eight of the last 10 in which he’s generated 3+ shots.
Tampa Bay Lightning center Brayden Point has averaged 0.7 assists per game on a line with Jake Guentzel compared to 0.4 without. He has also assisted in four straight games with Guentzel riding shotgun, tallying five along the way.
Lightning vs Wild SGP
Darren Raddysh Over 2.5 shots on goal
Darren Raddysh Over 0.5 points
Brayden Point Over 0.5 assists
Lightning vs Wild odds
Moneyline: Tampa Bay -125 | Minnesota +105
Puck line: Tampa Bay -1.5 (+190) | Minnesota +1.5 (-230)
Over/Under: Over 6.5 (+110) | Under 6.5 (-130)
Lightning vs Wild trend
Darren Raddysh has gone Over 2.5 shots on goal in five consecutive road games. Find more NHL betting trends for Lightning vs. Wild.
How to watch Lightning vs Wild
Location
Grand Casino Arena, Saint Paul, MN
Date
Tuesday, March 3, 2026
Puck drop
9:30 p.m. ET
TV
TNT/HBO Max
Lightning vs Wild latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
Dougie Hamilton has been a one-man shooting gallery of late, clearing his 2.5 shot line in nine consecutive games.
My Panthers vs. Devils predictions expect the shots to continue flying against a Florida team he’s already gone Over twice against this season.
Let’s dive deeper into my NHL picks for Tuesday, March 3.
Panthers vs Devils prediction
Panthers vs Devils best bet: Dougie Hamilton Over 2.5 shots on goal (-140)
Dougie Hamiltonleads all NHL defensemen in both shots on goal (39) and shot attempts (79) over the last 10 games. He recorded at least three shots on target in nine of them.
While Luke Hughes returned to the New Jersey Devils lineup last time out, Hamilton still logged 21 minutes and maintained his role on the top power play.
That bodes well for his shot volume against the Florida Panthers. Hamilton has cleared 2.5 shots in 20 of the last 22 games when logging at least two minutes of power-play ice time, which is a common benchmark to clear skating on the top unit.
Panthers vs Devils same-game parlay
Arseny Gritsyuk is expected to skate on a line with Jack Hughes in tonight’s game. Gritsyuk hasn’t spent a ton of time on Jack’s wing, but his scoring chance rate with Hughes is higher than with any other player.
Gritsyuk is also playing on the top power play alongside Hughes and the team’s most dangerous weapons, making him a real threat to find the scoresheet.
Dougie Hamilton has generated 3+ shots in nine straight games against Florida. Find more NHL betting trends for Panthers vs. Devils.
How to watch Panthers vs Devils
Location
Prudential Center, Newark, NJ
Date
Tuesday, March 3, 2026
Puck drop
7:00 p.m. ET
TV
TNT/HBO Max
Panthers vs Devils latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
With 60 games already in the books, the upcoming final weeks of the regular season pose a question: Can the Kings take advantage of their soft schedule? If they have a switch to flip, now is the best time to do it.
The No. 3 seed in the Pacific Division is only five points ahead of the sixth seed, which is where Los Angeles sits right now, with a record of 24-22-14 and 62 points. Los Angeles' best option is to climb up to that fourth seed and overtake Edmonton and San Jose for the final playoff spot.
With their recent skid coming out of the Olympic break, it's certain now that Los Angeles is far from having home-ice advantage in the first round, something they achieved last season. However, things can also go south despite having the easiest schedule remaining. Because following their brutal loss to the very shorthanded Vegas Golden Knights out of the Olympic Break and their blowout loss to the Edmonton Oilers 8-1, easy games don't seem to matter for the Kings.
With little margin for error, the difference between a solid playoff standing position at that fourth spot and totally missing the postseason for the entire summer will be decided from every game here on out.
But, if the Kings want the result to happen, they will need to do something that they’re not nearly consistent at doing this year - beat below .500 teams. Los Angeles is 11-9-3 against teams under .500 this season, one game below .500 against teams that they're supposed to defeat.
Kings Strength of Schedule
Despite Los Angeles' strength of schedule, the Kings will face some stiff competition on the way to having the easiest remaining schedule. There are a handful of teams in the Western Conference who can spoil their hopes of qualifying for the playoffs. The Kraken, Mammoth, Oilers, and Nashville are all teams jockeying for playoff position.
The two teams in that division sandwiching them, the third seed and fourth seed, Edmonton and Seattle, are the only tough tests they will face. Now, meanwhile, in the central division, they will play Utah and Nashville twice, two teams also fighting for a playoff spot.
All five of those teams are bunched up in the Pacific and Central Divisions, so likely only two teams will get in, and four will remain out. The tiebreakers against Utah, Nashville, and Edmonton will play a critical role in deciding Los Angeles' fate.
For example, despite still having one game remaining against Seattle, the Kings have already lost the season series to the Kraken, so their final meeting won't mean much. Controversially, thanks to their wins against the Oilers and the Mammoth earlier in the season, those two games against Utah, and one remaining game against Edmonton, will all be critical.
The Oilers just blew out the Kings on Thursday, 8-1, to tie the season series 1-1. The final matchup will be on April 11 at home. Los Angeles beat Utah in their first matchup on Dec. 8, and will play them twice in a span of one week, beginning March 22 and March 28, with both matchups split between home and away.
While the Kings lost to the Predators back on October 25th in a shootout, their next two meetings will be in a span of four days, on April 2 and April 6, both at Crypto.com Arena.
It may sound like hyperbole, but this is why the Kings' entire season comes down to how they fare in those games against respected Western Conference teams. A proposition that feels ominous because on one hand, they have the easiest schedule remaining, but still struggle to beat below .500 teams and have those tough five Western Conference matchups that will most likely decide their outcome of reaching the playoffs.
But, despite their poor record, the Kings have shown the ability to beat contending teams in the league, including the Oilers, Vegas, and Dallas, but their inability to build on that success has been a problem.
Regardless of the reality of their situation, the Kings are about to be presented with an opportunity to change their narrative and, in the process, restore their belief that they can actually make it to the postseason.
While the Kings were never likely to make a deep run in the playoffs this year, if they got there, they could still give themselves the best odds by finding their groove right now. The very same teams they will have to leap in the standings are coming their way.
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If the Winnipeg Jets have any hopes of finding their way into the playoffs, they’re going to have to make serious hay as they kick off an eight-game homestand against the Chicago Blackhawks.
My Blackhawks vs. Jets predictions and NHL picks have Winnipeg taking care of road-weary Chicago on Tuesday, March 3.
Blackhawks vs Jets prediction
Blackhawks vs Jets best bet: Jets moneyline (-155)
The Winnipeg Jets face the reeling Chicago Blackhawks, who are wrapping up a five-game road trip with just a single win to show for it.
Chicago has just two wins in its last 10, and despite beating Winnipeg 2-0 on Jan 19, the Jets have owned this head-to-head, taking eight of the last 10.
The Hawks are 26th in scoring on the road, setting Winnipeg up for a promising start to this homestand.
Blackhawks vs Jets same-game parlay
Kyle Connor is just outside the Top 10 in shots on goal and should be busy peppering the Chicago net. He’s put up at least four shots on goal in four of his last eight against the Hawks, missing the Over by a single shot on goal on two other occasions.
Connor Bedard has scored five goals in his last seven and has lit the lamp twice in his last three games against the Jets. Even in a losing effort, I like the budding superstar to find twine, as his 55 points are 10 clear of his closest teammate (Tyler Bertuzzi) despite playing 10 fewer games.
The Blackhawks have only covered the Puck Line in 6 of their last 15 games (-9.35 Units / -38% ROI). Find more NHL betting trends for Blackhawks vs. Jets.
How to watch Blackhawks vs Jets
Location
Canada Life Centre, Winnipeg, MB
Date
Tuesday, March 3, 2026
Puck drop
8:00 p.m. ET
TV
TSN3, CHSN
Blackhawks vs Jets latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
Stars vs Flames best bet: Matt Coronato Over 2.5 shots on goal (+100)
Matt Coronato has been solid for the Calgary Flames this season, contributing 30 points overall. He’s averaging 2.53 shots on goal per game.
The 23-year-old is making things happen in the offensive end right now, despite the lack of points. Coronato has cashed the Over in shots on net in four of his last five appearances.
Coronato had four shots on target in a loss to the Ducks on Sunday. He also had another four shots on goal on Saturday against the Kings. Coronato is averaging 2.60 shots on goal per contest at home in 2025-26.
Stars vs Flames same-game parlay
Nazem Kadri has hit the Over in shots on goal in three straight contests. During that span, he’s notched 17 shots on target, including seven on Sunday in Anaheim.
Kadri is averaging 2.91 shots on goal this season.
Kadri has three points across his previous five outings, and considering just how many opportunities he’s creating, there’s a good chance he either scores or tallies an assist tonight.
He’s already registered two helpers in one game against the Dallas Stars this season.
Stars vs Flames SGP
Matt Coronato Over 2.5 shots on goal
Nazem Kadri Over 2.5 shots on goal
Nazem Kadri Over 0.5 points
Stars vs Flames odds
Moneyline: Stars -137 | Flames +114
Puck Line: Stars -1.5 | Flames +1.5
Over/Under: Over 5.5 | Under 5.5
Stars vs Flames trend
The Flames have covered the puck line in 17 of their last 25 games at home (+12.60 Units / 30% ROI). Find more NHL betting trends for Stars vs. Flames.
How to watch Stars vs Flames
Location
Scotiabank Saddledome, Calgary, AB
Date
Tuesday, March 3, 2026
Puck drop
9:00 p.m. ET
TV
SN1, Victory+
Stars vs Flames latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
The Florida Panthers are looking to pick up points as they try to make a late-season push toward a spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Time is running short for Florida, with only 22 games remaining in the regular season and an eight-point deficit to try and overcome.
The Cats have a great opportunity to quickly make up some ground in the coming days, but it won’t be easy as they’ll play three road games in the next four days, starting Tuesday in New Jersey.
Over the past month, the Devils have not had an easy stretch, winning just two of their past nine outings.
The Devils’ recent struggles have dropped them to next-to-last in the Eastern Conference, with 60 points through 60 games despite being a divisional playoff team last season.
Florida arrives in Newark coming off consecutive crushing defeats, one on home ice to the Buffalo Sabres in which a controversial goal was allowed and one on Long Island where the Panthers tied the game late only to give up a backbreaking goal in the final seconds.
One big positive for the Panthers was that they welcomed defenseman Dmitry Kulikov back into the lineup against the Islanders. Kulikov was hurt during the second game of the season and had been working his way back for several months.
Several other injured players, to include Tomas Nosek, Seth Jones and Jonah Gadjovich, are all on the road trip with the Panthers and could crack the lineup at any time.
Whether there is enough time for the Cats to make a final run at a playoff spot remains to be seen, but if they’re going to give it the old college try, they have to start making progress as soon as possible.
Here are the Panthers projected lines and pairings for Tuesday’s joust in New Jersey:
Carter Verhaeghe – Evan Rodrigues – Sam Reinhart
Mackie Samoskevich – Sam Bennett – Matthew Tkachuk
Photo caption: Nov 20, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers defenseman Niko Mikkola (77) moves the puck behind the net of New Jersey Devils goaltender Jake Allen (34) during the second period at Amerant Bank Arena. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)
We have 11 games on the NHL schedule this evening, and I’ve done my research to find the best NHL player props. I’ll include Martin Necas, Matt Boldy, and Matt Duchene.
Read more in my NHL picks for Tuesday, March 3.
Best NHL player prop bets today
Player
Necas Over 0.5 assists
-130
Boldy anytime goal
+125
Duchene Over 0.5 assists
+135
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Our best NHL player props for Tuesday, March 3
Take a look at our best bets and expert analysis below.
Prop #1: Martin Necas Over 0.5 assists
-130 at BET99
Martin Necas has been a stud for the Colorado Avalanche this season. He’s supplied 45 assists, which ranks Top 15 in the league.
Necas has compiled five helpers across his last four games, cashing the Over in assists in all but one contest since the break. The 27-year-old had two helpers on Monday evening in a victory over the Kings.
He has 20 assists in 28 road games, and the Avs visit the Ducks tonight.
Time: 10:00 p.m. ET
Where to watch: ALT, Victory+
Prop #2: Matt Boldy anytime goal
+125 at BET99
Matt Boldy scored Team USA’s opening goal in the gold medal game against Canada, and that was only fitting considering the type of campaign he’s having. The Minnesota Wild star is sitting second in the NHL in goals with 35.
The 24-year-old has found the back of the net in two of his last three appearances, and he’s already scored three goals since the Olympic break, building on his huge goal in the final.
The Wild welcome the Lightning to town this evening, and Boldy has netted 15 goals in 30 home games.
Time: 9:30 p.m. ET
Where to watch: TNT
Prop #3: Matt Duchene Over 0.5 assists
+135 at BET99
Matt Duchene hasn’t put up huge numbers this season, but in fairness, he’s only suited up 35 times.
Regardless, Duchene has 12 goals and 12 assists. He’s cashed the Over in helpers in four of his last five outings dating back to the start of February.
The veteran had a goal and an assist in a huge win over the Canucks on Monday night. The Stars are in Calgary this evening to face the Flames.
Last season, Duchene had three assists in three meetings with Calgary.
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
Since the Olympics ended, the Blackhawks are 1-2-0. A lot has been made of the Chicago Blackhawks' scoring depth during this stretch.
In the two losses, they scored a combined 3 goals, two of which came off the stick of Connor Bedard. In the one win, they scored four, and Bedard had none of them.
In all of the games, win or lose, the goaltending has been excellent. In the first game against the Nashville Predators, Spencer Knight allowed 3 goals on 25 shots.
Against Colorado on Saturday, he allowed 2 goals on 34 shots. One day later, Arvid Soderblom blanked the Utah Mammoth, the first shutout of his NHL career. In the victory, Soderblom made 22 saves.
Nashville and Colorado each had an empty-net goal, which is obviously not placed on the goaltenders. Knight and Soderblom combined to allow just 5 goals on 81 shots.
That type of goaltending performance between two guys will cut it in the NHL. Lack of scoring is the reason the Blackhawks went 1-2-0 with this level of goalie play.
Moving forward, the Blackhawks need this to continue from their goalies. That much pressure shouldn’t be put on them, but it’s the reality of the situation. This young team relies on the netminders more than a veteran team that is seasoned to winning.
Spencer Knight, whom the Blackhawks acquired in the Seth Jones trade, has emerged as a number-one goalie in the NHL. He still has some things to improve in his game, but the tools are there for him to be a star. The team in front of him getting better certainly won’t hurt either.
As for Soderblom, he has had an up-and-down season. The low points were not great, but there have been some really good outings as well, including his first career shutout over the weekend. For the rest of the year, you can expect him to play one of every three games or one half of any back-to-back situation.
Drew Commesso is doing well in the AHL, but he is unlikely to carve out a role in the NHL full-time this season. He should be allowed to compete for Knight’s backup job next year.
They could also use him as trade bait at some point as well. Either way, the Blackhawks haven’t had super-elite goaltending all year, but it is far from the problem, especially when Knight is on top of his game.
If this post-Olympic run continues, the Blackhawks will have a strong record-wise finish, which will spark expectations coming into next year.
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Nashville Predators - 27-25-8 - 62 Points - 3-3-4 in the last 10 - Lost 1 - 5th in the Central.
Columbus Blue Jackets - 30-21-8 - 68 Points - 8-1-1 in the last 10 - Won 1 - 5th in the Metro.
Team Notes Per CBJ PR
Columbus began its 12th back-to-back set of the season with a 5-4 OT win at the NY Rangers on Monday. The club is 15-5-3 (.717 pts. pct.) in back-to-backs this season.
CBJ, who play four-straight at home, have recorded points in nine of 10 games played at Nationwide Arena in 2026 (7-1-2).
Last night's contest at New York began a stretch of eight games in 13 days, including two back-to-back sets, through Mar. 14.
Since Dec. 22, the Blue Jackets have gone 16-6-2 (34 pts, .708 points pct.) and rank fourth in the NHL in points percentage (.708) and penalty kill pct. (84.1), sixth in points (34), seventh in save percentage (.906) and goals-against/game (2.71) as well as 10th-T in goals for/game (3.46).
The club has scored the opening goal in 13 of the past 15 games and has scored first 37 times in 2025-26 (25-7-5).
Player Notes Per CBJ PR
Charlie Coyle posted two assists at New York and has tallied 5-10-15 and five multi-point efforts in the last nine games.
Adam Fantilli, who registered 1-1-2 at the Rangers, has recorded goals in three consecutive games (3-2-5), points in four-straight (3-3-6), and has totaled 4-7-11 in the past nine contests.
Kirill Marchenko notched his team-leading fourth multi-goal outing of the season with 2-1-3, including the OT winner, at the Rangers. He has collected points in six of his past seven contests since Jan. 24 (4-5-9).
Mason Marchment scored his 10th goal as a Blue Jacket on Saturday vs. the Islanders and required the fewest games by any player to reach the mark with the franchise (10-6-16, 16 GP).
Mathieu Olivier has totaled 5-2-7 in the last eight contests.
Zach Werenski, who missed last night's game due to illness, set a franchise record for defensemen with points in nine- straight games (2-11-13). He also has points in 22 of his past 24 games played since Dec. 11 (11-24-35, 11 multi-point efforts).
Blue Jackets Stats
Power Play - 20.1% - 16th in the NHL
Penalty Kill - 77.6% - 22nd in the NHL
Goals For - 184 - 17th in the NHL
Goals Against - 188 - 22nd in the NHL
PredatorsStats
Power Play - 22.6% - 10th in the NHL
Penalty Kill - 80.0% - 13th in the NHL
Goals For - 172 - 22nd in the NHL
Goals Against - 207 - 30th in the NHL
Series History vs. ThePredators
Columbus is 32-58-1-13 all-time, and 23-21-0-6 at home vs. Nashville.
CBJ have also won four of the last five games played at Nationwide Arena and picked up points in seven of the past nine at home since Jan. 10, 2019 (6-2-1).
The home team in the series has won four consecutive meetings and gone 17-3-1 in the last 21 matchups since Apr. 7, 2018.
Four of the past six meetings have been decided by a single goal.
The winning team in the series has scored four goals or more in three of the last four meetings and eight of the previous 11 matchups (including SO goals).
Columbus has killed off 21-of-24 Nashville power play attempts over the last seven contests (87.5 pct.) and gone 27-of-32 on the penalty kill in the last 10 matchups overall (84.4 pct.).
Who To Watch For ThePredators
Steven Stamkos leads the Preds with 30 goals
Ryan O'Reilly leads the team with 37 assists and 58 points.
Juuse Saros is 21-18-6 with a SV% of .892.
Back-up Justus Annunen is 6-7-2 with a SV% of .893. His last start was on February 26th.
CBJ Player Notes vs.Predators
Jet Greaves is 0-2-0 with a GAA of 4.04 vs. the Predators.
Boone Jenner has 14 points in 25 games.
Mason Marchment has 12 points in 17 games against Nashville.
Injured Reserve
Brendan Smith - Lower Body - Missed 21 Games IR - Out for the rest of the regular season.
***Zach Werenski missed the last game due to illness.
TOTAL MAN GAMES LOST: 159
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ST. PAUL, Minn. — The NHL announced on Monday the three stars of the week. New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer, Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Arturs Silovs and Minnesota Wild winger Matt Boldy have been named the NHL’s “Three Stars” presented by GEICO for the week ending March 1.
Boldy, 24, fresh off winning a gold medal with the United States at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, led the NHL with three goals, four assists and seven points in three games for the Wild.
Boldy has points in nine consecutive games dating to Jan. 24 (8-10—18). He is second in the NHL with 35 goals and sits ninth with 69 points through 57 games this season (35-34—69).
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Necas Over 0.5 assists
Boldy anytime goal
Duchene Over 0.5 assists
