4 Best NHL Bets for Thursday 3/12/26

It's a busy Thursday night in the NHL as there are 14 games.

What are the best NHL odds to target at FanDuel Sportsbook?

Let's take a look.

NHL odds from FanDuel Sportsbook and may change after this article is published.

Today's NHL Best Bets

Boston Bruins Moneyline (-156) vs. San Jose Sharks

Goaltending edge is real

• The Boston Bruins have Jeremy Swayman confirmed.
• The San Jose Sharks are expected to start Yaroslav Askarov.
• Confirmed starters matter greatly in NHL betting.

San Jose is missing important pieces

• Sharks injury list includes Logan Couture (IR) and Ty Dellandrea (IR), with William Eklund listed day-to-day. That’s meaningful center depth missing against a Bruins team that can roll lines.

Boston’s top-end playmaking is trending up

• David Pastrnak over his last 10 games: 19 points (2 goals, 17 assists). Even when Boston isn’t scoring in bunches, that type of production tends to tilt close games.

Why the Bruins win: Boston has the more reliable goalie situation and the healthier roster tonight. Plus, their best creator is in a strong last-10 rhythm.

Carolina Hurricanes -1.5 (-114) vs. St. Louis Blues

The matchup is lopsided on paper

• The Carolina Hurricanes are listed as a massive favorite over the St. Louis Blues on the moneyline (-285), highlighting the Hurricanes' superiority.

Carolina’s top line is producing

• Sebastian Aho last 10 games: 10 points (6G, 4A). When Aho is scoring like this, Carolina’s win outcomes can skew more toward multi-goal wins.

St. Louis enters with lineup volatility

• Robert Thomas listed day to day, and that’s the kind of status that can swing offensive consistency. If he’s limited or scratched, the Blues’ scoring depth gets thin fast.

Why the 'Canes cover: Carolina’s current form at the top of the lineup plus St. Louis’ uncertainty makes the puck line a nice value option.

Minnesota Wild -1.5 (+118) vs. Philadelphia Flyers

Goalie + home-ice stability

• The Minnesota Wild have Jesper Wallstedt confirmed.
• The Philadelphia Flyers are expected to start Dan Vladar.

Minnesota’s offensive drivers are trending

• Kirill Kaprizov last 10 games: 15 points (4G, 11A). When Kaprizov is stacking points, Minnesota’s ceiling outcomes rise, giving them a better chance to cover the puck line.

Flyers’ injury list trims depth

• Philly has multiple names listed out/IR, including Ryan Ellis (IR), Rodrigo Abols (IR) and Tyson Foerster (IR). That’s not always headline talent, but it impacts rotation quality and special-teams options.

Why the Wild cover: Minnesota has the cleaner lineup picture and the hotter superstar profile — two ingredients that usually correlate with sizable wins.

Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Vegas Golden Knights Under 6.5 (-130)

This game has “patchwork lineup” written all over it

• The Pittsburgh Penguins' injury list includes Sidney Crosby (IR) and Filip Hallander (IR).
• The Vegas Golden Knights are missing major pieces, too: Mark Stone (IR), Jonas Rondbjerg (IR), plus others on long-term IR.

Recent context supports a lower-scoring script

• These teams just played recently, and Pittsburgh won, 5–0, in that prior meeting, a result that often reinforces a “defensive/goalie-driven” rematch dynamic (Vegas trying to tighten, Pittsburgh missing star offensive pieces).

Market total is already suppressed

• With this many high-end scorers unavailable, the under makes sense at this higher number.

Why the under wins: Injuries + game environment. Missing elite finishing talent on both sides is the cleanest pathway to an under.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.