NHL Best Bets Tonight: 5 Expert Predictions to Get You Pumped (Thursday, February 8)

Check out our NHL best bets tonight for Thursday, February 8 – our top hockey picks and predictions.

The Action Network's hockey experts have compiled their favorite betting picks for tonight's NHL slate, which we've also covered in depth with our individual NHL game guides.

However, for our NHL best bets tonight, we're targeting three games specifically from the eight-game lineup.

Tonight's NHL Best Bets include a player prop, a puck line, and a total. They include some marquee matchups with the Panthers vs. Flyers and first-place Avalanche vs. Devils, among others.

Below, check out our experts' predictions and picks for those games and tail along with their action.

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NHL Best Bets

The team logos in the table below represent each of the matchups that our NHL betting staff is targeting from today's slate of games. Click on the team logos for any of the matchups below to navigate to a specific bet discussed in this article.

Game	Time (ET)	Pick
	7 p.m.	Panthers Over 3.5 Team Goals (-130)
	7 p.m.	Yegor Sharangovich Anytime Goalscorer (+210)
	7 p.m.	Tyson Foerster Anytime Goalscorer (+400)
	8 p.m.	Over 6.5 (+105)
	9 p.m.	Golden Knights -1.5 (+188)
Specific betting recommendations come from the sportsbook offering preferred odds as of writing. Always shop for the best price using our NHL Odds page, which automatically surfaces the best lines for every game.

Thursday, February 8

7 p.m. ET

ESPN+

Panthers Over 3.5 Team Goals (-130)

By Brian Paget

These two teams are headed in opposite directions. While the Florida Panthers continue to surge, the Washington Capitals continue to sink.

As Florida’s slow start to the season looks increasingly like a blip, Washington’s hot start appears to have been a mirage.

Since the new year, the Capitals’ game has continued to slip. Their inability to score is well-documented, but their defensive play has unraveled too. Over this stretch, Washington’s 2.76 xGA/60 at 5-on-5 is fourth-worst in the NHL.

This is simply not a good team right now.

After the Panthers were held to just one goal by the Philadelphia Flyers in their return from the All-Star break, I see this as a prime bounce-back spot for the Panthers’ offense. Washington’s anticipated starting goalie, Darcy Kuemper, owns a 3.19 GAA and a .892 save percentage, and the Capitals’ penalty kill ranks in the bottom half of the league.

The Capitals have allowed at least five goals in each of their last four games. I’ve got the Panthers scoring at least four in this one.

Pick: Panthers Over 3.5 Team Goals (-130)

Thursday, February 8

7 p.m. ET

ESPN+

Yegor Sharangovich Anytime Goalscorer (+210)

By Tony Sartori

The New Jersey Devils host the Calgary Flames in the early window of Thursday's NHL slate in what is expected to be a high-scoring affair with the total set at 6.5.

Part of the reason for this high number is that goaltender Nico Daws is expected to draw the start for New Jersey, and he should be a good fade candidate.

Through eight starts in the crease this season, Daws is 3-5 with a .895 SV% and 3.43 GAA. He's allowed three or more goals in each of his past three starts, going 0-3 with a .836 SV% and 5.10 GAA in the process.

Now, while Daws has been terrible, the blue line in front of him has not made his job any easier. At 5-on-5, the Devils rank in the bottom half of the league in expected goals against per 60 minutes (xGA/60).

With this combination of poor defensive play and goaltending, it is not shocking that they rank 29th in the league in goals allowed per game. Not only does New Jersey surrender high-danger scoring chances at a high clip at even-strength, but it also ranks 18th in penalty kill percentage.

That brings us to Yegor Sharangovich, who is priced at +210 via FanDuel to find the back of the net in this contest. He's had a tremendous January, scoring nine goals over his past 13 games.

Sharangovich now co-leads the team in both goals scored and power-play goals scored, which bodes well for him against a team like the Devils. Speaking of which, he scored in his lone career game against New Jersey back in December.

Pick: Yegor Sharangovich Anytime Goalscorer (+210)

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Thursday, February 8

7 p.m. ET

ESPN+

Tyson Foerster Anytime Goalscorer (+400)

By Grant White

The Philadelphia Flyers control their playoff destiny in the Metropolitan Division and can use Thursday's inter-conference battle against the Winnipeg Jets to insulate their position.

Philadelphia has built its success on its young, up-and-coming roster, but we're expecting one of the lesser-known players to make the biggest impact at Wells Fargo Center.

Tyson Foerster has cemented himself as the pre-eminent analytics darling for the Flyers. The rookie winger leads all players (min. 350 minutes played) in expected goals-for rating with a 57.5% mark at 5-on-5. Moreover, he ranks top seven on the Flyers in scoring and high-danger chances despite starting just 47.0% of his shifts in the attacking zone.

Of course, that's without considering his elite special teams metrics. Factoring in his time across all strengths, Foerster's expected goals-for rating jumps to 64.3%, and he inches up the scoring and high-danger chance rankings.

Still, Foerster is coming up short relative to expected metrics, putting together a 60.8% actual goals-for rating and below-average .996 PDO.

As such, the Flyers winger is a natural progression candidate, and we're backing him as an anytime goalscorer against the Jets.

Pick: Tyson Foerster Anytime Goalscorer (+400)

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Thursday, February 8

8 p.m. ET

ESPN+

Over 6.5 (+105)

By Nicholas Martin

The Carolina Hurricanes have trended relatively low in terms of recent totals, which is part of why we are getting a better number on the over than we typically would for an Avalanche game.

Carolina has generated 3.43 xGF/60 over its last 10 games. That sample is compiled of many matchups against excellent defensive sides – or notably, low-event teams like the Coyotes.

The Avalanche's lack of depth down the roster has made it a quietly modest side in terms of chance suppression recently. Their 3.32 xGA/60 over the last 10 is the 11th-highest mark in the league, which is logical as away from the big stars the roster has some holes.

(Hockey bettors: North Carolina sports betting will soon be online. Get the latest news here.)

Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, Mikko Rantanen and company will usually find a way to generate some offense versus any competition though. The Hurricanes are obviously an excellent defensive team, but I think the Avs stars can get theirs offensively here.

Particularly if Antti Raanta or Pyotr Kochetkov were to let in a few softies, which has been a common theme this season. It's unclear who will start tonight, but neither of the two holds a save % above .898.

I was hoping we'd get a total of 6, but we can take the Over 6.5 down to -105.

Pick: Over 6.5 (+105)

Thursday, February 8

9 p.m. ET

ESPN+

Golden Knights -1.5 (+184)

By Ryan Dadoun

Arizona has made strides this campaign, but the Coyotes with their 23-22-3 record still have plenty of growing to do.

The offense, in particular, needs work. They do have Clayton Keller, who leads the team with 20 goals and 45 points through 48 contests, but they have very little else in terms of scoring threats, and Arizona consequently is tied for 21st offensively with 2.94 goals per game. That’s gotten even worse recently, with the Coyotes ranking 27th with 2.54 goals per game dating back to the start of 2024.

Vegas is 13th overall with 3.18 goals per game, so its offense isn’t the best either, but it’s enough to get the job done. The Coyotes need to be especially worried about Vegas’ line of Ivan Barbashev, Jonathan Marchessault and Nicolas Roy.

Each member of that trio has recorded at least 11 points over the last seven games, making them one of the hottest units in the league.

None of them is the Golden Knights’ centerpiece, though. Instead, that would be Adin Hill. Injury troubles have kept him out of the Vezina Trophy conversation, but he’s been the NHL’s best goaltender when healthy, posting a 13-2-2 record, 1.88 GAA and .938 save percentage across 18 contests.

Since returning on Jan. 23, Hill has won three starts while saving 106 of 111 shots (.955 save percentage). If he gets the nod versus Arizona, it will be hard for that Coyotes offense to solve him.

At the other end of the ice, Connor Ingram is expected to start. Although Ingram is having a fine season overall with a 17-11-1 record, 2.61 GAA and .916 save percentage in 32 outings, he’s struggled recently, allowing nine goals on 76 shots (.882 save percentage) over his past two appearances.

It’s not just Ingram, though. Arizona as a whole has won just four of its last 13 games. With the Coyotes slumping that badly, and with Hill healthy, I’m anticipating the 30-15-6 Golden Knights win this contest decisively.

Play the Vegas puck line (-1.5) down to +160.

Pick: Golden Knights -1.5 (+188)

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