This article is part of our NHL Picks series.
NHL Best Bets & Picks: Islanders vs Oilers & Maple Leafs vs Golden Knights – Expert Game Previews
The National Hockey League (NHL) has 10 total games scheduled for Thursday, including a doubleheader on ESPN. The Philadelphia Flyers and Pittsburgh Penguins meet at 7 p.m. EST in the first leg of the nationally-televised double dip, while the Toronto Maple Leafs and Vegas Golden Knights meet at 9:30 p.m. EST.
We'll provide single plays and parlay opportunities you could potentially pair with Thursday's NBA and/or NCAA basketball action. Good luck with all of your plays! Let's get started.
Top up your bankroll thanks to sportsbook promos like this BetMGM bonus code offering $1,500 in bonus bets.
For the latest NHL Odds, including NHL Futures and NHL player props, visit RotoWire's NHL Betting page. For up-to-date NHL player news and NHL Injury Report info, head to RotoWire's NHL Lineups page. You can find more picks at Bookies.com/picks. Here are our NHL Best Bets today, featuring expert NHL picks for an action-packed slate of games.
New York Islanders 
at Edmonton Oilers 
The Islanders (25-16-5) and Oilers (23-16-8) meet at Rogers Place at 9 p.m. EST in one of the more intriguing games of the evening.
Edmonton has gone to the Stanley Cup Final in the past two seasons, but old-school hockey fans remember when both the Oilers and Islanders met for all the marbles twice in the early 1980's. The Islanders swept the Oilers in the 1983 Stanley Cup Final for their fourth consecutive championship. However, in 1984, Wayne Gretzky and the Oilers denied the Islanders "one for the thumb", winning in five games in the franchise's first of five Cups.
The Islanders are looking to get back to those glory days, and they've had a resurgent season behind Matthew Schaefer. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft has scored 13 goals with 30 points with a plus-9 rating across 46 games, including six goals and 13 points on the power play.
New York heads into this game with points in eight of the past 11 games, going 6-3-2 in the span. The Islanders have netted four or more goals in four of the past five games, averaging 4.4 goals per game (GPG) in the span, while allowing 3.4 GPG in the past three. The Over has cashed in five of the past six outings.
Edmonton is coming off a 4-3 overtime loss in Nashville on Tuesday, but the Oilers are 3-0-2 in the past five outings. The Oilers have scored three or more goals in five in a row, and they're averaging 3.5 GPG in the past 14 outings, while allowing three or more goals in nine of those games. The Over is 6-1 in the past seven games.
The good news for the Oilers is that Tristan Jarry returned Tuesday from a nearly month-long lower-body issue. He allowed four goals on 27 shots in the Music City, exhibiting a little bit of rust.
Connor Ingram (4-2-1, 2.70 GAA, .903 SV%) is confirmed to start; however, as Jarry won't be pushed too far, too soon. He'll be opposed by Ilya Sorokin (14-11-2, 2.57 GAA, .911 SV%, 4 SO). Sorokin allowed five goals last time out in Winnipeg, stopping just 17 of 22 shots. He has allowed three or fewer goals in five of his past six starts and 18 of the past 20 outings.
The Islanders won 4-2 in the first meeting on Long Island as moderate underdogs (+140) back on Oct. 16 as the Under (6.5) cashed. The home team has won eight of the past nine meetings, and the Under is 7-1-1 in that span. Let's go with the Oilers and Under, based on the series trends.
- Oilers ML (-160 at BetMGM and Caesars Sportsbook)
- Under 6.5 (-110 at Bet365, BetMGM, Caesars and Fanatics Sportsbook)
Don't make any bets on your favorite sports betting apps without first consulting the latest NHL odds.
Toronto Maple Leafs 
at Vegas Golden Knights 
The Maple Leafs (23-16-7) and Golden Knights (22-11-12) meet at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas at 9:30 p.m. EST on ESPN.
The home team won both meetings last season, with Vegas posting a 5-2 win at T-Mobile Arena as moderate favorites (-170) as the Over (6) cashed on March 5.
This will be the first game for RW Mitch Marner against his former team. He spent his first nine seasons in a Maple Leafs sweater, but he went to Vegas in a sign-and-trade deal in the offseason prior to free agency. He has 11 goals and 36 assists this season, including two goals and seven points in the past five outings.
Toronto was cooking along, going 8-0-2 in 10 games from Dec. 23-Jan. 12, including a 4-3 OTW in Colorado on Monday. However, the Maple Leafs were crushed 6-1 on Tuesday in the second end of a back-to-back, as Dennis Hildeby was worked over. The red-hot Joseph Woll (11-4-2, 2.54 GAA, .920 SV%, 2 SO) is back in there in Vegas on Thursday.
Vegas heads into play with five consecutive wins, while going 5-0-1 in the past six outings. The Over is 5-3 in the past eight games.
We'll side with VGK to get the job done, and let's go high on the total, but go lightly on that.
- Golden Knights ML (-138 at FanDuel Sportsbook)
- Over 6 (-120 at Bet365, BetMGM and Caesars Sportsbooks)
Parlay Strategy and Super Parlay Picks for NHL Betting Slates
4-Leg NHL Super Parlay (+843 at FanDuel Sportsbook)
- Oilers ML (-172) vs. Islanders
- Under 6.5 (-114) - Oilers vs. Islanders
- Over 6.5 (+104) - Golden Knights vs. Maple Leafs
- Golden Knights ML (-138) vs. Maple Leafs
2-Leg NHL Sides Parlay (+172 at FanDuel Sportsbook)
- Oilers ML (-172) vs. Islanders
- Golden Knights ML (-138) vs. Maple Leafs
2-Leg NHL Totals Parlay (+282 at FanDuel Sportsbook)
- Under 6.5 (-114) - Oilers vs. Islanders
- Over 6.5 (+104) - Golden Knights vs. Maple Leafs
