NHL March 8, 2026

The Penguins are slight home favorites here, but this game comes with a massive asterisk: Sidney Crosby is on injured reserve with an estimated return of March 26. Playing without the franchise center completely changes the equation in Pittsburgh. Crosby is the engine that makes the Penguins' offense function at a high level, and his absence forces the coaching staff to reconfigure lines and redistribute ice time in ways that can leave the team looking disjointed. Pittsburgh at 31-17-14 (76 points) has been remarkably consistent this season despite several key injuries, but losing Crosby is a different animal entirely.

Boston at 35-22-5 (75 points) arrives in Pittsburgh with essentially a full lineup, which makes the BOS +105 moneyline look like a spot worth examining. The Bruins are just one point behind the Penguins in the standings, and they've been a solid road team this season. Without Crosby anchoring Pittsburgh's top line, Boston's depth and defensive structure should be able to neutralize whatever the Penguins throw at them. The Bruins have been playing competitive hockey all season, and getting plus-money on the road against a team missing its best player is the kind of line that tends to attract sharp interest.

The 5.5 total is the lowest on the board alongside the Stars-Blackhawks and Wings-Devils games, and it makes sense without Crosby in the lineup. Pittsburgh's offensive ceiling drops significantly, and Boston isn't a team that gets into track meets. This has the feel of a tight, grinding game where special teams could be the deciding factor. Pittsburgh also has Caleb Jones and Jack St. Ivany on IR, so the blue line depth is being tested alongside the forward group. The PIT -1.5 at +200 feels steep for a team missing its captain and heart.

Dallas at 38-14-10 (86 points) is a legitimate contender in the Western Conference, but the injury bug has been absolutely relentless. Mikko Rantanen is on IR with an estimated return of March 21, Roope Hintz is out until April, Tyler Seguin is done for the season, and Radek Faksa is also on IR. That's a staggering amount of firepower and depth removed from the lineup, and it's a testament to the Stars' organizational depth that they're still sitting at 86 points despite these losses. The DAL -270 moneyline tells you the market still respects Dallas' talent advantage, but the margin for error has shrunk considerably.

Chicago at 23-29-10 (56 points) isn't going anywhere this season, and the Blackhawks are firmly in the bottom third of the league standings. This is a team in development mode, giving young players opportunities to grow and figure out what the NHL looks like on a nightly basis. Spencer Knight is day-to-day in goal, adding another layer of uncertainty for Chicago. But here's where it gets interesting: the Stars' depleted forward group makes this a much more competitive game than the moneyline suggests. Dallas has to lean on its depth pieces and defensive structure rather than overwhelming opponents with star power right now.

The DAL -1.5 at -105 is aggressively juiced for a team missing that many key players, and the 5.5 total is the lowest on the board alongside two other games. Without Rantanen and Hintz generating offense, the Stars are leaning more heavily on defense and goaltending to grind out results. Chicago might not have the talent to win, but they absolutely have the ability to keep this within a goal. The Blackhawks have shown fight throughout the season despite their record, and low-event games against depleted rosters are exactly where underdogs tend to hang around.

This is an absolute pick'em, with both teams sitting at -110 on the moneyline, and the talent gap between these two clubs makes that pricing fascinating. Detroit at 35-21-7 (77 points) is having a terrific season and sits comfortably in the playoff picture, while New Jersey at 24-30-8 (56 points) has been one of the league's biggest disappointments. The Devils entered the season with high expectations after their investment in talent, but the results simply haven't materialized. So why is this a coin flip? Home-ice advantage and the Red Wings' injury situation provide the answer.

Dylan Larkin is out for Detroit with an estimated return of March 10. Losing your captain and top center on the road is significant, and it forces the Red Wings to adjust their lineup in ways that can affect both the power play and the overall offensive tempo. David Perron is also on IR, further thinning the forward group. The Devils, meanwhile, are missing Brett Pesce on the blue line and Stefan Noesen up front, but their core is largely intact. New Jersey's season has been disappointing, but there's still talent on this roster, and in a one-off game at home against a shorthanded opponent, the market is telling you that talent matters.

The 5.5 total and the NJ -1.5 at +220 suggest a low-scoring, tightly contested game. Detroit's defense has been one of the better stories of the season, and even without Larkin, they have the structure to keep games close. But winning on the road without your captain is a tall order in any league, and the Devils at home, playing with desperation knowing their season is slipping away, could find an extra gear. This is a tricky spot for Detroit, and the market is right to price it as a pure toss-up.

Anaheim at 35-24-3 (73 points) has been one of the surprise stories of the 2025-26 season, and the Ducks are firmly in the Pacific Division playoff picture. This is a franchise that was deep in rebuild mode not long ago, and the rapid development of their young core has accelerated the timeline dramatically. However, the Ducks are dealing with some health concerns of their own: Troy Terry (day-to-day), Mikael Granlund (IR, estimated return March 8), and John Carlson (out until March 10) are all on the injury report. If Terry and Granlund can return for this one, Anaheim's lineup gets a significant boost. The loss of Petr Mrazek for the season in goal is a factor that's been looming all year.

St. Louis at 24-29-9 (57 points) is in a similar spot to several of the bottom-tier teams on this slate. The season hasn't gone according to plan, and the Blues are playing out the string while trying to develop and identify pieces for the future. Colton Parayko is day-to-day on the blue line with an estimated return of March 8, so he may or may not be in the lineup. Even at full strength, the talent gap between these two clubs is significant, and the ANA -175 moneyline reflects a home team that should be able to handle a struggling visitor.

The 6.5 total is tied for the highest on Sunday's slate, suggesting both teams play a style that generates chances and goals. Anaheim's young forwards are fun to watch and attack with speed, while St. Louis doesn't exactly shut down opponents with their defensive structure. If Granlund and Terry return, the Ducks' offensive upside gets even higher. The ANA -1.5 at +145 is where value hunters will look, because this is a spot where the Ducks should be able to separate late if they're playing at home with their full lineup available.