March 09, 2026 brings an intriguing slate of five NHL matchups with several compelling storylines. The Ottawa Senators continue their impressive run as heavy favorites against the struggling Vancouver Canucks, while the Columbus Blue Jackets look to maintain their strong form against a Los Angeles Kings team searching for consistency. We'll break down all five games with our advanced analytics-driven NHL predictions today.
Los Angeles Kings @ Columbus Blue Jackets
The Kings arrive in Columbus looking to snap out of a troubling stretch, sitting at 3-6-1 with just two wins in their last five games. Despite reasonable underlying numbers—a 49.84 CF% and 52.32 xGF%—Los Angeles has struggled to convert scoring chances into wins, suggesting either goaltending issues or poor execution in high-danger areas. Backup Darcy Kuemper draws the start and will need to be sharp against a Blue Jackets team that's been one of the Eastern Conference's pleasant surprises this season.
Columbus enters this matchup with a commanding 7-1-2 record and three wins in their last five, demonstrating the consistency that's made them one of the league's toughest opponents. While their shot metrics are nearly identical to Los Angeles (49.92 CF%, 50.0 xGF%), the Blue Jackets have converted their chances at a higher rate. Joonas Greaves has been an absolute workhorse in net with a 20-12-7 record, providing Columbus with the goaltending stability that separates contenders from pretenders.
WP Hockey Predictor's Pick: The Columbus Blue Jackets are favored at 54.2% to win this matchup, with the Los Angeles Kings at 45.8%. The combination of Columbus's superior recent form and Greaves' goaltending advantage makes the Blue Jackets the lean in this one.
New York Rangers @ Philadelphia Flyers
The Rangers continue to underwhelm at 3-5-2, and their underlying numbers tell the story of a team struggling to generate quality chances. A 46.84 CF% and 44.61 xGF% suggest New York is being outworked consistently, which hasn't been masked by exceptional goaltending. Igor Shesterkin carries a respectable 19-12-6 record but will face a Flyers team on the upswing with four wins in their last five games.
Philadelphia's home crowd and recent momentum provide a significant edge in this matchup. The Flyers' 46.79 CF% is nearly identical to New York's, but their 47.31 xGF% shows they're creating more dangerous scoring opportunities. Backup goalie Daniil Vladar (20-10-6) continues to provide excellent value, and the Flyers' four-win stretch demonstrates they're capable of stringing together consecutive victories. This is a team starting to find its identity under pressure.
WP Hockey Predictor's Pick: Philadelphia is favored at 54.4% to win, with New York at 45.6%. The Flyers' home-ice advantage combined with recent form and slightly superior expected goals creation make them the mathematically favored side.
Calgary Flames @ Washington Capitals
This matchup represents the tightest contest on today's slate, with both teams hovering around 50% in our free NHL picks analysis. The Calgary Flames sit at 4-5-1 with just one win in their last five games, suggesting a team in transition. Their shot metrics are respectable at 48.92 CF% and 48.34 xGF%, but inconsistent execution has plagued them. Daric Wolf draws the start in goal and will need to make timely saves against a Capitals team that's slowly climbing the Eastern Conference standings.
Washington's 6-4-0 record reflects a team that's found some stability after an earlier rough patch. Two wins in their last five isn't explosive, but the Capitals maintain solid underlying numbers at 48.41 CF% and 48.36 xGF%. Logan Thompson has settled into the starter's role with a 21-18-4 record, providing Washington with the depth they need. This is genuinely a pick-'em situation in the strictest sense.
WP Hockey Predictor's Pick: Washington receives a marginal edge at 50.5% to win, with Calgary at 49.5%. This is essentially a toss-up that could easily go either direction—perfect for bettors seeking value in underdog pricing on the Flames.
Utah Mammoth @ Chicago Blackhawks
Utah comes into the United Center as one of the day's strongest favorites, and the analytics back it up decisively. The Mammoth are 6-4-0 with four wins in their last five, representing a team firing on all cylinders. Their 49.02 CF% and 49.3 xGF% translate to actual wins, thanks in large part to Kubalik Vejmelka's masterful goaltending (30-16-2 record). This is the kind of team that makes runs deep into the playoffs.
Chicago presents a stark contrast as one of the league's worst teams at 2-6-2, and they're playing on the second leg of a back-to-back disadvantage. The Blackhawks' 44.25 CF% and dismal 40.5 xGF% tell the story of a team being outhustled night after night. Goaltender Silent Knight (16-18-8) has struggled significantly, creating a perfect storm of poor execution and weak netminding. Utah should control this game from start to finish.
WP Hockey Predictor's Pick: Utah Mammoth are heavy favorites at 53.5% to win, with Chicago at 46.5%. The combination of Utah's elite goaltending, superior analytics, and Chicago's back-to-back disadvantage makes this Utah's game to lose.
Ottawa Senators @ Vancouver Canucks
Ottawa represents the single most dominant team on today's slate, and their matchup against Vancouver is the day's most one-sided affair. The Senators sit at an impressive 7-1-2 with three wins in their last five, but their underlying numbers are genuinely elite: a 54.1 CF% and a league-leading 61.65 xGF% that suggests they're controlling games at both ends of the ice. This is a team generating dangerous chances at an alarming rate and converting them efficiently.
Vancouver's struggles are well-documented at 2-5-3, and their analytics are among the league's worst. A 41.46 CF% and 40.88 xGF% indicate the Canucks are being overwhelmed in puck possession and chance generation. Backup goaltender Kevin Lankinen (7-20-5) is clearly overmatched, and Linus Ullmark stepping into the starting role for Ottawa only widens the talent gap in goal. The Canucks have no answer for Ottawa's multi-dimensional attack.
WP Hockey Predictor's Pick: Ottawa Senators are heavily favored at 57.5% to win, with Vancouver at 42.5%. This represents one of the clearest mismatches on the board—Ottawa's elite advanced stats and goaltending depth make them a strong lean in NHL predictions circles.
Today's slate offers everything from lopsided matchups to virtual pick-'em situations. Whether you're looking for heavy favorites to build parlays or value underdog plays, use WP Hockey Predictor to dive deeper into the specific analytics driving each game's win probability. Our calculator provides detailed Corsi, expected goals, and goalie GSAA analysis to help you make informed decisions on all your NHL picks today.