Kings vs Blackhawks Picks, Predictions & Odds Tonight - NHL

Connor Bedard and the Chicago Blackhawks are on their best run of the season but bettors will find out just how real that is when they host the Los Angeles Kings as a +220 home dog. 

With the Kings rolling seven defensemen, is Drew Doughty getting more quality minutes despite less ice time? Is that leading to better scoring opportunities considering he's pointed in 11 of his last 14 games? 

I break down the NHL odds and offer my free NHL picks for Kings vs. Blackhawks for Thursday, March 15.

Kings vs Blackhawks odds

Kings vs Blackhawks predictions

Drew Doughty plays heavy minutes. On the season, he leads the league in share of ice time at 42.6%. That's a lot of ice for a 34-year-old defenseman with a lot of miles under his belt.

Interim head coach Jim Hiller has taken notice as the team is rolling with seven defensemen again tonight which should decrease Doughty's overall minutes but put him in better offensive opportunities. Lower quantity but better quality. 

This could be a move to manage Doughty’s minutes down the stretch for a potential playoff run and it’s showing great results. Despite seeing his time on ice drop by nearly a full minute over his last four games, he's collected an assist in each contest and has registered an assist in 11 of his last 15 games with 15 total points over that span. 

It’s the best offensive stretch of the season for the veteran who also quarterbacks the top power-play unit. His matchup tonight is great vs. the Chicago Blackhawks who have been playing some Over hockey of late thanks to 10 goals with the man advantage. When one team scores a power-play goal, the makeup call is never far away which helps Doughty’s chances of pointing. 

The Los Angeles Kings leader is +112 to record an assist (-130 for a point) and considering the new usage with seven defensemen and his 11-for-14 hit rate over the last 30 days, tonight's a great matchup to bet on another apple from one of the best blueliners in hockey.

My best bet: Drew Doughty Over 0.5 assists (+112 at FanDuel) 

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Kings vs Blackhawks same-game parlay

Drew Doughty Over 0.5 assists

Under 6.5

Arvid Soderblom Over 28.5 saves

+625 at bet365

The Doughty assist with the Under 6.5 — which is bumped up from the game total of 5.5 — is paying +360 alone. The Kings could score four goals and this Under would still look good thanks to a great PK and Chicago relying heavily on the power play to score of late. 

The Blackhawks are still one of the worst teams at giving up shots at 33 per game, which is a Bottom-5 mark. Meanwhile, L.A. is coming off a 41-shot performance in a loss to St. Louis. Soderblom has cashed this in three of his last four games despite allowing 13 goals. His leash is long.  

Learn how to bet a same-Game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.

Kings vs Blackhawks moneyline and Over/Under analysis

Most books opened the Kings as -270 road favorites but have since moved to -280. The total has also hopped around from 5.5 to 6, giving total bettors options at better numbers when shopping around. 

I have no interest in the Kings who are 5-5 SU over their last 10. They've alternated wins and losses for six straight contests and are coming off a 3-1 loss to the Blues despite winning the expected-goal battle. It’s too much tax for an inconsistent team that's on its seventh game in 13 days. 

The Kings are an average middle-of-the-pack team in 5-on-5 metrics over the last 10 games and their power play ranks outside the Top 10. They do boast a Top-10 penalty kill since the All-Star break, however. This will likely be a close game and betting a -280 road dog is not something I'm interested in. 

This is not an endorsement for the Blackhawks at +230, though I do prefer it. Yes, they’ve gone 3-1 SU over their last four games and scored 20 goals, but 19 of those markers have come against the worst teams in hockey in Anaheim and Arizona (twice).

Chicago has also feasted on some of the worst penalty kills in hockey, scoring 10 of those 19 goals with the extra man. L.A.'s best attribute is their PK so there will be no easy goals for Connor Bedard & Co. tonight. 

I do like the Under 6 thanks to the range of totals across the board. L.A. comes into the game going 2-7-1 O/U across its last 10 games and is averaging 5.02 total goals per game since the All-Star break, one of the lowest numbers in hockey. Chicago’s recent offensive outburst is not sustainable. 

The Hawks also have a GAA that is a full goal lower at home than on the road. 

Arvid Soderblom is the confirmed Chicago goalie which is why Kings ML and the Over are taking some money, but at 6, a 3-2 Kings win is in play for an Under cash. I’d be surprised if Chicago scored more than two goals tonight. Both teams rank in the bottom half of the league in expected goals/60 at 5-on-5 over the last 10 games. 

If you’re looking to ride the Bedard wave, look at his winger Philip Kurashev for a point at -120. He has eight points over his last six games and Bedard has enjoyed playing with him. 

"I'm just trying to give him the puck," Bedard said about playing with Kurashev. "He's so good at getting himself open when someone else has it. I love playing with him." 

Kings vs Blackhawks betting trend to know

The Kings have stayed Under the total in 50 of their last 85 games (+16.40 units / 18% ROI). Find more NHL betting trends for Kings vs. Blackhawks.

Kings vs Blackhawks game info

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