Welcome back to HNIC Coast to Coast! For the last time in the 2023/24 National Hockey League regular season, Canada Sports Betting takes a look at the Saturday & Sunday schedules and how they pertain to Canada’s seven teams. They’re all in action this weekend with some key storylines at play, including two double-Canadian battles, so let’s jump right into the action!
7:00 p.m. ET HNIC Matchup: Detroit Red Wings @ Toronto Maple Leafs
The dream of home-ice advantage is on life support for the Toronto Maple Leafs, who now need to win out while having the Florida Panthers lose out. It’s not totally dead, especially given that the two teams face each other in these final few days, but it’s struggling out there. That doesn’t mean we can’t have a game with big standings implications, though, as the Red Wings desperately need this win. An overtime loss to Pittsburgh on Thursday sends them one point out of the final wild-card spot with three games to go.
Detroit will be throwing their absolute best at the Leafs in this one, led by Dylan Larkin and Lucas Raymond, who have seven and eight points in their last five, respectively. We’ll have a deeper dive into this game on Saturday morning, here at Canada Sports Betting.
Bet on Red Wings vs. Maple Leafs
DET +145
TOR -177
10:00 p.m. ET HNIC Headliner: Vancouver Canucks @ Edmonton Oilers
On top of being a display of some of Canada’s favourite star talent, this game could have implications on who wins the Pacific Division. As of Friday morning, the Canucks have 105 points with three games remaining, while Edmonton has 101 with five games remaining. That gap could shrink to two with a game in hand by the time the puck drops, as Edmonton faces the Coyotes on Friday night.
What felt like a very secure division win for the Canucks has faded in the past few weeks, not because they’ve outright fallen off a cliff, but rather settled down to earth. Since the All-Star break, Vancouver has lost their massive advantage in finishing and puck stopping and posted a 15-11-4 record, a 93-point pace that better resembles their early-season expectations. Edmonton, on the other hand, has gone 19-9-4, making up a lot of ground. More recently, the Oilers are 6-1-1 in the last eight, while the Canucks are a less-exciting 3-4-1. Expect the Oilers to make a push here, though we’ll see if Connor McDavid is back from his lower-body maintenance in time to help them out.
Bet on Canucks vs. Oilers
VAN +112
EDM -136
Other Canadian NHL Games On Saturday
There are two other games in Canadian NHL action on Saturday:
Winnipeg Jets @ Colorado Avalanche, 4:00 p.m. ET – Before the main events come down, we have a heavyweight matchup out west. Unless one of these two teams wins out and the Dallas Stars lose both of their next two games, it’s unlikely that either will win the division, but the two will likely face each other in the first round. As such, this game could decide who gets home ice. Winnipeg come in hot as victors in their last five.
Montreal Canadiens @ Ottawa Senators, 7:00 p.m. ET – Normally a double-Canadian matchup would take precedence over even the true CBC headliner in this post, but with the Senators and Canadiens both out of the playoff picture, interest isn’t quite as high outside of their home cities. Neither team has totally phoned it in, though, so expect a competitive game. Montreal’s top line of Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki, and Juraj Slafkovsky remains hot, as have Brady Tkachuk and Drake Batherson in Ottawa, so look to them for some highlights.
| Away Team |  | | Home Team | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winnipeg Jets | +132 | -159 | Colorado Avalanche | 4:00 PM |
| Montreal Canadiens | +112 | -136 | Ottawa Senators | 7:00 PM |
| Detroit Red Wings | +145 | -177 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 7:00 PM |
| Vancouver Canucks | +112 | -136 | Edmonton Oilers | 10:00 PM |
Sunday Canadian NHL Action
There is just one game involving a Canadian team on Sunday.
Arizona Coyotes @ Calgary Flames, 8:00 p.m. ET – Could this be the last time the Coyotes ever play in Canada? All sights point to yes, at least for the time being. Rumours are flying about a move to Salt Lake City next year, with Arizona getting a team back through expansion in the next several years once they have clarity on a new arena. The Flames will be looking to snap a tough post-deadline skid, which has seen the team put together a 4-12 record. Calgary has a game against Anaheim on Friday, so that record could become better or worse before we get here.
| Away Team | | | Home Team | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona Coyotes | TBD | TBD | Calgary Flames | 8:00 PM |
