Trent Reinsmith
- What: Florida Panthers vs. Detroit Red Wings
- Date: Monday, March 20, 2023
- Location: Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan
- How to Watch: NHL Network, TVAS, BSDET, BSFL
In tonight’s nationally broadcast NHL Network game, two Eastern Conference teams headed in opposite directions as the 2023 NHL season nears the playoffs face off as the Detroit Red Wings host the Florida Panthers at Little Caesars Arena.
The Panthers are in the mix for a wild card spot as the 2023 NHL playoffs near, but they need some help as the team is currently third among Eastern Conference clubs in the 2023 wild card race with 77 points. The 35-27-7 Panthers trail the Pittsburgh Penguins (78 points) and NY Islanders (80 points) in the wild card hunt. Florida is 7-2-1 in their past 10 games and sport a 14-17-3 road record in 2023.
The Red Wings looked like the 2023 playoffs were in the cards for them earlier in the season, but things have not worked out well for the team overall. Detroit is 30-29-9 on the season, and while they have 69 points and are still mathematically in the hunt, they are 2-7-1 in their past 10 games and trending in the wrong direction. Detroit has a home record of 17-13-4 during the 2023 NHL season.
Before we look at the betting breakdown for tonight’s NHL Eastern Conference matchup between the Florida Panthers and the Detroit Red Wings, check out our guide to betting on the 2023 Stanley Cup and our tips for betting on the NHL.
Florida Panthers vs. Detroit Red Wings picks for March 20, 2023
| Teams |  |  |  |  |
| Florida Panthers | -167 | -160 | -170 | -170 |
| Detroit Red Wings | +151 | +135 | +150 | +150 |
Florida Panthers breakdown
The 2023 version of the Florida Panthers will not equal the 58-18-6 record and 122 points the team had last year when they finished the NHL season at the top of the Eastern Conference. In fact, winning the Atlantic Division is out of the question for the Panthers in 2023, as they trail the Boston Bruins by 32 points. With 13 games left in the regular season, the Panthers need every point they can muster to make the 203 NHL playoffs. The good news for Florida is that they are 12-5-1 since late January.
Mathew Tkachuk is on pace to top his career-best season of 2022 when he had 104 points for the Calgary Flames. He currently leads the Panthers in scoring with 92 points (32 goals, 60 assists). Carter Verhaeghe leads the Panthers in goals with 34, shattering his career-best number of 24, which he earned last season in Florida.
Starting goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky’s numbers are down from last season. He has a 3.00 goals against average and a .904 save percentage.
Detroit Red Wings breakdown
The Red Wings are not playing well. The team is 2-8-1 since February 25 and riding a two-game losing skid into tonight’s matchup against Florida. Detroit scored one goal in each of those outings.
A bright spot for the Red Wings is that the team recently locked up captain Dylan Larkin with an eight-year extension worth $69.9 million. Larkin leads the team in points (65), goals (25) and assists (40) for the 2023 NHL season. Detroit’s second-highest scorer is David Perron with 41 points. The bad news for the Wings is that no one on the club has more than 20 goals outside of Larkin. That lack of scoring has contributed to the team being minus 23 in goal differential this season.
Starting goalie Ville Husso has struggled in his past eight outings, putting up a 2-5-1 record to go with an 865 save percentage.
Best bet for Florida Panthers vs. Detroit Red Wings
The Red Wings are struggling on all fronts right now, and are facing a team that is playing well in the Panthers and hungry for points. Expect to see the Panthers take advantage of the Red Wings tonight in Detroit. The best bet in this game is to pick the Florida Panthers to beat the Detroit Red Wings.
Pick: Florida Panthers to beat the Detroit Red Wings
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