The New Jersey Devils are dealing with several key injuries, most recently losing high-end defenseman Dougie Hamilton for the foreseeable future.
Luke Hughes will step into a more prominent role as a result. My Devils vs. Flyers predictions see him taking advantage of the opportunity and finding the score sheet against a Metro Division rival.
Let’s break things down further with my NHL picks for Sunday, March 9.
Devils vs Flyers prediction
My best bet
Luke Hughes Over 0.5 points (+115 at bet365)
My analysis
Luke Hughes is having a solid sophomore campaign for the New Jersey Devils, producing at a 42-point pace despite playing second fiddle to Dougie Hamilton for much of the season.
That won’t be the case any longer. Hamilton suffered an injury and it’s looking like a matter of weeks rather than days, clearing a path for Hughes to skate on the No. 1 power play unit.
Hughes played that role for much of last season in Hamilton’s absence and was able to pile up 25 points on the power play, good for ninth-most among all NHL defensemen. Noah Dobson, John Carlson, Miro Heiskanen, Rasmus Dahlin, and Josh Morrissey are just a few of the many star blueliners Hughes outpaced a season ago.
Hughes has already proven capable of taking advantage of this responsibility. With a PP1 role on his plate as well as top pairing minutes, it stands to reason we’ll see an uptick in production down the stretch.
He has a nice matchup in front of him Sunday afternoon. Ivan Fedotov is expected to get the nod for the Philadelphia Flyers after Samuel Ersson started on Saturday. That’d be a welcomed sight for Hughes.
Fedotov has struggled mightily this season, winning just five of 19 games while posting an .885 SV% along the way.
He grades out poorly by Goals Saved Above Expected as well, sitting sandwiched between Alexandar Georgiev and Vitek Vanecek — two poor netminders who’ve spent most of the season with the lowly San Jose Sharks.
It’s also a nice positional matchup for Hughes as the Flyers have allowed the second-most points to defensemen this year. Look for Hughes to play a ton of minutes in all situations and jump in the play every chance he gets.
Devils vs Flyers same-game parlay (SGP)
Luke Hughes Over 0.5 points
Luke Hughes Over 1.5 shots on goal
Jesper Bratt Over 0.5 points
The Flyers don’t just give up a lot of points to defensemen — they give up a lot of shots. They’ve allowed the second-most shots to the position over the last 20 games.
Hughes did face the Flyers during that span and made the most of it, firing six shots toward goal while hitting the target twice. Hughes did that in just 16 minutes of ice while playing a less prominent role than he does now.
Averaging more than 23 minutes per game over his last 10, Hughes will have ample opportunity to exploit this matchup.
Jesper Bratt has hit the scoresheet in 70% of his games this season and 73% following an off day. He’s recorded a point in six straight when rested, piling up 10 points along the way.
Against a Flyers team with questionable goaltending, this is a great spot for Bratt to continue that trend.
Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.
Devils vs Flyers odds
Devils vs Flyers live odds
Devils vs Flyers opening odds
- Puck line: New Jersey -1.5 (+181) | Philadelphia +1.5 (-213)
- Moneyline: New Jersey -135 | Philadelphia +120
- Over/Under: Over 5.5 (-115) | Under 5.5 (+100)
Devils vs Flyers trend
Jesper Bratt has three points over his last two games against Philadelphia. Find more NHL betting trends for Devils vs. Flyers.
How to watch Devils vs Flyers
| Location | Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA |
| Date | Sunday, 3-9-2025 |
| Puck drop | 1:00 p.m. ET |
| TV | TNT |
Devils vs Flyers latest injuries
Not intended for use in MA.
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