NHL Props: Blackhawks’ DeBrincat Looks To Maintain Career-High Pace

Chicago Blackhawks left wing Alex DeBrincat (12) in action during the game between the Stars and the Blackhawks at the American Airlines Center
Image Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Tuesday’s NHL props segment was a series of bad beats. The Boston Bruins registered 34 shots, but Taylor Hall didn’t get a single puck on net. Brayden Point scored a goal and had two assists but needed one more shot on goal in a 7-2 win over Columbus to hit the over on his shot total prop. Aleksander Barkov didn’t score despite leading the team with seven shots in a 6-2 win.

Sometimes, those kinds of days happen. On the positive side, there was plus-money on Cam Atkinson’s under 2.5 shots total, so it wasn’t a total loss.

Let’s bounce back on Thursday and hit some winners.

Odds via DraftKings and FanDuel as of 10 a.m. ET on Jan. 6.

Calgary Flames: Blake Coleman

Calgary Flames center Blake Coleman (20) while playing the Anaheim Ducks in the first period.
Image Credit: John McCoy/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

The Prop: Coleman Total Shots (at Tampa Bay Lightning)
The Odds: Over 2.5 shots -102/Under 2.5 shots -132

Blake Coleman is a hungry dog right now. After recording an absurd 12 shots on goal Tuesday against Florida, Coleman is up to 25 shots in his last five games. He’s been in a funk with just two goals since October 28th and hasn’t totally meshed with his new club, but it looks like things are starting to come together.

Coleman spent each of the last two seasons with Tampa Bay, scoring eight goals and 16 assists during both of the Bolts’ Stanley Cup runs. He’ll no doubt get a warm welcome in his first game against his former club, but there’s a ton of motivation to shoot early and often here.

Editor’s Note: New to NHL props? Check out our complete NHL Props Betting Guide to get up to speed!

New Jersey Devils: Jack Hughes

New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes holds his hockey stick during a break in game action
Image Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

The Prop: Hughes Anytime Goal (vs. Columbus Blue Jackets)
The Odds: +170

New Jersey’s offense is still trying to figure it out this season, but one thing has been clear: things have been much better at home (3.17 goals per game) than on the road (2.56). Even better for the Devils, Columbus allows the second-most goals on the road (4.13) this season.

Enter Jack Hughes. The first overall pick in 2019, Hughes has eight goals in 17 games this season, with five of those goals coming at home. He’s on a four-game point streak and will get a golden opportunity against a decimated Columbus roster on Tuesday.

The Blue Jackets will likely be without starting goaltender Elvis Merzlikins (lower-body injury) and star defenseman Zach Werenski (COVID-19 protocols) among a spattering of others. Hughes needs to take advantage here.

San Jose Sharks: Timo Meier

Timo Meier #28 of the San Jose Sharks skates ahead with the puck against the Calgary Flames in a regular season game at SAP Center on December 7, 2021 in San Jose, California.
Image Credit: Amanda Cain/NHLI

The Prop: Meier Total Shots (at Buffalo Sabres)
The Odds: Under 3.5 shots (+116)

In 15 road games this season, Timo Meier has hit the over eight times. While the Sabres allow more than 32 shots per game at home, eighth-most in the league, there’s some steam to taking the under here.

Meier has been under 3.5 shots in each of his last four games after hitting the over in each of four games before that. With some of the top-scoring threats out of the lineup (Logan Couture and Erik Karlsson are both questionable to play), opponents have had an easier time shutting Meier down.

Furthermore, Meier has also taken a “set-up guy” approach recently, with four assists in his last two games. Since he’s setting up goals instead of scoring them, you can feel confident with the under here.

Chicago Blackhawks: Alex DeBrincat

Chicago Blackhawks left wing Alex DeBrincat (12) scores his game winning overtime goal against the Carolina Hurricanes at PNC Arena.
Image Credit: James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports

The Prop: DeBrincat Anytime Goal (at Arizona Coyotes)
The Odds: +125

Flying a bit under the radar this season, Alex DeBrincat is playing some of his best hockey right now. The elite winger has moved into fourth in the league with 20 goals on the campaign. He also has four in his last five games, and is on pace to set a career-high with 50.

Arizona allows a league-worst 3.77 goals per game, and oddly enough, that number goes up to 4.14 at home. Almost always, teams allow more goals on the road than in their own building, but the Coyotes are the exception.

Lock this one in before the odds shift.

Nashville Predators: Roman Josi

Roman Josi #59 of the Nashville Predators skates against the Montreal Canadiens during an NHL game at Bridgestone Arena on December 4, 2021 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Image Credit: John Russell/NHLI via Getty Images

The Prop: Josi Shot Total (at Los Angeles Kings)
The Odds: Over 3.5 Shots (+118)

For any defenseman, a shot total of over 3.5 seems high, but Roman Josi is one of the few blueliners capable of breaking that mark.

Josi has exceeded 3.5 shots in four of his last five games, He’s also hit the over on his shots prop 12 times in 17 road contests this year and in 23-of-32 overall.

While Los Angeles allows the 10th-fewest shots per game in the league this season, they’re coming off a game where the Flyers put up 37 shots. Trust Josi and the first-place Preds to get the job done.