We debuted our twice-weekly NHL props feature, and concluded it by suggesting that the Kings-Predators Under 5 goals prop was pretty much a free roll. Final score: Nashville 2, Los Angeles 1.
Today, we’ve got five more NHL props to consider, as the league rolls out a 10-game Thursday slate. We’ll start on the East Coast with a matchup between Metropolitan Division rivals.
Odds courtesy of PointsBet and updated as of 5 p.m. ET Oct. 21.
New Jersey Devils
The Prop: Team total of 3 (vs. Washington)
The Odds: Over -110 / Under -121
The Devils have eight goals in two games, but that number may be a bit inflated considering they notched those goals against the nominal backup netminders of the Seattle Kraken and Chicago Blackhawks. (Though the standout theme in the early going of the NHL season is: “What the hell happened to the veteran goalies?” Loads of excellent netminders have been getting lit up like your aunt on New Year’s Eve, so who’s a No. 1 and who’s a backup based on who’s playing better is very much up for debate in like 25 different cities right now.)
Regardless, precocious hockey ingenue Jack Hughes has two of the goals, and he’s going to be missing an indeterminate amount of time after getting banged up against Seattle. Washington has yet to name a starter for tonight, but between Vitek Vanecek and Ilya Samsonov, they’ve only allowed six goals in three games.
Colorado Avalanche at Florida Panthers
The Prop: Race to 3 goals
The Odds: Florida -110 / Colorado +135
Florida netminder Sergei Bobrovsky hasn’t been dominant, but he’s been good enough, turning aside 72 of 77 shots in two games — four of those goals came against Pittsburgh in the opener, but two of them were on the power play.
The Avs, on the other hand, are putting Jonas Johansson between the pipes for the first time this season. Let’s see what Buffalo beat writer John Vogl had to say about Johansson when the Sabres traded him to Colorado last year:
Jonas Johansson is likely going to Colorado, according to @KevinWeekes.
I can say without hesitation that the Avs are getting the worst goalie I've seen during my 19 seasons covering the Sabres.
He doesn't stop pucks in practice or games. https://t.co/lFC8cy6Epl
— John Vogl (@BuffaloVogl) March 19, 2021
And again, this bears repeating: Vogl covers the Sabres.
Winnipeg Jets RW Nikolaj Ehlers
The Prop: Anytime goal (vs. Anaheim)
The Odds: +150
Sharpshooting center Mark Scheifele (COVID-19) joins Blake Wheeler on the shelf for the Jets, and those scoring chances have to go somewhere. Ehlers hasn’t found twine yet this season, but he’s tied for the team lead in shots on goal.
Tonight, he gets to fire away against the Ducks, who are playing their third game in four nights while already having the second worst Corsi percentage in the league.
Vancouver Canucks C Elias Pettersson
The Prop: Anytime goal (vs. Chicago)
The Odds: +175
Blackhawks goalie Kevin Lankinen hasn’t been great, letting in five in two games, but he’s been a big improvement over defending Vezina winner Marc Andre-Fleury who’s allowed 12 in three. (Remember six seconds ago when we said the thing about veteran goalies?)
The Blackhawks are second in the league in high-danger goals allowed so far this year according to NaturalStatTrick.com, meaning words like “porous” and “sieve” and “terrible” are applicable to the Chicago D.
While Vancouver doesn’t have anyone who’s scored more than one goal yet this season, Pettersson likes to sling it. The first-line center is tied for the team lead with 15 shots on goal.
Edmonton Oilers at Arizona Coyotes (Alternate Total)
The Prop: Over 7.5 goals
The Odds: +210
The Coyotes have given up goals of 8, 2, and 7 this season. Unfortunately, the two blow-up games were courtesy of goalie Carter Hutton, who isn’t getting the start tonight. Instead, Arizona turns to rookie Karel Vejmelka, who in his second career start gets to face Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. Welcome to the show.
On the other end of the ice, Mikko Koskinen takes over in goal after Mike Smith was placed on injured reserve. (Who knew that 39-year-old goalies wouldn’t be durable?) Koskinen foundered last year when forced to shoulder most of the workload in a situation where he was only expected to man half of a tandem. He took over in the Oilers’ last game against the Ducks, so Edmonton totals bear watching in the coming weeks.
