There are a total of nine games on the ice Thursday, which means plenty of NHL props opportunities!
Among our five featured NHL props involve are the league’s second-leading goal scorer; another player who ranks in the top 15 in goals; and a 16-year veteran who is closing in on 900 career points.
We went 2-for-5 with Tuesday’s NHL props, cashing with the Bruins’ David Pastrnak (Over 0.5 power-play points) and the Lightning’s Nikita Kucherov (anytime goal scored). Let’s see if we can better that batting average tonight!
All odds via DraftKings as of 2:30 p.m. ET on Jan. 20.
Colorado Avalanche: LW Gabriel Landeskog
The Prop: Score Anytime Goal (at Los Angeles)
The Odds: +185
Landeskog’s name didn’t appear on the scoring sheet in Colorado’s 2-0 victory over the Ducks on Wednesday. Which is quite noteworthy, because it ended a 16-game point-scoring streak for the Avs’ captain.
Although Landeskog put the puck in the net in just six of those contests (eight goals total), he’s always a threat to light the lamp for a loaded Colorado club that prior to last night had produced 43 goals in the previous seven games. And now that the Avs’ potent top six is fully healthy, those scoring chances will only increase for Landeskog, who tallied 23 points during his recent streak.
The Kings, meanwhile, have lost their last two games 6-2 and 6-4. If they struggled with the Sharks and the Lightning, they’re clearly going to have troubles containing Colorado (and Landeskog), too.
Editor’s Note: New to NHL props? Check out our complete NHL Props Betting Guide to get up to speed!
Nashville Predators: LW Filip Forsberg
The Prop: Score Anytime Goal (vs. Winnipeg)
The Odds: +120
The Winnipeg-Nashville rivalry has been pretty heated since the two franchises met in the second round of the playoffs in 2018. That bad blood has resulted in fast-paced, high-scoring matches in recent meetings.
However, Forsberg hasn’t exactly been at the center of the goal-scoring action — in fact, he has just three goals in 29 career games against the Jets (and none since the 2016-17 season). But the veteran winger comes into this game on fire, having tallied six goals in his last seven games. He now has found the net in 19 of 28 contests this season.
Though going onto COVID protocols split Forsberg’s streak, he still showed everyone he hasn’t skipped a beat in his return against the Blues on Monday:
Filip Forsberg is just too strong to be stopped. 💪 pic.twitter.com/7V0wazQ4gs
— NHL (@NHL) January 18, 2022
Both of these teams have a bunch of highly productive playmakers and a lot of disdain for one another — with so many offensive opportunities tonight, there’s a great chance Forsberg is going to finally tickle some twine against Winnipeg.
Ottawa Senators At Pittsburgh Penguins
The Prop: Goal Scored in First 9:30 of Game Time
The Odds: Yes -135/No +100
In recent games, the Pittsburgh Penguins have had a tendency to either score or be scored upon in the early going. You’d think Ottawa would be the team that scores and/or surrenders early goals, given its unpredictable offense, questionable defense, and bad goaltending. But the Sens-Sabres game Tuesday was 0-0 through the opening 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, the Penguins allowed a goal in the opening four minutes against the Golden Knights on Monday; allowed one at the seven-minute mark on Saturday against the Sharks; and scored one around the five-minute mark last Thursday at the Kings.
In fact, there’s been a goal in the opening 10 minutes in eight of Pittsburgh’s last 10 games. Let’s ride the hot trend and see if it continues.
Edmonton Oilers: C Leon Draisaitl
The Prop: 3.5 Total Shots On Goal (vs. Florida)
The Odds: +120 Over/-155 Under
The Edmonton Oilers are in the midst of a six-game losing skid (and have dropped 12 of their last 14). But the fault sure doesn’t lie with Draisaitl. The NHL’s second-leading scorer — trailing only Alexander Ovechkin — has three goals and two assists during his team’s six-game slide.
Draisaitl has fired off 17 shots during this stretch, but he’s topped this prop number only once (five vs. Toronto on Jan. 5). In fact, as productive as he’s been, Draisaitl has been limited to three shots or fewer in nine of his last 10 games (and 12 of 35 for the season).
That said, Florida heads to northwest Canada as the No. 1 ranked team in terms of shots and goals scored. In other words, this has high-flying shootout written all over it. And if Edmonton is going to keep up, its offensive stars (like Draisaitl) are going to have pepper the Panthers’ net with pucks.
Dallas Stars: LW Joe Pavelski
The Prop: 0.5 Total Assists (at Buffalo Sabres)
The Odds: Yes +115/No -145
Pavelski is one of those offensive-minded skaters who can be pretty feast or famine, depending on the chemistry of his team. Lately, he’s been nothing but feast, with 11 points in his last seven games (including a notable five-point night against the Kraken on Jan. 12).
Despite the tread on his tires, the 37-year-old Pavelski — who has 410 goals and 417 assists in 1,122 career games — is showing no signs of slowing down. In fact, he remains one of the better playmakers and puck-tippers in the league.
Esa Lindell with the cannon from the point off of Pavelski's trickling pass, opening the scoring for Dallas!#TexasHockey pic.twitter.com/2EKT09MubF
— Hockey Daily 365 (@HockeyDaily365) January 16, 2022
Pavelski has at least one assist in seven of his last 10 games. No reason to think he can’t add another against the struggling Sabres who have had goaltending issues all season long. Look for those issues to arise again Thursday — and look for Grandpa Joe to take full advantage.
