With the NHL season’s first week in the books and a 38-game sample size to scrutinize, we’re debuting another new feature today at Props.com: A twice-weekly series (Tuesdays and Thursdays) in which we offer up our five favorite league-, team-, and player-specific NHL prop bets of the day (with a side of analysis).
Similar to our new NBA series, we might sprinkle in our opinion now and again, but the primary goal is to give you, the bettor, useful information that you can (hopefully) parlay into a little cash. Let’s kick things off with our top NHL prop bets from Tuesday’s 11-game slate.
Odds updated as of 5 p.m. ET on Oct. 19.
Total Goals Scored (All Games)
The Prop: Over/Under 64.5 goals (11 games)
The Odds: Over -120 / Under +100
Simple math indicates that we’ll need an average of just over 5.9 goals per contest to hit the Over on today’s “Grand Salami.” Here’s why that’s doable: The league’s goaltenders apparently have yet to awake from their long summer’s nap, as 229 goals have been scored through 38 games — good for an average of 6.03 per contest.
Of the 10 teams averaging at least four goals per game, seven are playing tonight: the Penguins, Panthers, and Blue Jackets (all averaging 5.0 goals per game), as well as the Red Wings (4.5 gpg), and Devils, Kings, and Sharks (all 4.0 gpg). Also, three of the league’s most prolific offenses — the Lightning, Avalanche, and Oilers —will be on the ice tonight. That trio ranks 11th and tied for 12th in scoring, respectively.
Of course, five of the six teams with the lowest goals-against averages — Sabres, Capitals, Blue Jackets, Wild, and Ducks — also are in action.
Seattle Kraken
The Prop: Over/Under 3.5 goals scored (vs. New Jersey)
The Odds: Over +120/Under -150
The NHL’s newest baby crawled out of the crib and had no trouble lighting the lamp, putting up seven total goals on the Golden Knights and Predators in their first two games (both on the road). Then the Kraken went to Columbus on Saturday and Philadelphia on Monday and managed two goals in a pair of losses (6-1, 2-1).
Now Seattle is set to play its fifth straight road game in a week (and first ever back-to-back). Conversely, the Devils are playing just their second game of the season. Good news for the Kraken? New Jersey surrendered three goals to Chicago in its debut on Friday.
Edmonton Oilers C Connor McDavid
The Prop: Over/Under 1.5 points (vs. Anaheim)
The Odds: Over -125/Under +105
One of the NHL’s most dangerous sharpshooters, McDavid has come out firing so far. He notched a pair of assists in a 3-2 season-opening win over Vancouver, then picked up a hat trick in Friday’s 5-2 home rout of Calgary.
In 17 career games against Anaheim, McDavid has averaged 1.4 points per contest. However, tonight he’s facing a Ducks squad that has yielded just five goals in two games — albeit against the Jets, Wild, and Flames, none of whom can match the Oilers’ offensive firepower.
Colorado Avalanche C Nathan MacKinnon
The Prop: Over/Under 4.5 shots on goal
The Odds: Over +130/Under -160
MacKinnon is expected to make his NHL debut tonight in Washington after missing Colorado’s first two games while in COVID-19 protocol. With this expected to be one of the higher scoring games of the night (total of 6, Over-115), MacKinnon should get plenty of chances to put the puck on net.
In eight seasons, MacKinnon has averaged 3.67 shots per game, but over the past three years that average rises to 4.47. Tonight, he goes up against a Capitals defense that is permitting just 30 shots per contest.
L.A. Kings vs. Nashville Predators (Alternate Total)
The Prop: Over/Under 5 total goals
The Odds: Over -150/Under +130
This alternate total is a half-goal lower than the consensus game total of 5.5, as the Kings hit the road for the first time while the Predators play their third of four straight home games to begin the season.
Nashville has already surrendered seven goals in a pair of losses to Seattle (4-3) and Carolina (3-2), while the Kings’ have yielded two goals each to Vegas (6-2 win) and Minnesota (3-2 defeat). As you can see by those four results, neither team has played a game with fewer than five goals this season.
Also, in the last nine head-to-head meetings since March 2017, the Kings and Preds have gone Over 5 goals four times and landed right on 5 goals three times. Almost seems like a free roll on the Under, right?
