With 14 games on the schedule for tonight’s slate, let’s look at some trends around the league and find value with player prop bets.
NHL Trends
- The Capitals take on the Maple Leafs, and both play for the Playoffs. The Leafs have virtually secured a playoff spot but find themselves only 2 points ahead of the Lightning and could drop into the wild card spot, maybe a good thing so they potentially won’t have to face Florida or Boston. The Capitals have stepped it up as of late, winning 4 of their last 5, and are currently holding the 8 seed in the playoffs but have a few teams right on their heels.
- The Red Wings take on the Hurricanes and both teams are battling in the East for playoffs. The Canes’ are only 3 points back of the Rangers for first in the Metropolitan division. Meanwhile, the Red Wings are only a few points back of the playoffs but have not been very good as of late. Winning just 3 of their last 10 is not going to cut it in this very close playoff race.
- The Flames take on the Blues and both teams are on the outside looking into the playoffs. The Blues are trailing the Golden Knights by 6 points and need to string some wins together at the end of the season if they want to make the playoffs. The Flames have been average all season, good for a 33-33- 5 record. It’s a battle of Western Conference teams that the Blues need to win to keep it close for a playoff spot.
- The Golden Knights (39-25-8) travel to Winnipeg to take on the Jets (44-22-6). Both teams seem destined for the playoffs, and both still need points to secure a better seed and home-ice advantage. This game should have an intense playoff feel to it. Vegas is 3-2 in its last five games, while the Jets are just 1-4 in its last five and have lost four straight games.
- Rangers vs Avalanche should be a great game between two of the best teams in the league. Both these teams have goals of reaching the Stanley Cup. Both teams come into this game playing very well, both recording a 4-1 record in their last 5 games. The Rangers took the first meeting between these teams 2-1 in overtime, so we should expect another tight game.
- The Kings go to Edmonton to take on the Oilers in what is shaping up to be a battle between Pacific division rivals. These teams only have a point differential of 3 points and the team who wins and receives two points could end up being the higher seed come playoff time. The Kings are on a 4-game win streak while the Oilers are 3-2 in their last 5 games.
Player Props
Auston Matthews Over 4.5 Shots
With Marner likely to miss another game, Matthews will continue to see the bulk of the shots. He has enjoyed playing with Max Domi recently, recording points in 5 straight games, and has recorded 11 points in his last 5 games. Matthews has recorded 4 or more shots in 6 straight games. Matthews faces off with Ovechkin in this game, whom he has been compared to so often because of the goal-scoring pace, that extra motivation could be what he needs to let shots fly.
Jake Guentzel Over .5 Points
The Hurricanes trade deadline acquisition is starting to settle in and has a good matchup with a Red Wings team that has been struggling lately. Guentzel is getting top-line opportunities and is on the top powerplay unit. Guentzel is a good playmaker and also likes to shoot the puck, recording 3 or more shots in 5 straight games.
Robert Thomas Over .5 Points
The Blues need to win this game to keep pace in the West, and Thomas, as the number one centerman, needs to step up. The Blues are hosting a Flames team that has dropped four straight games. The Blues are leading the series, and Thomas recorded an assist in the one game he played in this matchup.
Kirill Kaprizov Over 3.5 Shots
Kaprizov has recorded 4 or more shots in 5 straight games and has a great matchup with the San Jose Sharks. Minnesota is at home and heavily favored in this matchup, (-380) on the sportsbooks. The Sharks have lost 8 straight games, this could be a get-right game for the Wild, who are 2-3 in their last 5 games. When this teams faced off earlier in the season, Kaprizov had a hat trick on 5 shots.
Leon Draisaitl Over .5 Assists
This is a huge matchup with the Kings and the Oilers elite players need to be on their game in what could be a round 1 playoff matchup. Draisaitl has been great all season, recording 55 assists, and 38 goals. The elite playmaker has not recorded an assist in 3 games and is due for one in a game where he should see plenty of ice time with McDavid. The Oilers have a great powerplay that can strike at any time and Draisaitl is one of the main catalysts of the offense.
