Ryan Hodges
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On the penultimate day of the NHL regular season, the playoff picture is now set. The 4 games tonight and 6 games tomorrow still feature players looking to hit incentive bonuses, career benchmarks and teams wanting set the tone for the playoffs. A couple of games worth targeting tonight for player props are Maple Leafs vs Lightning and Oilers vs Coyotes. A few familiar names have a good chance to end the season on a high note, both personally and together as a team. Here are our best NHL player prop bets for today, and you can also find our NHL predictions for each of today’s games.
Auston Matthews, TOR, Over 0.5 goals (-150)
While not a single NHL player will ever truly elevate their personal stats over the success of the team, Auston Matthews has a chance to net his 70th goal of the season tonight. He is just a goal away from reaching that esteemed distinction that would be just the 15th 70-goal season in NHL history. The Maple Leafs are already locked into their playoff position and their opponent is set. This game is about staying healthy, entering the playoffs on a roll and getting Matthews that 70th goal.
In 3 games against the Lightning this season, Matthews has 3 goals. Granted, the -150 odds for him to make it 4 goals in 4 games tonight are not very appetizing. If you are looking for better value, check out the odds of some of Matthews’ teammates to go over a point prop and then parlay one with this pick. Mitch Marner, William Nylander, John Tavares and Morgan Reilly among others will all be looking Matthews-first every time they get the puck. Matthews will likely be fed pucks at every possible chance tonight. Pairing a fellow Maple Leaf player’s odds will bring better value here.
Connor McDavid, EDM, Over 1.5 points (-135)
Yet again, what Connor McDavid has done this season has been remarkable. Another ho-hum, status-quo 132 (and counting) point season. Even more impressive is he helped bring this Oilers team back from a brutal start to the season. He didn’t catch fire until mid-November so the bulk of his points have been in just 61 games. With that, facing a weaker team tonight, more McDavid production feels like a reliable play for bettors.
The Coyotes have actually ended the season on a nice little stretch. It also appears that this will be the final game played in the desert as the team moving to Salt Lake City is rumored to be all but a formality. With all that in mind, the Coyotes may play with a little extra juice tonight in addition to their decent form lately. That being the case, it would elevate the play of McDavid and the Oilers. Although Edmonton’s playoff position is set, they do not want to enter the playoffs having lost 3 of their last 4, including 2 to Arizona. Look for a good effort from McDavid and his teammates to produce.
