Eight games are on tap for Tuesday’s NHL slate.
The pregame narrative: The San Jose Sharks head into Nashville as one of the worst defensive teams in the NHL. I’m backing Predators forward Filip Forsberg’s shots prop along with Nikita Kucherov and Patrick Kane.
Check out my NHL prop picks for Jan. 21.
NHL prop picks
Go to full NHL betting markets.
Best bet: Forsberg over 3.5 shots (-134)
Forsberg has been a rock for Nashville since his rookie season.
He led the team in points last year (94) and is well on his way again this year, pacing the Preds with 42 points in 45 games.
One thing that’s decreased this season has been his shooting percentage.
Forsberg has only gone below 10.0% once in his career — back in 2020-21 (9.3%) — and is threatening to again this year (9.5%).
The percentage has dipped, but the amount of shots has not. He’s averaging 3.51 shots per game this year, which is well above his 3.14 career average from the 12 years prior.
The Swede has cleared this mark in four of the last five games, including 15 shots in his last two contests.
Key stat: The Sharks are tied for 31st in shots allowed per game (32.2).
Quick picks
Kucherov over 0.5 power-play points (+100): I’ve never seen a power-play point line at minus odds, but being that it’s Kucherov, it makes sense.
Kucherov is a wizard on the power play. In my opinion, he snaps the puck around with finesse and speed better than anyone in the NHL. It’s a pleasure to watch.
The Russian Rifle has picked three power-play points in the last three games and leads the Tampa Bay Lightning with 27 power-play points.
Montreal’s Sam Montembeault gets the start for the Habs, which is great news for the Lightning. Tampa avoids one of the hottest goaltenders in the NHL in Jakub Dobes (5-0-0, 1.55 GAA).
Kucherov has 43 career points against the Canadiens in 37 games.
Kane over 0.5 points (-125): After a slow start to the campaign Kane has come on strong.
Sixteen of his 30 points have come in the last 11 games. Before that, he suffered a nine-game pointless streak.
Kane plays on an all-American line with Andrew Copp and Alex DeBrincat that has picked up chemistry in the past few weeks.
The Red Wings take on the Philadelphia Flyers who allow the fifth-most goals per game (3.36) and own the 20th-ranked penalty kill.
Picks made at 12:50 p.m. ET on 01/21/2025.
