Sunday’s five-game NHL slate still provides enough ammunition for three prop picks.
The pregame narrative: Kirill Kaprizov recently missed a month with an injury, and Sunday’s game against the Chicago Blackhawks is his best chance to do damage since returning. Elsewhere, I’m backing Drake Batherson from the Ottawa Senators and Ryan Donato from the Blackhawks.
Check out my NHL prop picks for Jan. 26.
NHL prop picks
Go to full NHL betting markets.
Best bet: Batherson to score 1+ points (-137)
I believe it’s time Batherson gets back on track.
He started the season hot with 36 points in 36 games but has only scored four points in 13 games since.
The good news is the winger still averages just under 19 minutes and plays on the second line and first power play.
Batherson has the underlying metrics of someone who should be more productive, and I predict a bounce-back run, starting on Sunday.
The Utah Hockey Club are a decent defensive team, sitting in the middle of the pack regarding goals against and shots conceded per game.
But Utah does take the third-most penalty minutes (10.3) per game, so Batherson should see some extra time with the man advantage.
Key stat: Batherson has 26 points in 22 home games this season.
Quick picks
Kaprizov to record 2+ points (+143): Kaprizov returned on Jan. 23 after missing a month and has had two games to shake the rust off.
Now the Minnesota Wild head to Chicago for a visit with the Blackhawks, whose defensive stats are an eyesore:
- 30th in goals/game (3.44)
- 30th in shots allowed/game (31.4)
Kaprizov, who recorded his first point since Dec. 23 on Saturday, has the matchup needed to build on that performance.
This certainly isn’t a lock, as indicated by the odds, but why not take a shot here knowing Kaprizov will be active in the Blackhawks’ zone?
The winger is tied for 23rd in the NHL in points (51) despite only playing 36 of his team’s 49 games. He’s also been on the score sheet in all three prior meetings with Chicago this season.
Donato to score 1+ points (+148): This pick is based solely on value, so if you’re a numbers person, you’ll love this one.
Donato has a point in 24 of 46 games this season (52.2%) and comes into Sunday on a bit of a heater.
He has points in three straight games and ranks third on the Blackhawks in overall point production (28).
Minnesota is firmly in a playoff spot, but its defence is starting to show cracks. The Wild allow the sixth-most shots on goal, and they kill penalties at the third-worst rate (70.2%).
That’s led to the Wild allowing four or more goals in seven of the past nine games.
Picks made at 10:30 a.m. ET on 01/26/2025.
Looking to get started? Sign up here.
Spencer is a true sports junkie. A graduate of the Sports Journalism program at Centennial College, he first joined NorthStar Gaming as an intern in 2023. He is now a contributing writer. He loves finding the edge to bet on in all sports but has a deep passion for the NBA and UFC. Previous stops include Sportsnet.