Nikita Kucherov and Jonathan Huberdeau are Saturday’s NHL prop targets.
The pregame narrative: Kucherov led the league in points last season in large part because of his prowess on the man advantage. I like him to record a power-play point tonight and am also backing Huberdeau to clear an attainable shot total.
Check out my NHL prop picks for Feb. 1.
NHL prop picks
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Best bet: Kucherov to score 1+ power-play points (+110)
Kucherov is the best power-play specialist in the NHL.
The Russian winger has over 100 points on the man advantage over the last three seasons and paces the NHL with 27 in 48 games so far this year.
He quarterbacks the man advantage for the Tampa Bay Lightning, dishing the puck to guys like Jake Guentzel, Brayden Point and Victor Hedman.
Daily Faceoff lists Kucherov as a participant on both units, as head coach John Cooper likes to keep his superstar out there for most of the two minutes.
It shouldn’t be a surprise, then, that Tampa ranks fifth in power-play percentage (26.9%).
The Lightning’s power play has a perfect matchup tonight against the New York Islanders.
New York has the second-worst penalty kill in the NHL (69.8%), and I expect Tampa to take advantage. It’s worth noting the Isles are riding a six-game winning streak while allowing seven total goals.
The squad doesn’t give up much at 5-on-5. so it will be crucial for the Lightning to capitalize on the man advantage.
Key stat: Kucherov logged a PP point in each of his last two games against New York.
Quick picks
Huberdeau over 1.5 shots (-163): Huberdeau’s production has cratered since he was traded from the Florida Panthers to the Calgary Flames in 2022.
He had 115 points in his final year with the Cats and has failed to surpass 55 with the Flames so far. But he does have 36 through 50 this year, including 19 goals.
Huberdeau is expected to bring offence for Calgary night in and night out, and that starts with firing pucks on net.
He’s averaging 1.82 shots per game this year and has cleared this mark in six of his last seven.
The Detroit Red Wings, tonight’s opponent, are a solid matchup for this wager. On a 60-minute basis, they give up the sixth-most shots (28.5) and eighth-most chances (59.6) at even strength, per Natural Stat Trick.
Picks made at 11:59 a.m. ET on 02/01/2025.
Avery joined NorthStar Gaming as an intern in 2022 before stepping into a full-time role soon after. He loves betting on and analyzing golf — mainly because it’s easier than actually playing — but is a fan of all sports, from the NFL to the UFC.