The Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs lock horns for the final time this season on Saturday night.
The pregame narrative: Hockey’s most historic rivalry renews one last time this season. I expect both team’s top stars to play with pride in a game that carries weight for both sides. I’m betting on Juraj Slafkovsky and Lane Hutson to shine for Montreal, and Auston Matthews to show out for Toronto.
Check out my Maple Leafs prop picks vs. Canadiens for April 12.
Maple Leafs prop picks vs. Canadiens
Best Bet: Slafkovsky to score 1+ points (-103)
The buzz around Montreal these days centres around the arrival of recent first-round pick Ivan Demidov, and rightfully so.
The 2024 fifth overall selection is a tantalizing prospect who could help make the Canadiens a true sleeper in the NHL playoffs.
Bettors should turn their focus to Slafkovsky for Saturday’s game, however, and for good reason.
The 2022 first overall pick is putting together another solid offensive campaign. After scoring 50 points last year, he enters tonight’s game with 49.
His usage is highly encouraging for bettors as he’s receiving prime opportunities inside Montreal’s lineup.
Slafkovsky is skating alongside Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield on the first line, and is a featured member of the top power-play unit.
The Maple Leafs allowed three goals in each of their games earlier this week, and Montreal has scored three-plus goals in five of its last seven games. Expect the Habs to score enough to make Slafkovsky a strong wager.
Key stat: Slafkovsky has recorded a point in nine of his last 16 games.
Quick picks
Hutson to score 1 point (-125): Quinn Hughes was the last defenceman to lead all NHL rookies in points when he scored 53 points in 68 games during the COVID-19-shortened 2019-20 season.
Hutson can join Hughes with a strong finish to the 2024-25 campaign. The Canadiens’ rearguard already ranks first among all freshmen with 64 points in 79 games this season.
The young defenceman enters this contest in fine form, totalling 11 points in his last 10 contests.
His spot as a power-play quarterback is what makes this wager especially intriguing. Hutson has done a terrific job facilitating the puck on the man advantage as his 25 power-play points also sit first among all rookies.
Matthews over 3.5 shots (-130): The betting markets seem to have finally adjusted to Matthews’ reduced shot volume.
Matthews’ 11.4 shots per 60 this season are the second lowest of his entire career. Toronto’s top sniper hasn’t looked like the lethal shooter we saw score 69 goals a season ago.
But his prop no longer sits at 4.5, it’s at 3.5 with a palatable number to the over.
Although his shot totals are down, Matthews has cleared this line in four of his last seven contests.
Additionally, one of Matthews’ best shooting performances of the season came against the Canadiens. Matthews had six shots on goal in Toronto’s season-opening contest against Montreal.
Maple Leafs vs. Canadiens prop picks made at 12:53 p.m. ET 04/12/2025.
Stevie’s an avid NFL, NHL, and tennis bettor who has no problem talking himself into the underdog. His previous stops include Yahoo! Sports Canada and Toronto Metropolitan University, where he received a degree in Sport Media.