Avery Perri

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.

Best NHL prop picks Oct. 13: Back Connor McDavid in Battle of Alberta

NHL prop picks

Connor McDavid headlines Sunday’s NHL prop bets.

The pregame narrative: The Edmonton Oilers are 0-2 and take on the Calgary Flames in the Battle of Alberta. I expect McDavid to break out of his funk and am also backing Ivan Barbashev to record a point for the Vegas Golden Knights.

Find these NHL prop picks for Oct. 13 below.

NHL prop picks

Go to full NHL betting markets.

Best Bet: McDavid over 1.5 points (-127)

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Can you have a Stanley Cup hangover without actually winning the Cup? With the way the Oilers have played it looks like it.

Edmonton got blanked 6-0 by the Winnipeg Jets in their opener before losing 5-2 to the Chicago Blackhawks last night. Both games were at home and McDavid was held pointless through five periods before registering a garbage-time assist.

There are two ways to look at this: The Oilers are suddenly a bad hockey team, or they will snap out of it.

I’ll go with the latter. McDavid is the best player on Earth and should be rearing for an opportunity to get right against his biggest rival.

The Flames aren’t projected as a playoff team and gave up 40 shots to the Philadelphia Flyers last night in a 6-3 win. Dustin Wolf was between the pipes on Saturday, which means Dan Vladar will get the call for Calgary today.

The 27-year-old was sieve-like last season, posting a 3.62 GAA and 0.882 save percentage in 20 starts. He allowed five goals on 24 shots in Calgary’s season-opener against the Vancouver Canucks.

His line with Zach Hyman and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins generated 64.29% of 5v5 chances last night, per Natural Stat Trick. Things didn’t break their way but that shouldn’t last long.

McDavid finished with 132 points in 76 games last season and won the Art Ross Trophy three straight years prior.

Key stat: Dating back to last season, McDavid has registered 2+ points in 12 of his last 18 regular season games.

Quick picks

Barbashev to record a point (-103): I’m shocked to see this line sitting at basically even money.

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The Golden Knights are off to a 2-0 start and Barbashev has three goals and three assists in those games. He leads the team in high-danger chances (five) and sits second to only his linemate, Jack Eichel, in total chances (nine).

Eichel, for reference, is -375 to record a point.

The Golden Knights haven’t played since Friday and welcome in the Anaheim Ducks, who are playing the second leg of a back-to-back.

Anaheim allowed the third-most goals per game (3.57) last seaosn.

Picks made at 9:38 a.m. ET on 10/13/2024.

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Top NFL Week 6 TD picks: Back Lamar Jackson, Drake London to find end zone

NFL Week 6 TD picks

This week’s NFL TD picks target Lamar Jackson, Dontayvion Wicks and Drake London.

The pregame narrative: Jackson co-headlines a matchup with Offensive Rookie of the Year frontrunner Jayden Daniels, and I expect him to torch the Washington Commanders’ defence. Elsewhere, Wicks and London take on two of the worst secondaries in football.

Check out the best NFL Week 6 TD picks for the upcoming games.

NFL Week 6 TD picks

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Best bet: Jackson anytime TD (-121)

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Jackson is set up to be the star in this battle of the DMV.

The reigning MVP is off to an even better start than last year, throwing for 1,209 yards and nine touchdowns while adding 363 yards and two scores on the ground.

How? Well, the addition of Derrick Henry to Baltimore’s backfield can’t be overstated.

Lamar could always make defences look silly but now he has a battering ram next to him. That makes the Ravens’ run-pass option (RPO) game even deadlier — especially in the red zone.

Washington is coming off consecutive games of holding its opponent to 14 or fewer points, but it still ranks 27th in defensive EPA per play, according to RBSDM.com.

Dan Quinn’s rush defence is well below average and now he has to scheme up a way to stop a Ravens team that is averaging the second-most points per game. I don’t like his chances.

Key stat: Jackson’s five rushing attempts inside the 10-yard line are the third-most among all NFL quarterbacks.

Quick picks

Wicks anytime TD (+150): Backing Wicks to score might seem like a tough sell.

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The second-year receiver has caught just 10 of his 29 targets. That 34.5% catch rate ranks dead last among players with at least 25 targets, according to Forbes’ Rob Reischel.

But Wicks has still found the end zone three times and has played in over 75.0% of snaps in consecutive games. Luke Musgrave is an IR candidate, Tucker Kraft is dealing with a groin injury, and Christian Watson is doing a whole lot of nothing.

Wicks should get plenty of looks on Sunday when the Green Bay Packers host the Arizona Cardinals.

Arizona has allowed the sixth-most points per game and ranks 27th in defensive EPA per dropback. This is just a matter of capitalizing on opportunities.

London anytime TD (+175): It took a minute but the Atlanta Falcons’ offence is rolling.

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The Dirty Birds have put up a combined 62 points and 865 yards over their last two games with London being the focal point.

The third-year receiver is coming off a game where he caught 12 passes for 154 yards and a score. He’s now found the end zone in three of his last four games and leads all receivers in red zone receptions with six.

Atlanta takes on a Carolina Panthers defence that ranks last in scoring (33.0 points allowed/game) and 30th in defensive EPA per dropback.

Picks made at 1:40 p.m. ET on 10/11/2024.

Lions vs. Cowboys Week 6 same-game parlay predictions: Bet on Gibbs and Lamb at +360

Lions vs. Cowboys predictions

The Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys meet in Arlington for America’s Game of the Week.

The pregame narrative: Detroit is coming off a bye week against a banged-up Dallas defence. I’m taking the Lions to win alongside player props on Jahmyr Gibbs and CeeDee Lamb.

Check out my Lions vs. Cowboys same-game parlay predictions for Week 6 below.

Lions vs. Cowboys same-game parlay predictions

Full NFL Week 6 betting markets: Click here

Parlay: Lions moneyline + Gibbs over 57.5 rushing yards + Lamb over 83.5 receiving yards (+360)

Lions moneyline (-165): The last time we saw the Lions they put up 42 points on the Seattle Seahawks in prime time.

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With a week off, I expect them to bully a depleted Cowboys defence.

Dallas escaped its Week 5 matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers with a win but it wasn’t pretty. The Cowboys needed a last-second, go-ahead touchdown and scored just 20 points while turning the ball over three times.

But this isn’t about Dallas’ offence.

Micah Parsons and Demarcus Lawrence leave a huge gap on the defensive line. Detroit is one of the league’s best teams at running the ball — more on that later — and has dynamite receiving threats to exploit play actions.

The Lions’ only loss was a game where it outgained the Tampa Bay Buccaneers by 237 yards. I think they’re the class of the NFC and should cruise to a road victory.

Other parlay picks

Gibbs over 57.5 rushing yards (-114): Gibbs is in a true timeshare with fellow tailback David Montgomery but I think they can both smash their respective lines.

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Dallas ranks dead last in defensive EPA per rush (+0.103), per RBSDM.com, and has allowed an average of 232 rushing yards in its two home games.

Gibbs has gone well over this line in three straight games, logging 84, 83 and 78 yards at an impressive 5.7 yards per attempt.

Lamb over 83.5 receiving yards (-115): The Lions’ rush defence is elite and the Cowboys’ rushing attack is non-existent. That means Lamb should be fed early and often, especially if Dallas is chasing as I suspect.

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Lamb went under this number against the Steelers as Jalen Tolbert became the unlikely hero, but I can’t see that happening again.

Last year, Lamb led the league in targets (181) and receptions (135) and was second to only Tyreek Hill in receiving yards (1,749).

Just over 10% of that production came in Dallas’ Week 17 matchup against the Lions when Lamb racked up 13 catches for 227 yards and a score.

Picks made at 11:45 a.m. on 10/11/24.

Best NHL prop picks Oct. 11: Back Tomas Hertl, fade Jake Guentzel and Taylor Hall

NHL prop picks

I’m backing three players from Friday’s four-game slate for these NHL prop picks.

The pregame narrative: Tomas Hertl embarks on his first full season with the Vegas Golden Knights and is a nice pick to record a point tonight. Elsewhere, fade Jake Guentzel and Taylor Hall against good defensive teams.

Find these NHL prop picks for Oct. 11 below.

NHL prop picks

Go to full NHL betting markets.

Best Bet: Hertl to record a point (-125)

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Hertl’s 2023-24 season was seemingly going to be a wash until Vegas traded for the San Jose Shark at the deadline and activated him from LTIR right before the playoffs.

The centre was largely ineffective in the postseason (one point in seven games) but did register a point in four of his six regular season games with the Golden Knights.

Now that he’s had a full offseason, I expect Hertl to return to elite form.

In his last five full seasons with San Jose he registered 280 points in 336 games (0.83/game). This year, he slots in as Vegas’ second-line centre and starts on the team’s first power-play unit.

Hertl recorded an assist in Vegas’ 8-4 blowout of the Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday.

The Golden Knights welcome the St. Louis Blues to town, who are playing their third game in four nights and are on a back-to-back, wrapping up a season-opening West Coast road trip.

Key stat: Hertl had a point in 28 of 54 games last year (51.8%).

Quick picks

Hall to not record a point (-122): Long gone are the days of Hall being an elite player.

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The 2018 Hart Trophy winner played just 10 games for the Chicago Blackhawks last season and logged four points. He’s on the wrong side of 30 and isn’t playing with Connor Bedard or on the first power-play unit.

The Blackhawks had one of the worst offences in the NHL last year and are going up against Connor Hellebuyck and the Jets in Winnipeg tonight.

Hellebuyck, fresh off a Vezina award, shut out the Edmonton Oilers in his first start of the season.

Guentzel to not record a point (+185): Guentzel has big shoes to fill with Steven Stamkos out the door.

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The former Pittsburgh Penguin went pointless in the preseason and has been dealing with an injury that kept him out of practices earlier this week. He’s labelled as day-to-day but was practicing with the Tampa Bay Lightning yesterday.

Assuming he plays, I believe this is a good spot to fade him at plus money.

The Bolts open their season against the Carolina Hurricanes in Raleigh and that’s not a cupcake opponent. Carolina was tied for the fewest goals allowed per game at home last season (2.41), per StatMuse.

Picks made at 9:52 a.m. ET on 10/11/2024.

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49ers vs. Seahawks Week 6 same-game parlay predictions: Back Seattle, Geno Smith at +360 on TNF

49ers vs. Seahawks predictions

Week 6 begins with an NFC West clash between the San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks.

The pregame narrative: Seattle is on a two-game losing streak but is worth backing on an alternate spread at home. I’m also targeting Geno Smith, Zach Charbonnet and Deebo Samuel on the prop market.

Check out my 49ers vs. Seahawks same-game parlay predictions for Week 6 below.

49ers vs. Seahawks same-game parlay predictions

Full Thursday Night Football betting markets: Click here

Parlay: Seahawks +7.5 + Smith over 209.5 passing yards + Charbonnet over 30.5 rushing and receiving yards + Samuel over 59.5 rushing and receiving yards (+360)

Seahawks +7.5 (-210): Neither the Seahawks nor the 49ers are playing their best football right now so I’m happy to bank points with the home team.

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Seattle has lost back-to-back games while San Francisco has dropped three of its last four. The 49ers offence doesn’t look quite right without Christian McCaffrey and the defence has folded multiple times down the stretch of close games.

Talanoa Hufanga, Dre Greenlaw and Javon Hargrave are all out and that takes the teeth out of what was an elite unit last season.

Seattle has enough weapons on the offensive side that it should be able to score and keep this close.

Other parlay picks

Smith over 209.5 passing yards (-425): Smith started his season with a 171-yard effort against the Denver Broncos but has blown by this mark in every game since.

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He’s thrown for at least 284 yards in each of his last four starts while completing passes above a 70% clip. Smith is also throwing the ball close to 40 times per game, which gives us a lot of room to work with.

The 49ers have a better passing defence than a rushing defence but this should still be well within Smith’s range, hence the -425 odds.

Charbonnet over 30.5 rushing and receiving yards (-112): Kenneth Walker III is Seattle’s definitive RB1 but Charbonnet certainly makes an impact.

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The second-year back is averaging 60.2 scrimmage yards per game and has particularly excelled out of the backfield. He’s caught 18 passes for a total of 134 yards (26.8 per game) while rushing for 4.3 yards per carry.

San Francisco is a pedestrian 20th in defensive EPA per rush, per RBSDM.com, and has allowed the seventh-most receiving yards per game to running backs.

On a short week, Mike Macdonald should lean on a rotation with Charbonnet and Walker.

Samuel over 59.5 rushing and receiving yards (-210): Samuel owns the Seahawks.

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The dynamic receiver has blown by this line in four straight games against Seattle, averaging 126.3 scrimmage yards in those contests.

He’s coming off his worst game in recent memory, where he logged just 20 scrimmage yards on one catch and three rushing attempts in a loss.

But Samuel still played in 81% of snaps and if he remains at that level — and there’s no reason why he shouldn’t — this is within reach.

Picks made at 10:45 a.m. on 10/10/24.

Yankees vs. Royals Game 4 same-game parlay predictions: Back Juan Soto, Bobby Witt Jr. at +300

Yankees vs. Royals predicitions

The New York Yankees and Kansas City Royals meet for a potential series-deciding Game 4.

The pregame narrative: New York is one win away from advancing to the ALCS and has its ace Gerrit Cole pitching. That said, I’m backing Kansas City to cover an alternate run line alongside Juan Soto and Bobby Witt Jr. player props.

Check out my Yankees vs. Royals predictions for Game 4 of their ALDS matchup on Oct. 10.

Yankees vs. Royals SGP predictions

Full MLB postseason betting markets: Click here

Parlay: Royals +2.5 + Soto over 0.5 runs + Witt Jr. over 0.5 hits (+300)

Royals +2.5 (-235): Cole didn’t look like the Cy Young-winning version of himself when he took the mound in Game 1 of this series.

He gave up seven hits and four runs over 5.0 innings while striking out just four batters. The Yankees still won that game, 6-5, after chasing Michael Wacha from the mound. But they didn’t come anywhere close to covering this number.

Kansas City turns to Wacha again and I think the Royals should keep this one close, too.

In a 107-plate-appearances sample size, Wacha has held this Yankees lineup to a .158 batting average and .243 slugging percentage.

He has a 2.48 ERA in his last five starts against the Yanks and that includes Game 1.

Kansas City has covered this number in all five of its playoff games and in 61 of its 81 regular-season home games.

SGP legs

Soto over 0.5 runs (-130): Backing Soto to score alongside Kansas City +2.5 gives this SGP a huge odds boost thanks to some negative correlation.

The Yankees’ No. 2 hitter has only scored once this series but has reached base safely in every game and has a .429 playoff OBP.

Soto’s 128 runs in the regular season were second to only Shohei Ohtani. He’s consistently putting himself in a position to score and has solid numbers in a small sample size against Wacha.

He is 3-for-7 against the righty with just one strikeout.

Witt over 0.5 hits (-305): Let’s hope this is as stress-free as it should be.

Witt is one of the best pure hitters in baseball. He led the majors in hits (211) and batting average (.332) and ranked in the 88th percentile for K rate (15.0%).

He’s slumping in the playoffs and is only 2-for-9 against Cole, but I’ll bet on his wider body of work. Witt cleared this line in 128 of 161 games (79.5%) this year.

Picks made at 9:00 a.m. on 10/10/24.

49ers vs. Seahawks Week 6 TNF prop picks: Back Deebo Samuel and Zach Charbonnet

49ers vs. Seahawks prop picks

The Seattle Seahawks host the San Francisco 49ers for an NFC West showdown on Thursday Night Football.

The pregame narrative: A win for the 49ers would put them atop the division, temporarily, at least. I expect Deebo Samuel to have a big game for San Francisco and am targeting Seattle’s backup running back Zach Charbonnet.

Check out my 49ers vs. Seahawks prop picks for Thursday Night Football on Oct. 10.

49ers vs. Seahawks prop picks

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Best Bet: Samuel over 71.5 rushing and receiving yards (-114)

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Samuel had a full-blown cardio game in Week 5.

He logged just 20 scrimmage yards on one catch and three rushing attempts despite playing in 81% of snaps. It was his lowest output since Week 6 of the 2023 season and he left that game early with an injury.

But I’m fine to buy low on Deebo, especially against the Seahawks.

Seattle’s defence has taken a big step forward with Mike Macdonald at the helm but this is a matchup the receiver has dominated.

Samuel had 150 and 94 scrimmage yards in his two games against the Seahawks last year. Before that, he dropped 164 scrimmage yards against them in the 2023 NFC wild-card game. And before that, he had 97 scrimmage yards against them in his lone meeting of the 2022 regular season.

Kyle Shanahan clearly knows how to use Samuel against this group and without Christian McCaffrey in the mix he’ll need the receivers’ dynamic skillset.

Samuel has blown by this line in four straight games against Seattle and I say he does it again.

Key stat: Samuel is 3-1 against this line this season.

Quick picks

Charbonnet over 30.5 rushing and receiving yards (-117): This line feels like a steal.

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Charbonnet fell under this mark in Week 5 but blew by it in every game before. He’s averaging 60.2 scrimmage yards per game and is an above-average rusher and a solid pass catcher.

The second-year back has turned 18 receptions into 134 yards and is toting the ball at an impressive 4.30 yards per carry over the past four weeks.

Kenneth Walker III has impressed this season but he’s also missed two games with an injury. On a short week, it would be foolish to overwork the back when Charbonnet is perfectly capable of picking up the slack here and there.

San Francisco is a pedestrian 20th in defensive EPA per rush, per RBSDM.com, and has allowed the seventh-most receiving yards per game to running backs.

Picks made at 2:21 p.m. ET 10/09/2024.

Dodgers vs. Padres Game 4 same-game parlay predictions: Bet on Ohtani as part of +320 NLDS ticket

Dodgers vs. Padres predictions

The San Diego Padres can punch their ticket to the NLCS tonight.

The pregame narrative: Dylan Cease gets the ball on short rest for San Diego while the Los Angeles Dodgers have a bullpen game. That sounds like a recipe for scoring. I’m taking the over on an alternate total alongside Shohei Ohtani’s bases prop to build a +320 same-game parlay.

Check out my Dodgers vs. Padres predictions for Game 4 of their NLDS matchup on Oct. 9.

Dodgers vs. Padres SGP predictions

Full MLB postseason betting markets: Click here

Parlay: Over 6.5 runs + Ohtani over 1.5 bases + Cease over 3.5 strikeouts (+320)

Over 6.5 runs (-240): Every game of this series has cruised past a 6.5-run total.

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Last night, both offences erupted for five runs before the fourth inning began and I’m calling for more fireworks tonight.

When Cease took the mound in Game 1 he had an early 3-0 lead but squandered it after giving up a three-run moonshot to Ohtani. San Diego re-took a 5-3 lead before Cease gave that away, too.

The righty has had a solid season for the Padres (3.47 ERA, 1.07 WHIP) but the Dodgers have consistently hit him hard. In 112 at-bats, Los Angeles is batting .278 with a .480 slugging percentage.

I won’t go as far as taking Dodgers moneyline, though, considering how hot San Diego’s bats have been.

The Padres have the second-best batting average (.267) and fourth-best wRC+ (117) since the all-star break. It’s unclear who Los Angeles will start as an opener, but I don’t think it matters.

SGP legs

Ohtani over 1.5 bases (+115): Ohtani went nuclear to close out the regular season and was 2-for-5 with a home run in his postseason debut.

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He’s gone cold the last two games (1-for-8, one single) but I won’t let that stop me from backing a generational hitter at plus money.

The NL-MVP-in-waiting hit .310 this year with 54 home runs. Let’s circle back on how he closed the season, shall we? Check out this 10 games stretch:

  • 27-for-43 (.628 batting average)
  • 15 runs scored
  • 12 extra-base hits
  • 20 RBI
  • Over 1.5 bases in eight of 10 games

Ohtani is 5-for-17 against Cease with three bombs and a double. This is a good spot for him to get back on track.

Cease over 3.5 strikeouts (-265): I haven’t spoken highly of Cease in this article but he’s still a solid arm with elite swing-and-miss stuff.

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He finished fifth in total strikeouts and was tied for third in strikeout rate (29.4 K%), per Baseball Savant.

Cease may have gotten rocked in Game 1 but he still cleared this line with five strikeouts in 3.1 IP. That’s because it’s essentially his floor.

He’s recorded four-plus strikeouts in all but one of his 33 starts this season. And in that game, he had two in 1.0 IP before it was rained out.

There’s no such thing as a sure thing in sports betting but I feel very confident about this leg.

Picks made at 12:50 p.m. on 10/08/24.

Phillies vs. Mets NLDS Game 4 picks: Bet on New York to advance, Iglesias to produce

Phillies vs. Mets picks

The New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies meet for a potentially series-deciding game in Queens.

The pregame narrative: New York took a 2-1 NLDS lead after blowing out Philadelphia yesterday. I like the Mets to win the series in a pick’em with two lefties pitching. On the prop market, bet on Jose Iglesias to record an RBI.

Check out my Phillies vs. Mets picks for Game 4 of their NLDS matchup on Oct. 9.

Phillies vs. Mets picks

Full MLB postseason betting markets: Click here

Best Bet: Mets moneyline (-109)

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Philadelphia’s offence folded last night against Sean Manaea, logging just three hits and one run over his 7.0 innings pitched.

Now New York turns to another lefty in Jose Quintana for the kill shot. I say he does it.

Quintana has been on another planet lately, with a 0.64 ERA across his last seven starts. One of those starts was against the Phillies and Quintana tossed 7.0 scoreless frames with more strikeouts (four) than hits (three).

We have a huge sample size of what Quintana has done against this lineup and the results are encouraging.

Over 205 plate appearances, he’s held Philadelphia to a .238 batting average and .373 slugging percentage.

Moreover, Alec Bohm, one of Philly’s best hitters against LHP, is in an awful slump and was scratched from the starting lineup in Game 2.

Philadelphia turns to Ranger Suarez in hopes of slowing the Mets.

Suarez has a 5.74 ERA across his last seven starts but has been solid against New York this season. In three starts the southpaw has allowed just two earned runs over 15.2 IP. But he did allow 23 baserunners (17 hits, six walks) so those results are somewhat lucky.

The Mets are pounding baseballs right now and have Grimace on their side — how can I bet against them at home?

Key stat: The Mets have the sixth-best wRC+ against lefties since September 1.

Quick picks

Iglesias to record an RBI (+220): Iglesias has been a fantastic story for the Mets.

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The 35-year-old was playing in the minors last season and became an integral part of their postseason push after an injury forced Jeff McNeil out of the lineup.

The shortstop batted .337 this year and closed out the season on a 22-game hitting streak.

He’s recorded a knock in all but one playoff game and drove in two runners last night.

Iglesias doesn’t hit for power so that has me wary of backing his bases total. But he is a fantastic contract hitter and is in a prime run-production spot, sitting fifth behind Francisco Lindor, Mark Vientos, Brandon Nimmo and Pete Alonso.

Iglesias is 6-for-8 against Suarez with two doubles.

Picks made at 9:21 a.m. ET 10/09/2024.

NHL opening night picks and predictions Oct. 8: Bet on Florida and Utah to win in regulation

NHL best bets

The NHL season begins in earnest on Tuesday with three games, including a playoff rematch between the Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers and Boston Bruins.

The pregame narrative: Florida is at home for banner night and has the goaltending advantage. I like the Panthers to win in regulation and for the Utah Hockey Club to win its inaugural game in Salt Lake City.

Check out the best NHL picks for Oct. 8.

NHL picks

Full NHL betting markets: Click here

Best bet: Panthers to win in regulation (+100)

The Bruins got their guy in net … but he won’t be starting on Tuesday.

Boston inked Jeremy Swayman to an eight-year, $64-million contract, ending a stalemate that lasted throughout training camp and the preseason.

That means Joonas Korpisalo will be tending twine against the defending champs. I have nothing against the Finn but he’s a noticeable downgrade. Korpisalo had a 3.27 GAA and .890 save percentage last season, which ranked 44th and 45th, respectively among all goaltenders.

Granted, he was playing for the Ottawa Senators and they were a defensive mess.

Swayman had a 2.53 GAA (eighth) and .916 SV% (fifth). Sergei Bobrovsky, who starts for Florida, was even better, posting a 2.37 GAA (third) and .915 SV% (seventh).

And if you look at the rest of the roster, Florida is clearly the better team.

The Panthers won the Atlantic Division with 110 points and 52 wins. They also had the second-best 5v5 Corsi rate (55.7%), according to Natural Stat Trick.

Matthew Tkachuk, Aleksander Barkov and Sam Reinhart all topped 80 points last year while only one Bruin (David Pastrnak, 110) even met the 70-point threshold.

Key stat: The Panthers beat the Bruins 4-2 in the playoffs last year, and each of their wins came in regulation.

Quick picks

Hockey Club to win in regulation (-108): Utah welcomes Chicago for its first-ever game, and the fans should be in for a good one.

The team formerly known as the Arizona Coyotes hit its stride toward the end of last season, winning 10 of its final 16 games while averaging 3.4 goals per game. For context, the Canucks ranked sixth last year with that same GPG average.

The Hockey Club has a deep, young roster that seemed destined to take the next step and I like their chances of lighting up the defensively inept Blackhawks.

Chicago ranked 29th in GAA (3.52) and 26th in SV% (.897) last year.

Outside of Connor Bedard, the team has no promising young talent upfront. Last year’s Calder winner slots in alongside Ilya Mikheyev and Teuvo Teravainen, who have never scored more than 25 goals apiece.

Picks made at 2:29 p.m. ET on 10/07/2024.