Contributing Writer

Oilers vs. Kings Game 1 SGP predictions: Target Doughty and McDavid at +310

The Edmonton Oilers begin their Stanley Cup playoff journey on the road against the Los Angeles Kings.

The pregame narrative: The Kings were the best home team in the NHL this season and I expect that to continue into the playoffs. This SGP includes a pick on Los Angeles’ team total, Drew Doughty and Connor McDavid.

Check out my Oilers vs. Kings playoff SGP predictions for Game 1 on April 21.

Oilers vs. Kings predictions

Parlay: Kings over 2.5 goals | Doughty to score 1+ points | McDavid to score 1+ points (+310)

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Kings over 2.5 goals (-162): Los Angeles went an incredible 31-6-4 at home this season and covered this total in 27 of those 41 games.

Now, the Kings take on an average defensive team in Round 1. Edmonton ranks 14th in goals allowed and kills penalties at a below-average rate (78.2%).

The Oilers won’t have Mattias Ekholm at all in the first round, which is a key absence in their own zone.

Additionally, the Kings have scored three or more goals in eight of their last 10 games. The offence is hot coming into the postseason.

Los Angeles has played Edmonton twice in April and covered this total in both games.

NBA SGP legs

Doughty to score 1+ points (+140): Doughty missed a majority of this season recovering from an injury and struggled upon returning, scoring one point in his first six games.

He was then called up to Team Canada. It appears playing in a tournament with the best in the world forced the blue-liner to shake off the rust.

Doughty was much better after the break, scoring 16 points in 24 games down the stretch.

He had a point in each of the first three games in last year’s playoffs. I expect much of the same success this time around.

McDavid to score 1+ points (-385): I’m sure I don’t need to say much to sell this pick, but I’ll explain my reasoning.

The Oilers captain dealt with injury issues at different times this season. However, he was incredibly efficient when available.

McDavid has scored at least a point in 21 of his past 22 games.

He finished sixth in the league with 100 points despite playing only 67 games.

And let’s not forget last year’s playoff run. McDavid scored 42 points in 24 games and went 18-6 against this line.

That includes getting on the score sheet in all five games of the opening round series vs. the Kings.

Oilers vs. Kings predictions made at 1:28 p.m. ET 04/20/2025.

Blues vs. Jets Game 2 prop picks: Tail Josh Morrissey during hot streak

The Winnipeg Jets look to secure a 2-0 series lead over the St. Louis Blues when they meet on Monday night at Canada Life Centre.

The pregame narrative: The Jets can build off a comeback win at home and take hold of this series in the process. In the prop market, I’m targeting Josh Morrissey and Jordan Kyrou in Game 2.

Check out my Blues vs. Jets prop picks for Game 2 of this first-round matchup in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Blues vs. Jets prop picks

Best Bet: Morrissey to score 1+ points (-130)

Morrissey finished the season getting on the score sheet in four straight games (six points total).

He followed that up with a two-assist performance in Game 1 win over the Blues.

Morrissey led all Winnipeg skaters in ice time (23:51), which is typical for the Canadian defenceman.

I like his chances of contributing to the score sheet when he’s on the ice as much as he is. On top of that, he’s one of the best offensive blue-liners in the NHL.

Morrissey finished eighth among defencemen in points during the regular season (62).

St. Louis killed penalties at a lousy 74.2% rate (tied for sixth worst). That can be detrimental in the playoffs, and Morrissey already has one power-play point in this series.

Key stat: He is 3-1 against this line vs. the Blues this year.

Quick picks

Kyrou over 2.5 shots (-118): The Blues only had 17 shots on net in Game 1, but the good news is Kyrou had four of those.

He’s cleared this line in 13 of the past 18 games and led the Blues this year with 239 shots (2.9 per game).

The Jets are a great defensive team, allowing the fewest goals per game (2.32), but they did tie for the 10th-most shots allowed per game (27.2). That makes St. Louis’ 17-shot total from Saturday look like an anomaly.

It can’t get any worse, right? If the Blues do record more shots on Monday, expect Kyrou to continue leading the charge.

Blues vs. Jets prop picks made at 4:06 p.m. ET 04/20/2025.

Blues vs. Jets Game 2 prop picks: Tail Josh Morrissey during hot streak

The Winnipeg Jets look to secure a 2-0 series lead over the St. Louis Blues when they meet on Monday night at Canada Life Centre.

The pregame narrative: The Jets can build off a comeback win at home and take hold of this series in the process. In the prop market, I’m targeting Josh Morrissey and Jordan Kyrou in Game 2.

Check out my Blues vs. Jets prop picks for Game 2 of this first-round matchup in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Blues vs. Jets prop picks

Best Bet: Morrissey to score 1+ points (-134)

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Morrissey finished the season getting on the score sheet in four straight games (six points total).

He followed that up with a two-assist performance in Game 1 win over the Blues.

Morrissey led all Winnipeg skaters in ice time (23:51), which is typical for the Canadian defenceman.

I like his chances of contributing to the score sheet when he’s on the ice as much as he is. On top of that, he’s one of the best offensive blue-liners in the NHL.

Morrissey finished eighth among defencemen in points during the regular season (62).

St. Louis killed penalties at a lousy 74.2% rate (tied for sixth worst). That can be detrimental in the playoffs, and Morrissey already has one power-play point in this series.

Key stat: He is 3-1 against this line vs. the Blues this year.

Quick picks

Kyrou over 2.5 shots (-115): The Blues only had 17 shots on net in Game 1, but the good news is Kyrou had four of those.

He’s cleared this line in 13 of the past 18 games and led the Blues this year with 239 shots (2.9 per game).

The Jets are a great defensive team, allowing the fewest goals per game (2.32), but they did tie for the 10th-most shots allowed per game (27.2). That makes St. Louis’ 17-shot total from Saturday look like an anomaly.

It can’t get any worse, right? If the Blues do record more shots on Monday, expect Kyrou to continue leading the charge.

Blues vs. Jets prop picks made at 1:45 p.m. ET 04/20/2025.

Oilers vs. Kings Game 1 prop picks: Bet on Azne Kopitar, Connor McDavid

The Edmonton Oilers start their journey back to the Stanley Cup Final against the Los Angeles Kings.

The pregame narrative: This will be a repeat of last year’s opening series, which the Oilers won 4-1. Can the Kings get a different result this season, or will history repeat itself? I have prop picks on Anze Kopitar and Connor McDavid for Game 1.

Check out my Oilers vs. Kings prop picks for Game 1 of the opening round.

Oilers vs. Kings prop picks

Best Bet: Kopitar to score 1+ points (-106)

Kopitar is turning into an ageless wonder as he continues to lead the defensively stout Los Angeles Kings.

He’s known for his elite defensive ability, but his offensive production was still there in his age-37 season.

The centreman scored 67 points in 81 games (0.83 per game), which is right around his career scoring average (0.88 per game). He had at least a point in 13 of the final 23 contests.

Edmonton is an average defensive team. It ranks 14th in goals allowed and kills penalties at a below-average 78.2% rate.

The Oilers will be without Mattias Ekholm for the entirety of the first round. He’s one of their top defenceman and his absence will open up more offence for Los Angeles.

Key stat: The Kings recently played Edmonton on April 14. Kopitar had two assists in a 5-0 win for L.A.

Quick picks

McDavid to score 2+ points (+115): A big reason the Oilers were shut out last week against the Kings (5-0 on Monday) was the absence of McDavid.

That rarely occurs when the captain is in the lineup. He has at least a point in 21 of the last 22 games heading into the postseason.

Los Angeles was a very similar team this season to last. It allowed the third-fewest goals per game in 2023-24 and the second-fewest this season.

Defence went out the window in Edmonton’s Game 1 win last season, though. McDavid had five assists and went on to lead the Oilers to the Cup Final, where they fell one game short.

That was against McDavid’s best effort, however. He won the Conn Smythe after scoring 42 points in 25 games, with 12 multi-point games mixed in.

I simply cannot pass on this pick in the playoffs at plus money.

Oilers vs. Kings prop picks made at 1:30 p.m. ET 04/20/2025.

Oilers vs. Kings Game 1 prop picks: Bet on Azne Kopitar, Connor McDavid

The Edmonton Oilers start their journey back to the Stanley Cup Final against the Los Angeles Kings.

The pregame narrative: This will be a repeat of last year’s opening series, which the Oilers won 4-1. Can the Kings get a different result this season, or will history repeat itself? I have prop picks on Anze Kopitar and Connor McDavid for Game 1.

Check out my Oilers vs. Kings prop picks for Game 1 of the opening round.

Oilers vs. Kings prop picks

Best Bet: Kopitar to score 1+ points (-115)

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Kopitar is turning into an ageless wonder as he continues to lead the defensively stout Los Angeles Kings.

He’s known for his elite defensive ability, but his offensive production was still there in his age-37 season.

The centreman scored 67 points in 81 games (0.83 per game), which is right around his career scoring average (0.88 per game). He had at least a point in 13 of the final 23 contests.

Edmonton is an average defensive team. It ranks 14th in goals allowed and kills penalties at a below-average 78.2% rate.

The Oilers will be without Mattias Ekholm for the entirety of the first round. He’s one of their top defenceman and his absence will open up more offence for Los Angeles.

Key stat: The Kings recently played Edmonton on April 14. Kopitar had two assists in a 5-0 win for L.A.

Quick picks

McDavid to score 2+ points (+132): A big reason the Oilers were shut out last week against the Kings (5-0 on Monday) was the absence of McDavid.

That rarely occurs when the captain is in the lineup. He has at least a point in 21 of the last 22 games heading into the postseason.

Los Angeles was a very similar team this season to last. It allowed the third-fewest goals per game in 2023-24 and the second-fewest this season.

Defence went out the window in Edmonton’s Game 1 win last season, though. McDavid had five assists and went on to lead the Oilers to the Cup Final, where they fell one game short.

That was against McDavid’s best effort, however. He won the Conn Smythe after scoring 42 points in 25 games, with 12 multi-point games mixed in.

I simply cannot pass on this pick in the playoffs at plus money.

Oilers vs. Kings prop picks made at 11:30 a.m. ET 04/20/2025.

Wild vs. Golden Knights Game 1 best bets: Look for Jack Eichel to lead Vegas to victory

The final game on Sunday’s Stanley Cup playoff schedule is between the Minnesota Wild and Vegas Golden Knights.

The pregame narrative: The Golden Knights come into this series with all the momentum. I’m taking the home side to cover the puck line at plus money. My other pick is on Jack Eichel to produce as a passer.

Check out my Wild vs. Golden Knights Game 1 predictions below.

Wild vs. Golden Knights predictions

Best Bet: Golden Knights -1.5 (+130)

The Wild started the season hot, winning 20 of their first 30 games (and four of the losses were in overtime).

That’s when the injury bug hit the locker room. First, it was Kirill Kaprizov, who was near the top of the NHL in scoring when he got hurt.

Other important pieces, Joel Eriksson Ek and Jonas Brodin, also dealt with injuries. All three guys missed more than 30 games.

The final day of the regular season was the first time Minnesota had a fully healthy roster since Nov. 20.

That led to some poor defensive statistics that I’m not sure can be fixed in such a short time.

7th-most shots against (29.6/game)
3rd-worst penalty kill (72.4%)

The Wild ranked closer to the middle of the pack for goals against, thanks to Filip Gustavsson, who had an excellent season (2.56 GAA, .914 SV%).

But he can only do so much when his team allows a high volume of chances at even strength and on the penalty kill.

Vegas comes into this series without injury issues, except for maybe Alex Pietrangelo, who’s still trying to find his stride after missing a couple of months.

The Knights finished second in the Western Conference and rank near the top of the NHL in several categories:

5th in goals/game (3.34)
4th in shots/game (30.3)
2nd in PP percentage (28.3%)
3rd in goals against/game (2.61)

They have the perfect style to capitalize on Minnesota’s weaknesses. I expect Vegas to dominate this game to take an early hold on this series.

Key stat: The Knights had a 29-9-3 record at home this season.

Quick pick

Eichel to record 1+ assists (-120): Eichel struggled down the stretch as he dealt with a minor upper-body injury that forced him to miss a few games.

That led to just one point in five appearances in April, but I’m not worried in the slightest.

Eichel was an assist machine this year. He finished sixth in the NHL with 66 assists and went on a tear in March.

During that month, he had 15 helpers and went 10-4 against this line. Considering the Wild are a below-average defensive team, Eichel has an early chance to make his mark on this series.

Eichel had five points (two assists) in two games against Minnesota this season.

Wild vs. Golden Knights predictions made at 11:21 a.m. ET 04/20/2025.

Wild vs. Golden Knights Game 1 best bets: Look for Jack Eichel to lead Vegas to victory

The final game on Sunday’s Stanley Cup playoff schedule is between the Minnesota Wild and Vegas Golden Knights.

The pregame narrative: The Golden Knights come into this series with all the momentum. I’m taking the home side to cover the puck line at plus money. My other pick is on Jack Eichel to produce as a passer.

Check out my Wild vs. Golden Knights Game 1 predictions below.

Wild vs. Golden Knights predictions

Best Bet: Golden Knights -1.5 (+133)

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The Wild started the season hot, winning 20 of their first 30 games (and four of the losses were in overtime).

That’s when the injury bug hit the locker room. First, it was Kirill Kaprizov, who was near the top of the NHL in scoring when he got hurt.

Other important pieces, Joel Eriksson Ek and Jonas Brodin, also dealt with injuries. All three guys missed more than 30 games.

The final day of the regular season was the first time Minnesota had a fully healthy roster since Nov. 20.

That led to some poor defensive statistics that I’m not sure can be fixed in such a short time.

7th-most shots against (29.6/game)
3rd-worst penalty kill (72.4%)

The Wild ranked closer to the middle of the pack for goals against, thanks to Filip Gustavsson, who had an excellent season (2.56 GAA, .914 SV%).

But he can only do so much when his team allows a high volume of chances at even strength and on the penalty kill.

Vegas comes into this series without injury issues, except for maybe Alex Pietrangelo, who’s still trying to find his stride after missing a couple of months.

The Knights finished second in the Western Conference and rank near the top of the NHL in several categories:

5th in goals/game (3.34)
4th in shots/game (30.3)
2nd in PP percentage (28.3%)
3rd in goals against/game (2.61)

They have the perfect style to capitalize on Minnesota’s weaknesses. I expect Vegas to dominate this game to take an early hold on this series.

Key stat: The Knights had a 29-9-3 record at home this season.

Quick pick

Eichel to record 1+ assists (-118): Eichel struggled down the stretch as he dealt with a minor upper-body injury that forced him to miss a few games.

That led to just one point in five appearances in April, but I’m not worried in the slightest.

Eichel was an assist machine this year. He finished sixth in the NHL with 66 assists and went on a tear in March.

During that month, he had 15 helpers and went 10-4 against this line. Considering the Wild are a below-average defensive team, Eichel has an early chance to make his mark on this series.

Eichel had five points (two assists) in two games against Minnesota this season.

Wild vs. Golden Knights predictions made at 9:15 a.m. ET 04/20/2025.

Real Madrid vs. Arsenal Champions League quarterfinal SGP predictions April 16: Back Bellingham and Rice at +295

Real Madrid looks to make a monumental comeback over Arsenal in the Champions League quarterfinal.

The pregame narrative: Los Blancos will be on the constant hunt for goals, but I’m expecting Arsenal to shut it down and I am taking under 3.5 goals. Picks on Jude Bellingham and Declan Rice are also featured in this +290 SGP.

Check out my Real Madrid vs. Arsenal SGP predictions for April 16.

Real Madrid vs. Arsenal predictions

Go to full Champions League betting markets

Parlay: Under 3.5 goals | Bellingham over 0.5 SOT | Rice over 0.5 shots (+290)

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Under 3.5 goals (-177): Madrid will be desperate for goals, but there should be no rush when Arsenal has possession.

In fact, I’m sure the English side would be happy with the most boring game possible.

And that’s because Arsenal holds a comfortable 3-0 lead on aggregate.

I expect a thwarting attack from Los Blancos at home, but I also expect the Gunners’ defenders to hold strong.

Arsenal allows the second fewest goals per game (0.5) in the Champions League this season.

The away side will be without top defender Gabriel, who went down with an injury a few weeks ago.

Jakub Kiwior returned at the perfect time, however, and has filled in at centre half nicely. He played the full 90 minutes in the first leg and helped hold Madrid’s attack to three shots on target.

Arsenal should be happy to play a defensively strong formation and slow the pace down by holding possession. That’ll lead to fewer opportunities for the Spanish side.

Champions League SGP legs

Bellingham over 0.5 SOT (-186): Whether Real Madrid needs goals or not, Bellingham is often involved in the opposing third.

He has at least a shot on goal in four of the past five matches. He claimed one of those few Real Madrid shots in the first leg, as well.

Carlo Ancelotti’s squad will be pressing for goals while taking risks that wouldn’t be needed in most cases. As the game goes on, the shot attempts will get more desperate, but that’s good for this wager.

And I think this is more than a fair price for Bellingham to get a shot on target, especially when his side is pushing for offence.

Rice over 0.5 shots (-205): It was the English midfielder who was the hero in the first leg, scoring two brilliant free kicks past Thibaut Courtois.

Rice has attempted a shot in each of the past 12 games across all competitions. He’s shown to be very reliable against this line.

Arsenal will be in no rush for offence, but it can’t sit back and invite pressure either. If Rice finds himself in a spot to let it fly, I don’t see why he wouldn’t.

He also has the advantage of being the Gunners’ free-kick taker. That can lead to a free shot opportunity on any Real Madrid foul around its penalty area.

Real Madrid vs. Arsenal predictions made at 10:26 a.m. on 04/15/25.

Maple Leafs props vs. Sabres April 15: Back Matthews and Tavares to produce

The pregame narrative: The magic number is one point, as the Leafs need to win or lose in overtime to lock up the division. I expect a big performance and am taking prop bets for John Tavares and Auston Matthews.

Check out my Maple Leafs prop picks vs. Sabres for April 15.

Maple Leafs prop picks vs. Sabres

Best Bet: Tavares to score 1+ points (-143)

I took this pick at this exact price on Sunday, and Tavares came through, scoring a goal against the Carolina Hurricanes.

Now, the Leafs play the Sabres, a much worse defensive team than the Hurricanes.

Buffalo allows the fourth most goals (3.49) and 11th most shots (28.9) per game.

The side is expected to start James Reimer tonight. His .898 SV% is less than impressive.

Tavares is rolling ahead of the playoffs, recording a point in four straight games and in 10 of his last 12.

Key stat: The former captain has five points in two games against the Sabres this season.

Quick pick

Matthews over 3.5 shots (+100): Matthews may not be producing at the same rate as last year, but he’s had a really good campaign, nonetheless.

75 points in 65 games (31 goals)
3.91 shots per game (fourth-most in NHL)

As mentioned before, the Sabres rank in the bottom half of the league for shots against.

Matthews is accustomed to big shooting nights and doesn’t get a plus-money price on this line often. Maybe it’s because he’s fallen short in three of the past four games, but I’m willing to look past that.

Mattews recorded five shots on goal in both games against Buffalo earlier this season.

Maple Leafs vs. Sabres prop picks made at 1:15 p.m. ET 04/15/2025.

Grizzlies vs. Warriors play-in SGP predictions April 15: Target Steph Curry at +330

The first of two Western Conference play-in games takes place on Tuesday between the Memphis Grizzlies and Golden State Warriors.

The pregame narrative: I think the Grizzlies can keep this game competitive so I’ll back them on an alternate spread. This +325 SGP also includes picks on Desmond Bane and Steph Curry.

Check out my Grizzlies vs. Warriors SGP predictions for April 15.

Grizzlies vs. Warriors predictions

Parlay: Grizzlies +10.5 | Bane over 2.5 threes | Curry over 26.5 points (+330)

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Grizzlies +10.5 (-210): There is no easy matchup in the West. That will be showcased when the Grizzlies (48-34) visit the Warriors (48-34) for the conference’s first play-in game.

Golden State played its best basketball down the stretch. The team went 23-7 with Jimmy Butler in the lineup following the trade deadline.

But I can’t ignore how good Memphis is, especially when healthy. Let’s look at some of its team stats and where they rank in the NBA:

121.1 points per game (2nd)
118.5 offensive rating (6th)
113.7 defensive rating (9th)

The Grizzlies also have a positive away record (22-19), which is nice to see for any team in the postseason.

I’m not sure Memphis can pull off the upset here, but this enough points to get behind on the away side.

NBA SGP legs

Bane over 2.5 threes (-121): There was no one more consistent for the Grizzlies than Bane.

He averaged 19.2 points per game this season on 48.4% from the field (39.2% from 3).

Bane closed the season shooting a high volume of triples, going 6-2 against this line over the last eight games.

He took at least five attempts in all those contests and seems to fall more into a catch-and-shoot role when his point guard, Ja Morant, is healthy.

Memphis plays at the fastest pace in the league, so there should be an uptick for most players on offence, including Bane.

In an April 1 meeting with the Warriors, Bane shot 4-for-10 from deep.

Curry over 26.5 points (-148): Who better to bet on than Curry in the playoffs?

He’ll surely take advantage of the Grizzlies’ fast pace as he’s done in the past.

In that recent meeting between these two teams, ‘Chef’ Curry dropped 51 points on 16-of-31 shooting. A similarly inflated amount of shot attempts would do wonders for this pick.

On Sunday, the superstar guard scored 36 points against the Los Angeles Clippers in what was the closest thing there is to a playoff game during the regular season.

He shot 50% from the field and went 7-for-12 from deep.

The last time Curry was in the playoffs was 2022-23, and he averaged 30.5 points in 13 games played.

Grizzlies vs. Warriors predictions made at 11:24 a.m. ET 04/15/2025.