Steven Psihogios

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

• Full NHL betting markets
• NHL injury report
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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.

The Toronto Maple Leafs and the Columbus Blue Jackets square off on Saturday in a game that carries weight for both squads.

The pregame narrative: Wins matter for Toronto as it aims to stay first in the Atlantic Division. Columbus needs to keep pace in the playoff race. Top players should shine in a meaningful matchup, making Mitch Marner a solid choice to score a power-play point and Zach Werenski a nice pick to top his shot prop.

Check out my Maple Leafs prop picks vs. Blue Jackets for April 5.

Maple Leafs prop picks vs. Blue Jackets

• Full NHL betting markets
• NHL injury report
• NHL player stats
• NHL standings

Best Bet: Marner to score a power-play point (+185)

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This isn’t a market I typically indulge in but I do like the setup for Saturday night.

Marner is on an absolute tear and coming off arguably his most impactful performance of the season. The Maple Leafs winger produced two points — a goal and a gorgeous assist — in a 3-2 victory over the Florida Panthers.

That was a thing of beauty.

But Marner’s standout performance against the Panthers isn’t an isolated incident. He has three goals and 10 points across his last nine games, including five power-play points during this stretch.

Columbus’ struggling penalty kill is why I’m targeting this prop in particular.

The Blue Jackets rank 24th on the PK this season (75.5%).

Toronto’s power play, meanwhile, is firing on all cylinders. The Maple Leafs sit second on the man advantage across the last month, clicking at a 39.4% success rate.

Key stat: Marner leads the Maple Leafs with 32 power-play points this season.

Quick pick

Werenski over 3.5 shots (+140): This is a big line for most defencemen.

But Weresnki isn’t playing like most defencemen. The Columbus superstar has been incredible this campaign.

Here’s how he ranks in several key stats among all blueliners:

• T-2nd in assists (54)
• Second in points (74)
• First in shots (269)

The latter is certainly the most important for this prop.

And he’s in fine form ahead of Saturday’s showdown. Werenski has topped this mark in four consecutive games and seven of his last eight.

What makes this an even more intriguing wager is the matchup. Toronto has done a poor job of limiting opposing shot totals.

The Maple Leafs are surrendering the eighth-most shots per game (29.4). They’re heading in the wrong direction, too, ceding the fifth-most shots per contest over the last month (30.1).

Werenski topped this total in each of his two appearances against Toronto this season (11 total shots). Expect him to be the Blue Jackets’ driving offensive force as they try to squeak into a wild-card spot.

Maple Leafs vs. Blue Jackets prop picks made at 10:13 a.m. ET 04/05/2025.