Category: NHL

The Toronto Maple Leafs battle the Utah Hockey Club after a tough loss on Saturday night.

The pregame narrative: The Colorado Avalanche outlasted the Maple Leafs on Saturday, but Toronto’s Matthew Knies continues to impress. I’m betting on him to deliver a point in Monday’s contest and am fading Loogan Cooley.

Check out my Maple Leafs prop picks vs. Utah for March 10.

Maple Leafs prop picks vs. Utah

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Best Bet: Knies to score 1+ points (-107)

I will continue betting on Knies to score a point so long as the price remains palatable.

The young forward is thriving under new head coach Craig Berube. He has career-highs in goals (24) and points (42) and is seeing increased opportunities as a result.

Knies is playing on Toronto’s first line alongside Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner, which is prime placement in the Maple Leafs’ lineup. The winger also plays next to those two, William Nylander and John Tavares on the squad’s top power play.

His usage is up significantly this year compared to previous seasons. Knies is playing 18:26 per game compared to just 13:39 per game before the 2024-25 campaign.

Utah is a neutral matchup for Knies as the team is tied for a middling 14th in goals against per game (2.94) this season.

Matthews (-315) and Marner (-265) are both priced at a significantly longer price to record a point. Comparatively, Knies remains a great value and is worth backing until the market adjust.

Key stat: Knies has a point in five of his last six games.

Quick pick

Cooley to not score a point (-114): Cooley is having a solid offensive campaign but there’s ample reason to fade him tonight.

The young star has 47 points in 56 games but does enter Monday’s contest on a three-game pointless streak. Looking at an even larger sample size, Cooley has been held off the score sheet in six of his last 10 outings.

Although Cooley centres Utah’s first line, he does not skate on the top power play, which is a significant knock against his chances of producing.

The Maple Leafs aren’t a plus matchup for the forward, either, as they’re tied for 15th in goals against per contest (2.95). They’re also a respectable 10th in team save percentage (.899).

Maple Leafs vs. Utah picks made at 12:36 p.m. ET 03/10/2025.

I’m targeting two big names to score a goal during Sunday’s NHL slate.

The pregame narrative: Alex Ovechkin is 10 goals away from passing Wayne Gretzky’s all-time record and is a solid bet to get closer today. Elsewhere, look for the newly-acquired Mikko Rantanen to produce for the Dallas Stars.

Check out my NHL anytime goal picks for March 9.

NHL anytime goal picks

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Best Bet: Ovechkin to score (+104)

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It’s looking more and more likely that Ovechkin will be the league’s all-time leading scorer before the playoffs begin.

The future Hall of Famer holds -182 odds to accomplish that and is in a great spot to put one home against the Seattle Kraken.

Seattle played on Saturday and started Philipp Grubauer, meaning Joey Daccord is between the pipes tonight — and the American netminder has struggled lately.

• Daccord has an .848 save percentage in his last four starts.
  
• He’s allowed 16 total goals in that span with at least three in every game.

Ovechkin has 31 goals on the season despite missing 17 games with a broken leg. He’s scored 17 times in 29 games since returning from injury and has six goals in eight games following the 4 Nations Face-Off break.

The Russian machine can’t be stopped and everyone on Washington is hyper-focused on helping Ovechkin pass the finish line.

Seattle also has the 12th-worst PK in the NHL and that’s where Ovechkin is at his most dangerous.

Key stat: Ovechkin leads all skaters in goals per 60 (2.29) and is second in shots per 60 (12.68), according to Natural Stat Trick.

Quick picks

Rantanen to score (+160): It’s been a weird year for Rantanen, who was traded from the Colorado Avalanche to the Carolina Hurricanes before being flipped again to the Dallas Stars during Friday’s trade deadline.

The Finnish superstar inked an eight-year deal with his new club and scored a goal in his debut. Hopefully that’s a sign of good things to come.

We all know Rantanen can score. He has 55 and 42 goals in his last two full seasons with the Avs and has 28 this year despite playing for three different teams.

It’s unclear who will start in net for the Vancouver Canucks, Rantanen’s opponent, tonight.

But the Canucks give up the seventh-most chances per 60, so I like his chances regardless.

Picks made at 11:02 a.m. ET on 03/09/2025.

Two usual suspects and one surprising sniper find their way into Saturday’s NHL anytime goal picks.

The pregame narrative: Jason Robertson and the Dallas Stars are flying high, making him a quality choice to light the lamp. Filip Forsberg remains a dangerous goal-scoring threat, and the matchup is right for him to strike. Ryan Donato is in the midst of a solid goal-scoring campaign and has attractive odds.

Check out my NHL anytime goal picks for March 8.

NHL anytime goal picks

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Best Bet: Robertson to score a goal (+170)

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Few NHL players are in finer form entering Saturday night’s action.

The Dallas winger is quickly changing the narrative on what was an underwhelming campaign:

• Robertson scored two goals in his most recent outing.

• Robertson has scored in six of his last eight games.

• Robertson has eight goals in his last eight contests.

The talented forward now has 27 goals on the campaign, putting him on pace for his third, 30-plus goal campaign in his last four seasons.

The recent addition of Mikko Rantanen certainly helps his cause as the newly-acquired forward will slot onto his line.

The matchup is intriguing for Robertson as his Stars battle the Edmonton Oilers.

Edmonton is struggling to keep the puck out of its net. It’s allowed 35 goals across its last eight games (4.4 goals allowed per game).

Dallas’ offence is fourth in goals per game (3.40) and should be able to score in this contest.

Key stat: Edmonton ranks 26th in save percentage over the last month of the season (.869).

Quick picks

Forsberg to score a goal (+104): Forsberg isn’t delivering on his lofty standards, but he is coming off a quality outing.

The Nashville Predators superstar scored two goals in his team’s latest game, a 5-3 win over the Seattle Kraken. I’m optimistic about his outlook entering Saturday’s contest.

The Preds battle the Chicago Blackhawks and that’s certainly a plus matchup for the moustached sniper.

• Chicago is allowing the fourth-most goals per game (3.48)

• Chicago is ceding the third-most shots per contest (31.9)

• Chicago is 20th in team save percentage (.891)

Forsberg has done well against the Blackhawks this season, notching two goals in three games.

Donato to score a goal (+280): Chicago also stares down a favourable matchup on Saturday.

Nashville has been one of the worst defensive teams by the numbers:

• The Predators are surrendering the fifth-most goals per game (3.34)

• The Predators allow the eighth-most shots per game (29.3)

• The Predators have the sixth-worst save percentage in the NHL (.886)

Donato is my preferred pick from the Blackhawks for a couple of reasons.

Firstly, he leads Chicago in goals this season with 23. That’s six more goals than any other player on the squad.

Secondly, he’s heating up ahead of this contest. Donato has scored in three of his team’s last four games (four total).

Picks made at 2:51 p.m. ET on 03/08/2025.

The Toronto Maple Leafs and Colorado Avalanche collide after a busy trade deadline for both squads.

The pregame narrative: Colorado added Brock Nelson and Charlie Coyle at the deadline to secure the middle of the ice. Toronto added Scott Laughton and Brandon Carlo to bolster its roster. None crack my props picks for tonight. Instead, I’m eyeing Nathan MacKinnon and Matthew Knies.

Check out my Maple Leafs prop picks vs. the Avalanche for March 8.

Maple Leafs prop picks vs. Avalanche

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Best Bet: MacKinnon over 3.5 shots (-136)

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There’s a decent amount of juice to pay on this line but it’s usually worth betting on MacKinnon’s shot prop when it’s hovering at 3.5.

MacKinnon is one of the game’s premier shooters. He’s second in the category (257), only trailing Boston Bruins star David Pastrnak (268).

He’s capable of some truly outrageous shooting performances. For example, MacKinnon fired off eight shots on goal in his most recent contest vs. the San Jose Sharks.

The matchup works in his favour on Saturday, too, as the Maple Leafs struggle to limit opposing teams’ shot totals and quality chances:

• Toronto allows the 10th-most shots per game (29.1)

• Toronto cedes the ninth-most shots per 60 (28.96)

• Toronto surrenders the eighth-most scoring chances per 60 (28.8)

MacKinnon is one of the NHL’s best at getting the puck into high-percentage areas and should do so against the Maple Leafs on Saturday night.

Key stat: MacKinnon has topped this total in 11 of his last 16 outings, averaging 5.1 shots per game during this stretch.

Quick pick

Knies 1+ points (-103): Betting on Knies to register a point is one of the most intriguing props to bet on in the NHL right now.

Here’s why:

• Knies has a point in four of his last five games (five total).

• Knies has a point in nine of his last 14 outings (14 total).

The winger is firing on all cylinders and already has a career-high 24 goals and 41 points.

What makes him such an appealing wager at this time is his spot in the lineup. Knies plays on Toronto’s first line alongside Mitch Marner and Auston Matthews. He also plays on the top power play, skating with those two forwards, William Nylander and John Tavares.

Both Matthews (-278) and Marner (-245) have much steeper odds of scoring a point, making Knies the preferred play considering his deployment.

Picks made at 12:35 p.m. ET 03/08/2025.

I’m backing three players to score from Thursday’s NHL slate.

The pregame narrative: Artturi Lehkonen and Cole Caufield are in prime positions to produce against the San Jose Sharks and Edmonton Oilers, respectively. I’m also taking a flier on Kirill Marchenko to bury one at generous odds.

Check out my NHL anytime goal picks for March 6.

NHL anytime goal picks

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Best Bet: Lehkonen anytime goalscorer (+155)

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If you’ve been reading my NHL picks over the past week, you’ll have noticed a common theme: Fade the Sharks at every opportunity.

San Jose logged consecutive wins over the Toronto Maple Leafs and Buffalo Sabres but is still one of the worst teams in hockey.

The Sharks rank near the bottom of the NHL in several key defensive categories on a 60-minute basis, per Natural Stat Trick:

• 32nd in goals (3.61)
• 31st in shots (31.64)
• 31st in chances (66.22)
• 27th in high-danger chances (12.56)

Lehkonen is the Avalanche’s leading scorer since the team traded away Mikko Rantanen in late January, with eight goals in 13 games.

The Finn is on Colorado’s top line with Nathan MacKinnon and on the top power play with MacKinnon, Cale Makar, Martin Necas and Jonathan Drouin.

That is about as good as it gets for goal-scoring opportunities.

Key stat: Lehkonen has three goals in his last three games.

Quick pick

Caufield anytime goalscorer (+190): Is it officially panic time in Edmonton? I think so.

The Oilers just got shelled, 6-2, by the Anaheim Ducks and are 1-6 in their last seven games while allowing 4.71 goals per game.

Stuart Skinner is starting in net tonight, and he has a 3.42 GAA and .867 SV% since Feb. 1. I can’t trust him and don’t trust Edmonton’s defence to buckle down in front of him.

Caufield is on a nice little run since his perceived 4 Nations Face-Off snub, scoring in four of his last five games.

Marchenko anytime goalscorer (+240): The Columbus Blue Jackets are on fire, and Marchenko is a big reason why.

• Columbus is 7-3 in its last 10 games, averaging a healthy 3.6 goals per game.
  
• Marchenko has potted six goals in that span and leads all Blue Jackets skaters with 24 goals on the season.

The Russian winger riding shotgun on the first line with Adam Fantilli and is an integral part of the team’s top power play.

The problem is that the Blue Jackets play Sergei Bobrovsky and the Florida Panthers on Thursday. The netminder has put a slow start behind him with a .921 SV% since Jan. 1.

Still, I expect this to be close with the way Columbus has been playing and Marchenko should be a factor.

Picks made at 10:37 a.m. ET on 03/06/2025.