Several NHL teams start their seasons tonight and I have three prop picks from different games.
The pregame narrative: Zach Hyman is coming off a career season and I’m backing him to score in the opener. Elsewhere, I’m taking Quinn Hughes to score a power play point and Michael Bunting to get on the scoresheet against the New York Rangers.
Find these two NHL props picks for October 9 below.
Right off rip, I jumped over to take a peek at Connor McDavid’s props but he carries -127 odds to score two-plus points.
Although that’s not a huge amount of juice, I prefer to get behind the No. 1 beneficiary of McDavid’s playmaking.
Hyman scored 54 goals in 80 games last year and 35 were assisted by McDavid. In my view, If the Oilers captain scores multiple points, there’s a good chance Hyman is bagging a goal.
The winger netted the third most goals in the league last year and is a threat to get into scoring position no matter who has the puck.
Key stat: Hyman scored 16 goals in 25 games during last season’s playoff run.
Quick picks
Hughes to score 1+ power play points (+130): I’m looking to find value on Hughes who is -230 to score a point.
On a base level, he had a decent season, scoring 45 points in 81 games. But when narrowed down to his time with the Pittsburgh Penguins, the results are a lot more intriguing.
Bunting played 21 games with the Pens following the trade deadline and was able to produce 19 points –That’s near the point-per-game pace.
It’s not unusual for wingers to come to Pittsburgh and dominate with Sidney Crosby and/or Evgeni Malkin and Bunting is no exception.
He slots in on the second line with Malkin and is expected to get time on the powerplay.
The Toronto Maple Leafs open the season against the Montreal Canadiens.
The pregame narrative: The two rivals meet in the season opener for the second straight year and I’m predicting another Maple Leafs win. The under on the game total is also an intriguing play.
Check out our Maple Leafs vs. Canadiens picks for the NHL season opener on Wednesday, Oct. 9.
Last October, the Leafs won the opening game, 6-5. They went on to sweep the season series, winning 3-2 and 4-2 in the following meetings.
Both teams should be improved with the Habs’ young core getting one year older and the Leafs adding a few key contributors in the offseason.
Toronto will have a new goaltending tandem heading into this season. Joseph Woll is expected to start and he gained the attention of Leafs fans with a stellar postseason run before going down with an injury.
The defensive core has some new faces with the acquisitions of Chris Tanev and Oliver Ekman-Larsson. Tanev should help massively with defensive duties while OEL is a nice piece to have on the second power play unit.
Montreal is expected to be better but I don’t see the still-rebuilding squad keeping up with the firepower of the Maple Leafs. The Habs allowed the fifth-most goals last season (281).
Key stat: Toronto has won five straight games against the Canadiens with a +14 goal differential.
Quick picks
Under 6.5 goals (-103): Besides the 11-goal outburst on opening night last season, the other two Toronto and Montreal games stayed under this mark.
It’s easy to look back and predict goals here but I expect both teams to be locked in defensively. Tanev will play on the top pairing with Morgan Rielly and will help shut down the opposition. He blocked 207 shots last season while recording only 24 penalty minutes.
Sam Montembeault will start in net for Montreal. The 27-year-old was a positive between the pipes for the Habs last season.
He had a fairly heavy 41-game workload and ranked 31st out of 98 eligible goalies with 3.3 goals saved above expected, according to Moneypuck.
That was better than Stuart Skinner, Jake Oettinger, Ilya Sorokin and Andrei Vasilevskiy.
Robertson anytime goalscorer (+360): Auston Matthews is a fine choice (-159) if you don’t mind the juice but I’d rather sprinkle on Nick Robertson at a much more appealing price.
The winger led the Leafs with five goals during the preseason and looks like he’s ready to make some noise for his team.
Robertson had 27 points (14 goals) in 56 games last year as a 22-year-old. That equates to an impressive 40-point pace — all in just over 11 minutes of ice time per game.
This season, he’s projected to be on the second power play unit. Considering he had just three PP points last season, that alone should bump his scoring up.
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.
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.
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.
The Toronto Maple Leafs open the 2024-25 NHL season on Wednesday in a classic rivalry matchup against the Montreal Canadiens.
The pregame narrative: Toronto is expected to return to the playoffs, while Montreal is expected to return to the draft lottery. The Leafs have dominated in the recent head-to-head results, but a good chunk of the games have been decided by just a goal.
Check out our Maple Leafs vs. Canadiens odds for the NHL season opener on Wednesday, Oct. 9.
Just like last year, the Maple Leafs and Canadiens meet up to open a new season.
In the 2023-24 iteration, Toronto won 6-5 in a shootout on home ice. The Leafs went on to sweep the season series, beating the Habs by scores of 3-2 and 4-2 in the ensuing matchups.
Beating the lowly Canadiens isn’t a yardstick for success, though. So after another abbreviated postseason run, the Maple Leafs ousted head coach Sheldon Keefe to bring in a former Stanley Cup winner, Craig Berube.
Toronto has a new backup goalie, as well as some new faces on the blue line and in the middle-six forward group. But the headliners, led by reigning Rocket Richard winner Auston Matthews, are the same.
On the other side, Montreal won’t see Patrik Laine debut for the team for at least a couple of months. He was on the wrong end of a knee-on-knee collision in a preseason game against Toronto on Sept. 28.
Seeing continued improvement from players like Cole Caufield and Juraj Slafkovsky is at the top of Montreal’s to-do list this year.
Betting notes
Toronto has won five games in a row against Montreal — including all three last season.
Since the beginning of the 2022-23 season, Matthews has five goals and 11 points in seven games against the Canadiens while averaging 4.0 shots/game. He scored a hat trick in last year’s season opener.
Five of the past eight Toronto/Montreal matchups were one-game games.
Sam Montembault, the likely starting goalie for the Canadiens, allowed seven goals on 39 shots (.821 SV%) against Toronto last season.
The NHL regular season is here and a quartet of futures bets have my attention.
The latest: David Pastrnak is one of the NHL’s premier goalscorers, and there’s value in picking him to win the Rocket Richard Trophy. The Vegas Golden Knights are shaping up to be a nice pick to win the Pacific Division. Craig Berube has some appealing odds to win the Jack Adams Award, and the Seattle Kraken are my long-shot pick to win the Stanley Cup.
Check out my best NHL futures bets for the 2024-25 season.
Best NHL futures bets
Go to the latest NHL futures odds. Click linked odds to bet now.
Auston Matthews is the NHL’s best goalscorer. I’m not going to argue that.
Nobody has more goals than Matthews’ 368 since the Toronto Maple Leafs captain made his NHL debut in 2016-17. He nearly scored 70 goals a season ago, making what previously felt like an unthinkable accomplishment appear to be well within his reach.
But Pastrnak continues to stack up impressive goal-scoring seasons, too. The Boston Bruins winger has 108 goals across his last two seasons, a stretch that includes a 61-goal effort in 2022-23.
A Rocket Richard Trophy feels well within Pastrnak’s range of outcomes because he’s won the honour before. The talented forward shared the goal title with Alex Ovechkin during the 2019-20 campaign.
Pastrnak’s shoot-first mentality makes him a perennial threat for this award. Nobody has accrued more shots than the Bruins superstar over the last three seasons (1,101).
With volume not being an issue, all it takes is for Pastrnak to have an above-average shooting year to win. Pastrnak’s 12.3% shooting percentage in 2023-24 was below his 13.9% career average.
Pastrnak at +750 is the obvious pivot off of Matthews’ shortened -112 odds to win this award.
Other best NHL futures bets
Golden Knights to win the Pacific Division (+400): Injuries hampered Vegas’ 2023-24 campaign, and the squad never really settled in.
With most of the team returning and a little more depth in net, the Golden Knights should be poised to push the Edmonton Oilers for first in the Pacific Division.
Jack Eichel, Tomas Hertl and William Karlsson form one of the most formidable centre trios in the league and Alex Pietrangelo and Shea Theodore lead the best defensive core in the division. This team is still firmly in its window to compete.
Berube to win the Jack Adams Award (+1,000): The Maple Leafs are a great regular season team and I expect that to be the case again in 2024-25.
Toronto is the odds-on favourite (+225) to win the Atlantic Division. If the Maple Leafs can win their first division title since 1999-00 (not counting the COVID-induced North Division), Berube will receive plenty of credit from an influential Toronto market.
A Stanley Cup hangover for the Florida Panthers and a step back from a talent-depleted Tampa Bay Lightning open the door for a division banner.
After Toronto did little to change its roster, most plaudits will be directed toward Berube.
Kraken to win the Stanley Cup (+5,000): Seattle is a nice Stanley Cup dark horse.
The Kraken bolstered their lineup this offseason, adding Cup champion Brandon Montour and two-time winner Chandler Stephenson. Those two will help Seattle at both ends of the ice.
Expect the Kraken’s top youngsters to progress in their development. Matty Beniers and Shane Wright are players with high potential. They could help raise the expectations for this squad with breakout campaigns.
Buffalo’s offence looks primed for a breakout season based on its preseason performance. Not to put too much stock into the preseason but there’s not much else to go off at this point.
The Sabres finished 5-1 and scored three or more goals in every game. Four of the six contests went over this total.
Turning to New Jersey, the Devils had one of the better over records in the NHL last season (46-34). With another year of experience under the belt of their young core, this team has the talent to be among the best in the league offensively.
On top of that, neither team has a star goalie. The Devils will most likely turn to Jacob Markstrom, while the Sabres continue to try and build around youngster Devon Levi.
The offensive potential on both sides is much greater than the defensive potential so I’m happy to jump on the over at plus money.
Key stat: Each of the last five contests between these two teams has gone over this total with an average of 8.4 goals scored.
Quick Pick
Hughes to score 2+ points (+163): Before getting injured last season, Hughes was a sizeable favourite to win the Hart.
He recorded 17 points in his first six games, recording five multi-point games in the process. The Devils centre has averaged over a point per game in each of the last three seasons.
At just 23 years old, I fully expect Hughes to take another leap this season. There’s value on him to open the season with a bang.
If he gets off to a similar start as last year, it won’t be long before the price diminishes on his player props.
Auston Matthews cemented his status as the best goalscorer on Earth last season.
The preseason narrative: Matthews netted an otherworldly 69 goals en route to his third Rocket Richard trophy. The Toronto Maple Leafs’ new captain will ultimately be judged on playoff success but he’s still capable of putting up gaudy totals over what many fans view as a meaningless first 82 games.
Check out our Matthews NHL futures odds and analysis ahead of the 2024-25 season.
Matthews NHL futures odds
Click linked odds to add selection to your betslip. Note: Lines have changed/market no longer available if grey.
The last player not named Matthews to score 65 goals was Alexander Ovechkin in 2008.
Before that? You’re going way back to Mario Lemieux, who did it in 1996. So yeah, you could say the Leafs superstar has put himself in rarified air.
Everything broke Matthews’ way last season but even with a 10-goal regression, he would top this 57.5 goal total.
There’s also some concern that new head coach Craig Berube might place a heavier emphasis on defence this year, with Matthews playing more penalty-killing minutes.
But that shouldn’t have a huge impact on his goal total.
You’re not going to tell the best scorer in the world to stop shooting, and Matthews will still be the No. 1 threat on a power-play which is due for improvement.
In the points department, Matthews cracked 100 for just the second time in his career, netting 107 in 81 games.
Auston Matthews top futures bet
Best Bet: Matthews to win the Rocket Richard (-112)
Personally, I’m more keen on backing Matthews to win the Rocket Richard at -112 than to score 58 goals at -112.
Last season, three other players scored 50-plus goals — Sam Reinhart, Zach Hyman and Nathan MacKinnon. Reinhart and Hyman cleared their previous highs by 24 and 18 goals, respectively.
Those two are more likely to face regression than Matthews.
Matthews has logged five straight 40-plus goal seasons and is averaging 51.4 goals in that span. Keep in mind, he’s missed games with injury and also scored 41 goals during a Covid-shortened season.
He’s averaging 0.73 goals per game in that five-year span, which nets out to 55 goals if he plays 75 games next year (right around his average).
Players like Connor McDavid, David Pastrnak, Leon Draisaitl, and MacKinnon can all make noise but Matthews’ floor makes me confident he’ll win a fourth Rocket Richard.
The NHL season is upon us, and every team’s end goal is the Stanley Cup.
The pregame narrative: The Edmonton Oilers were one game short of glory last season and they open the new year as the favourite. Even as the favourite, the Oilers are a good bet to win it all. Two other Canadian teams are intriguing at their price point.
Check out my Stanley Cup predictions for the 2024-25 season, including the best value and long-shot picks.
Stanley Cup predictions
Go to the latest Stanley Cup odds. Click linked odds to bet now.
Oilers (+800): The Oilers dug themselves a hole in the Stanley Cup finals last season, going down 3-0 before climbing back and losing Game 7 in heartbreaking fashion.
What’s not to like this year, though? McDavid and company are a year more experienced and the captain showed he’s a playoff performer. He scored 42 points and was a +12 in 25 games during last year’s run.
Leon Draisaitl is a top player in the league as well and Zach Hyman is coming off a 54-goal season.
Last season, the Oilers went 5-11-2 to start the season. If the defence and goaltending are sound and Edmonton can get off to a better start, I think the team could be a wagon heading into the spring.
Avalanche (+1,000): The other team I like from the West is the Avs.
I might be star-struck by the sheer talent on this roster but it’s something I can’t ignore. Nathan MacKinnon is the best player in the league not named McDavid and Cale Makar is the best there is on defence.
The one concern is goaltending with Alexander Georgiev having a .897 SV% last season but 24-year-old Justus Annunen looks ready to take over if things go south.
Annunen had a .928 SV% and 2.25 GAA in 14 appearances last season. He’s a wildcard but it’s more than they had heading into last year.
Fans know Colorado can get it done. This could be the year that the Avs’ talented core adds a second Cup.
Stanley Cup predictions: Best value
Canucks (+2,000): The big concern here is last season was a fluke but I view the Canucks as a top-tier team — yet they carry 20-to-1 odds.
Vancouver took Edmonton to seven games without Thatcher Demko and the core remains intact.
Captain Quinn Hughes is a year older and if he can make a stride on defence to add to his dynamic offensive game, he’ll be right up there with Makar.
Hughes finished with 75 assists and 92 points last season … not too shabby for a 24-year-old defenceman.
J.T. Miller had 100-plus points while Elias Pettersson (89) and Brock Boeser (73) also contributed heavily. There’s no reason the Canucks shouldn’t build on last year’s success and last year was pretty darn good.
Long-shot picks to win
Senators (+4,500): If there’s one young Canadian team I’m bullish on, it’s the Sens.
The youth on offence and defence is promising and they seemingly solved their goalie issues as well. An offseason trade for Linus Ullmark provides a much-needed upgrade and he gives the team stability in the backend.
Brady Tkachuk, Tim Stutzle and Jake Sanderson are three names to keep an eye on as the season progresses.
They may be a few years away still, but the Sens are a long shot for a reason and it’s all about predicting when they will break out.
Penguins (+5,000): Let’s explore the opposite side of the spectrum and visit an experienced team.
Sidney Crosby is locked into a new contract, and the rest of the locker room is still present. Evgeni Malkin and Erik Karlsson are among others who will need to tap into their prime if they want to win one final Cup.
Other teams that sit at 50-to-1 odds are the New York Islanders, Detroit Red Wings and Buffalo Sabres. I have to believe the Penguins have the most potential of those teams to make a run if they can lock in.
The issue is Pittsburgh has finished fifth in the Metropolitan in consecutive seasons and would need to make a jump this season to even make the playoffs. Do Crosby and Co. have it in them?
The Winnipeg Jets have developed one of the NHL’s most passionate fan bases. Many of the team’s supporters are probably wondering how to bet on the Jets.
Routinely being in the playoff hunt behind stars like Mark Scheifele, Kyle Connor and Josh Morrissey has helped the franchise grow a solid following.
-> New to NHL wagering? Sign up at NorthStar Betsto get the latest odds, insights and betting tools throughout the season.
-> New to NHL wagering? Sign up at NorthStar Betsto get the latest odds, insights and betting tools throughout the season.
There are several different ways to bet on the Jets every night they play, whether you are looking to wager on a win or for Connor to score. We’ll break down the best options in this Jets betting guide.
How to bet on the Jets
When looking to wager on the Jets, you’ll notice a number of different offerings made available to you. Before placing that bet, there will be a number of factors you will have to consider, such as the opponent, location, trends and injuries.
They can all influence what you ultimately decide to bet on. Don’t worry, though, because we’re here to help.
We’ll examine some of the most popular betting markets, starting with the moneyline, and offer tips for betting on the Jets.
-> Before you get started, create your NorthStar Bets account to explore live odds and daily NHL markets.
-> Before you get started, create your NorthStar Bets accountto explore live odds and daily NHL markets.
Moneyline
A moneyline bet is a great option for betting on Winnipeg if you think it will win a game.
Simply put, a successful moneyline wager involves backing the team that wins the game. As a result, the winner of a moneyline bet can win the contest by any margin of victory — in regulation, overtime, or a shootout.
In every moneyline bet, there will be an underdog and a favourite. The underdog will have a plus (+) symbol in front of its odds and the favourite will have a minus (-) sign.
Winnipeg’s status as an underdog or a favourite will largely depend on location and opponent. For example, in a home game against the San Jose Sharks, the Jets would be sizeable favourites. In a home game against the Nashville Predators, however, Winnipeg would likely be a smaller favourite.
On the other hand, in a road game against the Vegas Golden Knights, the Jets would assume underdog status.
Photo by Adam Hunger/AP.
Using the above examples, the odds could look something like this:
Sharks (+185) vs. Jets (-220) Predators (+120) vs. Jets (-140) Jets (+190) vs. Golden Knights (-230)
-> Want to see current Jets moneyline prices? Check the latest at NorthStar Bets
-> Want to see current Jets moneyline prices? Check the latest at NorthStar Bets
The payout structure for a bet on the Jets at those odds looks like this:
Odds
Implied win probability
Wager amount
To win
-220
68.75%
$220
$100
-140
58.33%
$140
$100
+190
34.48%
$100
$190
Of these matchups, the most sensible moneyline wager is the game against the Predators. A $140 bet on the Jets to win would return $100 and the implied win probability is at a respectable number.
In contrast, the San Jose game requires a loftier $220 wager to win $100. At -220 odds on a moneyline bet, the risk isn’t worth it.
The contest against the Golden Knights, meanwhile, isn’t horrible if you suspect an upset, but the implied win probability is low and is worth keeping in mind.
Both the Kraken and Golden Knights games could be better opportunities to bet the Jets on the puck line.
Puck line
In addition to moneyline betting, you’ll also have the option to bet on the puck line. The puck line differs from the moneyline, as instead of betting strictly on who wins, you’re now betting against a spread. Puck lines are typically set at 1.5, although they can be 2.5 or higher.
Continuing with the above examples, here’s how the puck lines for each Jets game could shake out:
Sharks +1.5 (-105) vs. Jets -1.5 (-115) Predators +1.5 (-210) vs. Jets -1.5 (+175) Jets +1.5 (-135) vs. Golden Knights -1.5 (+115)
The payouts for a bet on Winnipeg in these examples look like this:
Odds
Implied win probability
Wager amount
To win
-115
53.49%
$115
$100
+175
36.36%
$100
$175
-135
57.45%
$135
$100
Each of these contests, but particularly the Sharks and Golden Knights games, presents the best opportunities to bet the puck line. In those two examples, the win probability is over 50%, and both only require a fairly reasonable wager in order to net $100 in winnings.
In the Pedators game, however, the moneyline makes more sense. Despite the increased payout on a puck line wager, the implied win probability drops more than 20%. Additionally, the moneyline only requires a $140 bet to win $100.
-> Ready to try puck line betting?Join NorthStar Bets and explore live, moving lines daily.
-> Ready to try puck line betting? Join NorthStar Bets and explore live, moving lines daily.
How to bet on Jets totals
Totals are a great way to bet on a game without wagering on the final result. Game total lines are typically set at 5.5 or 6.5 goals and you’ll be able to wager on whether the two teams will go over or under the total.
The totals market is also commonly listed as the over/under or O/U. All represent the same betting option and are generally listed at around -110 per side.
In a Jets game with a total of 5.5 goals, a successful bet to the over requires both the Jets and their opponent to score a combined six goals or more. A successful bet to the under, on the other hand, involves both squads scoring five goals or fewer.
Aside from betting on game totals, you’ll also have the option to wager on team totals.
These lines are typically set at 2.5 or 3.5 goals and you’ll have the option to either bet the over or under. If the line is set at 2.5 goals and you believe the Jets will go over their total, you’d bet the over. If you don’t believe the Jets will score more than two goals, you’d bet the under.
Similar to totals, props are another betting option that allows you to wager on something other than the final outcome of the game. The prop bet market is vast and can include events such as betting on which team will score two goals first, or the time of the first goal of the game.
Props also include player performances, and those are the ones we’ll focus on in this section.
Player props deal with a large number of options, including how many shots a player takes or whether or not someone will score a power-play point.
Additionally, you can wager on anytime goalscorers, which could be a great wager if you think Connor will score in Winnipeg’s upcoming contest.
You’ll be presented with the options of “first,” “last,” and “anytime” when going to bet on his goalscorer prop. The first and last refer to whether Connor will score the first or last goal of the game.
The odds that Connor will score the first goal of the game typically sit near +400. A $100 wager on him to score first would produce a potential return of $400.
The odds that Connor will score the last goal of the game will likely be around +500. Therefore, a $100 wager on Connor to score the last goal would net $500.
If you want to wager on Connor scoring at any point of the game, however, his odds for that are usually set around +100, meaning a $100 wager wins $100.
-> Check out the latest player props every day at NorthStar Bets – from betting goals, shots on goal and much more
-> Check out the latest player props every day at NorthStar Bets – from betting goals, shots on goal and much more
Parlays and more
A parlay bet involves wagering on multiple events on a single ticket. The more events added, the more your chances of winning decrease.
The whole ticket is lost if one leg (another word for event) of the parlay loses.
You could create a parlay that involves the Jets as well as two other NHL teams to win. But you can also make a same-game parlay.
You may believe that Winnipeg is a strong play on the moneyline against that Ducks, that the game will go under 6.5 goals and that Connor will score a goal. You could wager on all three events separately and the odds would be presented like this:
But if you were to turn this into an SGP bet, the odds would look something like this:
Winnipeg moneyline, Sharks/Jets under 6.5 goals, Kyle Connoranytime goalscorer (+554).
Evidently, the odds for this SGP are much higher than the odds for each individual event. As noted, the implied win probability for this bet type is much lower than wagering on a single event.
As a result, the odds reflect the likelihood of the event occurring. Multiple-event parlays are enticing to bettors, though, because of the potential return on investment.
There are more ways to get in on Jets action through live betting and the futures market (where you can pick Winnipeg to win the division or Connor Hellebuyck to win the Vezina Trophy).
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-> Ready to put your Jets knowledge to use ? Sign up for NorthStar Bets to access live odds, props, parlays and exclusive Canadian Insights all season long
If you’re looking to add some intrigue to an upcoming Vancouver Canucks game, putting a little money down on the team may do the trick.
There are many different ways to bet on the Canucks every time they take the ice. You can bet on them to win or lose, wager on your favourite player prop or put a ticket together that has them included in a parlay.
-> New to NHL wagering? Sign up at NorthStar Betsto get the latest odds, insights and betting tools throughout the season.
-> New to NHL wagering? Sign up at NorthStar Betsto get the latest odds, insights and betting tools throughout the season.
The options are plentiful, which we’ll break down below.
How to bet on the Canucks
You’ll be presented with a number of different options when you go to place a bet on Vancouver. In addition to all of the offerings, you should be mindful of several factors including the opponent, location, trends, injuries and the odds.
We’ll take a look at all of that, explain what the main betting markets are and offer tips for how you can make smarter wagers on the Canucks.
-> Before you get started, create your NorthStar Bets account to explore live odds and daily NHL markets.
-> Before you get started, create your NorthStar Bets accountto explore live odds and daily NHL markets.
Moneyline
If you think the Canucks will win their next game, then you may want to consider making a moneyline (ML) wager.
A moneyline bet involves backing the team you believe will win the contest. You will win your bet if you correctly pick the winner.
The margin of victory, or whether it’s decided in regulation, overtime or a shootout, doesn’t matter. You will see one team in the matchup labelled as a favourite and the other as an underdog.
The favourite will be marked with a minus (-) symbol in front of its odds and the underdog will have a plus (+) symbol.
-> Want to see current Canucks moneyline prices? Check the latest at NorthStar Bets
-> Want to see current Canucks moneyline prices? Check the latest at NorthStar Bets
Vancouver’s status for any given game will largely depend on the opponent and location.
The Canucks, for example, would be a favourite in a home game against the San Jose Sharks. But Vancouver would be an underdog if it hosted the Toronto Maple Leafs.
It would also be an underdog on the road against the Calgary Flames.
Moneyline odds
Here’s an example of how the odds could look for those hypothetical matchups:
Sharks (+185) vs. Canucks (-225) Maple Leafs (-275) vs. Canucks (+225) Canucks (+195) vs. Flames (-225)
In these three instances, the payout structure for a bet on the Canucks would look like this:
Odds
Implied win probability
Wager amount
To win
-225
69.23%
$225
$100
+225
30.77%
$100
$225
+160
38.46%
$100
$195
Which moneyline bet makes the most sense? That would be the Flames contest and it largely has to do with the value.
There’s little value to be found in the Kraken matchup despite the high implied win probability. You’d have to wager $225 to win $100 and since upsets happen all the time, the risk isn’t worth the reward.
The Toronto matchup would generate a strong return but the Canucks’ perceived chances of winning are rightfully low. The Maple Leafs are a significantly better team and you shouldn’t simply chase a big payout. But context is important.
That brings us to the Flames game.
This matchup presents a nice combination of payout and win probability. A $100 stake nets $160 and has a respectable 38.46% implied win probability. Vancouver would be far from a long shot under this scenario.
While betting on the moneyline against Toronto and Seattle may not be the best option, these could present better opportunities to bet on the puck line.
Puck line
In addition to wagering on a moneyline, you’ll also have an opportunity to bet on the puck line. Unlike a moneyline bet, placing a wager on a puck line involves betting against a point spread.
Puck lines are typically set at 1.5 goals, but some come in at 2.5 goals or higher. There are odds listed with each puck line that reflect the probability of the event occurring and the potential earnings that could be made.
Here are some puck line examples, using the same matchups from above:
Sharks +1.5 (-130) vs. Canucks -1.5 (+110) Maple Leafs -1.5 (-110) vs. Canucks +1.5 (-110) Canucks +1.5 (-180) vs. Flames -1.5 (+160)
In the Sharks example, the -1.5 next to the Canucks indicates that the oddsmakers are subtracting 1.5 goals from Vancouver’s final score. Therefore, in order to cover the spread, the Canucks would have to defeat Seattle by two goals or more.
The Canucks, on the other hand, would be awarded 1.5 goals by the oddsmakers for both the Flames and Leafs games. That means Vancouver could lose either game by a goal or win outright to cover the spread.
-> Ready to try puck line betting?Join NorthStar Bets and explore live, moving lines daily
-> Ready to try puck line betting? Join NorthStar Bets and explore live, moving lines daily
Puck line wagers
Here’s what each payout structure would look like for those puck line bets:
Odds
Implied win probability
Wager amount
To win
+110
47.62%
$100
$110
-110
52.38%
$110
$100
-180
64.29%
$180
$100
Backing the Canucks in the San Jose and Toronto games makes the most sense for us here.
Unlike the moneyline wagers above, these games now have both a reasonable ROI and implied win probability. The puck line is a good bet if you think the Canucks will defeat the Sharks by two goals or more.
When comparing the moneyline to the puck line in the Oilers example, it’s more of a question of risk tolerance. If you prefer a lower wager and a higher payout, the moneyline makes more sense.
But if you’d rather have a higher implied win probability and were fine with a smaller payout, then a larger wager on the puck line could work.
How to bet on Canucks totals
If you’re looking for an option to wager on the Canucks that doesn’t involve betting on the final result, wagering on the totals market is an attractive choice.
Game totals refer to the number of goals scored in a contest. The totals are usually set at 5.5 or 6.5 goals. You’d have the option to wager on whether or not the two teams combine for more or fewer goals than that number.
You’d bet the over if you were confident in the Canucks and their opponent eclipsing the number — which we’ll say is 5.5 here. If you weren’t optimistic about them scoring more than five goals, you’d bet the under.
The totals market is also commonly labelled as the over/under and O/U. All of these terms mean the same thing.
You’ll also have the option to wager on team totals. Team totals refer to the number of goals an individual team will score in a game. This number is set lower than game totals.
Team totals are often 2.5 or 3.5 goals. If Vancouver’s team total for its upcoming game is 2.5 goals, a successful bet to the over requires the squad to score three-plus goals. A successful bet to the under involves the Canucks potting two goals or fewer.
Prop bets are another betting option that doesn’t require wagering on the final score of a game. Props can range from wagering on the time of the first goal to betting on the score of the game after the first period.
Player performances are another section that prop bets cover and we’ll focus on those here.
Player props can include wagering on the number of shots a player will take in a game, or if a player will record a goal, assist or power-play point.
For example, you could wager on Quinn Hughes recording an assist in an upcoming Canucks game.
Here’s an example of those odds:
Hughes 0.5 assists: Over (-120), Under (-105).
A successful $100 bet on Hughes going over 0.5 assists would generate a profit of $83.33. A successful $100 bet on Hughes going under 0.5 assists, on the other hand, would generate a profit of $95.24.
-> Check out the latest player props every day at NorthStar Bets – from betting goals, shots on goal and much more
-> Check out the latest player props every day at NorthStar Bets – from betting goals, shots on goal and much more
Parlays and more
You can wager on multiple events on a single ticket, which is known as a parlay. Although parlays can feature much larger payouts, they are also accompanied by a smaller win probability than single bets.
In other words, the odds of these bets being successful are much lower.
Every leg (another word for event) added to a parlay decreases the ticket’s chances of winning. The entire ticket is lost if one leg of the parlay is lost.
You can find pre-built parlays (sometimes known as specials) available for certain games, which would give you the option to place one wager on something like Vancouver’s moneyline, the game total and a player prop. You can also build your own same-game parlay.
This is how the odds could look for a same-game parlay bet.
Canucks moneyline, Canucks/Flames over 6.5, Hughes over 0.5 assists (+740).
The potential return for that SGP would be much higher than if you were to bet each event separately. Here’s an example of what those single-event odds would look like:
Canucks moneyline (+160) Canucks/Flames over 6.5 goals (-110) Hughes over 0.5 assists (-120)
The odds for a parlay will always be larger than individual events due to the heightened risk associated with the wager. That’s why sportsbooks compensate for the risk increase with inflated plus-money odds.
There are additional ways to get in on Canucks action with live betting and the futures market, where you can pick Vancouver to win the division or Hughes to win the Norris Trophy.
-> Ready to put your Canucks knowledge to use ? Sign up for NorthStar Bets to access live odds, props, parlays and exclusive Canadian Insights all season long
-> Ready to put your Canucks knowledge to use ? Sign up for NorthStar Bets to access live odds, props, parlays and exclusive Canadian Insights all season long
