The NHL is back and I have three prop picks for Saturday’s loaded schedule.
The pregame narrative: Drew Doughty made his mark for Team Canada in the 4 Nations Face-Off and I believe he can carry that momentum into the NHL regular season. I have picks on Brock Boeser and Dylan Holloway, too.
Check out my NHL prop picks for Feb. 22.
NHL prop picks
Best Bet: Doughty to score 1+ points (-107)
Doughty missed the first portion of the season recovering from injury, but what better way to shake off the rust than with a call-up to Team Canada?
And the veteran defenceman played an important role in the Canadians’ tournament win.
He played just shy of 21 minutes in the final against the USA, the fourth most among Canada’s defencemen.
Not bad for his 10th game of hockey since the injury.
In six appearances with the Los Angeles Kings this season, Doughty only has one point. But I truly believe playing on the international stage with the best players in the world will have a positive effect on him moving forward.
He’s playing typical top-defenceman minutes (26:57), but the production hasn’t matched … yet.
Doughty recorded 50 points in 82 games last season and still has plenty left in the tank at 35 years old.
Key stat: The Kings are 17-3-2 at home, scoring 3.3 goals per game.
Quick picks
Boeser to score 1+ points (-107): The Vancouver Canucks have been the NHL’s most unpredictable team this season.
They were outside a playoff spot for much of the season but are currently holding the final spot following a three-game win streak heading into the break.
The Canucks are much better on the road (15-8-4) than at home (11-10-7) and are the only team in the league with double-digit overtime losses (11).
They recently traded away top point producer J.T. Miller and will be missing Quinn Hughes and Elias Pettersson on Saturday.
Someone will need to step up and my money’s on Boeser. The winger has eight points in the last 11 games and should see an uptick in playing time with Pettersson sidelined.
Boeser has logged 20-plus minutes in eight games this season, including in three of the last five.
The Vegas Golden Knights provide a tough matchup, but that gives bettors a nice buy-low opportunity.
Holloway to score 1+ points (+105): Holloway was an impactful player for the Edmonton Oilers during their run to the Stanley Cup Final last year.
He used that strong play to earn a two-year contract with the St. Louis Blues. So far, he’s making the most of it.
Holloway ranks third on the Blues in points with 40 in 56 games. Since Dec. 23, he has 21 points in 21 games and is 14-7 against this line.
The Winnipeg Jets allow the fewest goals per game (2.4) but they’re worse on the road and will be starting Eric Comrie to give Connor Hellebuyck some much-needed rest.
Picks made at 10:30 a.m. ET on 02/22/2025.
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Spencer is a true sports junkie. A graduate of the Sports Journalism program at Centennial College, he first joined NorthStar Gaming as an intern in 2023. He is now a contributing writer. He loves finding the edge to bet on in all sports but has a deep passion for the NBA and UFC. Previous stops include Sportsnet.