I’ve chosen the star player for the Colorado Avalanche as my top NHL prop bet for Friday.
The pregame narrative: Nathan MacKinnon is eyeing a second-straight Hart Trophy and he gets a solid opportunity to rack up points against the St. Louis Blues.
Check out my best NHL prop bet for Jan. 31.
NHL prop bet
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Best bet: MacKinnon to score 2+ points (-115)
MacKinnon is a racehorse.
The reigning MVP, coming off a career-best 140-point season, is pacing the league in scoring again with 79 points in 52 games.
I was looking at MacKinnon to score at plus money, but he’s only cashed that bet 16 times (30.7%) this year. With a league-best 59 assists, I think this is a much stronger play.
He has multiple points in 23 games, including four of his last 10. MacKinnon falls under this number more often than not but gets a struggling St. Louis Blues team.
The Blues have lost four of their last five games while giving up 3.8 goals per night.
It’s unclear whether Jordan Binnington or Joel Hofer will start in goal for St. Louis, but neither has been great:
- Binnington: 2.89 GAA (36th), .897 SV% (t-36th)
- Hofer: 2.75 GAA (28th), .906 SV% (23rd)
The Blues also have the fourth-worst penalty kill in hockey (71.8%). This seems like a perfect spot for Colorado’s main man to step up.
Key stat: MacKinnon has 44 points in 26 home games.
Picks made at 11:25 a.m. ET on 01/31/2025.
Avery joined NorthStar Gaming as an intern in 2022 before stepping into a full-time role soon after. He loves betting on and analyzing golf — mainly because it’s easier than actually playing — but is a fan of all sports, from the NFL to the UFC.