A trio of under-the-radar players get the nod for my NHL prop picks on Saturday night.
The pregame narrative: William Eklund is enjoying a quality campaign for the San Jose Sharks and should capitalize in a plus matchup. Jason Zucker and Adam Fantilli have been decent contributors for their respective squads, and I like both to notch a point tonight.
Find my NHL prop picks for Nov. 16 below.
NHL prop picks
Best Bet: Eklund to score 1+ points (+105)
There aren’t many nights on the NHL schedule where San Jose is a team that prop bettors should look at.
But tonight just happens to be one of those occasions.
The Sharks take on the struggling Pittsburgh Penguins. Pittsburgh’s Stanley Cup window appears firmly closed as the team can’t get out of its own way. The Pens are one of the worst defensive and goaltending teams in the league.
They own the sixth-worst expected goals against per 60 (3.33), according to Natural Stat Trick. Combine that with the league’s sixth-worst save percentage (.880), and you get a squad ceding the second-most goals per game (3.95).
That should help San Jose’s struggling offence — with Eklund operating at the centre of it all.
The young winger plays on the team’s first line and top power play. His offensive-friendly usage is a big reason why he’s tied for second on the squad in points.
Bet on him finding the score sheet in a plus matchup.
Key stat: Eklund has three points in his last two games.
Other prop picks
Fantilli to score 1+ points (-108): Fantilli’s sophomore campaign hasn’t been as impressive as Eklund’s.
The Columbus Blue Jackets winger only has eight points this season. He did register an assist in his most recent outing, however, and has a juicy matchup on deck.
Columbus visits the Montreal Canadiens and there’s no better opponent for offence. Montreal ranks eighth in shots against per game (30.5) and first in goals against (4.06).
The Habs have ceded 37 goals across their last eight games. That’s excellent news for Fantilli, who skates on Columbus’ second line and top power play.
Zucker to score 1+ points (+120): Zucker has been a solid addition for the Buffalo Sabres.
The veteran winger has 11 points in 17 games this season. He’s logging hearty minutes as a middle-six forward and a member of Buffalo’s top power play.
Tonight’s matchup is enticing, with the Sabres battling the Philadelphia Flyers. Philadelphia’s goaltending is among the worst in the league, evidenced by its 30th-ranked save percentage (.875).
Zucker has seven points in his last 10 games and is a nice pick to register a point on Saturday.
NHL picks made at 2:35 p.m. on 11/16/2024.
Stevie’s an avid NFL, NHL, and tennis bettor who has no problem talking himself into the underdog. His previous stops include Yahoo! Sports Canada and Toronto Metropolitan University, where he received a degree in Sport Media.