NHL picks: 4 best player props for Thursday
Chris Peters picks out his four best player prop bets for Thursday night's slate in the NHL.
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Kirill Kaprizov anytime goalscorer vs Calgary Flames
The Wild are still playing for home ice in their first-roudn series. Kaprizov has put the team on his back and always shows up in big games. In just his second NHL season, he has 45 goals and 105 points. It’s been a remarkable performance from the young Russian throughout the year.
In two prior games against the Calgary Flames, he has two points, including a goal. Over his last four games, he’s put up 11 points, but just two of those are goals. Still, this is a big game for his team and it seems like Kirill The Thrill shows up in those kind of moments in a big way.
Connor McDavid to score 3+ points vs San Jose Sharks
While I don’t think Connor McDavid cares about specific numbers, he’s three points away from 125 this season, which would tie him for the second most productive season in the post-lockout NHL. He’s five points away from the 128 that Nikita Kucherov scored in his MVP season in 2018-19. Maybe that’s enough of a carrot to dangle in front of him to really go off in these last two games for the Oilers.
He has averaged over a point-and-a-half per game on home ice this year, has scored four points in three games against the Sharks, and he can give the home fans a show just before the playoffs. On top of that, McDavid has three or more points in three of his last four games.
Quinn Hughes to score 2+ points vs Los Angeles Kings
The young Canucks defenseman has multi-point games in three of his last four. With the Canucks playing their last game on home ice this season, there should be a little extra motivation. On top of that, Hughes has already set the single-season record for points by a Canucks defenseman and really hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down.
While he has been held off the scoresheet in two prior meetings with the Kings, I look at the minutes he’s playing, the shots he’s generating and his recent stretch of multi-point games as the trend I’d prefer to ride here. He has a been a point-per-game player on home ice so far this season and averaging over 25 minutes of ice time. I like the value here on a player trending up this way.
Steven Stamkos to score 2+ points vs Columbus Blue Jackets
He’s the hottest player in the NHL right now with at least two points in each of his last seven games. He also had four points in Tampa’s last meeting with the Columbus Blue Jackets. I don’t know if Stamkos can keep this hot streak going like he has, but I do think he’s going to continue to produce right into the playoffs.
With no less than three points in his last five games, he’s the first player to accomplish such a feat since the 1980s. I don’t know if he’ll get three in this next one, but I have no problem banking on him getting at least a couple of points. He’s been a great player for a long time, but this is him at his best right now and I can’t see him slowing down.