We’re two weeks away from the start of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, which means it’s crunch time for teams to lock in their postseason positions.
My NHL predictions for Saturday, April 5, focus on three stars on playoff-bound teams: Wyatt Johnston, John Tavares, and Nikita Kucherov.
I’ll explain why I’m expecting all three to make an impact against some lackluster opposition. Read on for my NHL player props for Saturday, April 5.
NHL player prop bets today
Wyatt Johnston Over 0.5 goals (+163 at Pinnacle)
John Tavares Over 0.5 goals (+159 at Pinnacle)
Nikita Kucherov 2+ points (+115 at bet365)
Best NHL player prop bets for April 5
Wyatt Johnston Over 0.5 goals (+163 at Pinnacle)
I’ve been a Wyatt Johnston fan for a while now, but luckily for us, oddsmakers haven’t caught onto the young Dallas Stars forward just yet.
Since March 1, Johnston ranks second among all players with 13 goals in 16 games while he skates into Saturday’s contest on a six-game goal streak.
Johnston has shot an insane 41.9% over the past month and a half. Is that sustainable? No. Do I think the Pittsburgh Penguins will be able to slow him down?
No shot.
The Pens have quickly fallen out of the playoff picture in the East and that’s primarily due to their abysmal defense.
Pittsburgh ranks third-worst in the NHL in goals against per game this season (3.59) and has given up 4+ tallies in four of its last five outings, or 4.2 goals against over that span.
The Stars skate in on a seven-game winning streak while scoring 4+ goals in four of their last five, boasting a rate of 4.4 gpg over that stretch.
Dallas looks poised to score plenty of goals and Johnston is likely to get in on the action.
John Tavares Over 0.5 goals (+159 at Pinnacle)
Speaking of scorching hot scorers, the Toronto Maple Leafs have one of their own in John Tavares. The 34-year-old has not slowed down at all this season with 36 tallies in 68 games and is on pace for his second career 40-goal campaign.
Tavares leads the league with 14 goals in 16 games since the start of March and has been particularly hot over the last couple of weeks. The Maple Leafs center has found the back of the net in six of his last seven outings, with nine total tallies through that span.
The Columbus Blue Jackets are in the thick of the Wild Card race in the East, though their starter, Elvis Merzlikins, hasn’t done them many favors.
Merzlikins is coming off a brutal start against the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday, where he allowed seven goals on just 28 shots, while he’s also given up 4+ goals in four of his last five games while posting a .843 SV% through that stretch.
Tavares has averaged nearly three shots per game over his last seven contests, and I like his odds of beating Merzlikins if he keeps getting pucks on net.
Nikita Kucherov 2+ points (+115 at bet365)
Nikita Kucherov has fallen behind Nathan MacKinnon in the Art Ross Trophy race, but that doesn’t discredit what the Tampa Bay Lightning superstar has been doing down the stretch.
Kucherov was held off the score sheet in Ottawa on Thursday, snapping a nine-game run during which he racked up an NHL-best 19 points and five multi-point outings.
The reigning Art Ross winner will now look to get back on the scoreboard and pick up another couple of points against the Buffalo Sabres, who have abandoned all defense down the stretch.
The Sabres have been heating up with five wins in their last six games, but they’ve been able to outscore their defensive woes rather than address them. Going back to February 27, Buffalo’s defense ranks worst in the league at 4.11 goals allowed per game.
The only previous meeting between the teams this season was on March 6, when Kucherov picked up two assists in a 6-5 win for the Lightning. I’d be expecting more of that tonight in a game featuring one of the league’s best offenses vs. one of the league's worst defenses.
Live NHL odds
Here are the full NHL odds for all of today’s matchups.
Not intended for use in MA.
Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
