We have a loaded 14-game NHL slate on Saturday, with plenty of player props to choose from across the board.
I’ve compiled my three best NHL player props for Saturday. As always, make sure you keep an eye on the odds and available pricing due to the ever-changing nature of the player prop market.
Here are my free NHL picks in the player prop market for Saturday, October 26.
NHL prop picks and best bets for October 26
Alexander Ovechkin to score (+160 at BetRivers)
Auston Matthews to score (-103 at BetRivers)- Dylan Strome to score (+203 at BetRivers)
Picks made on 10-25 at 7:30 p.m. ET.
Today’s NHL prop picks and best bets
Prop bet #1: Alexander Ovechkin to score
The Tampa Bay Lightning host the Washington Capitals in the evening portion of Saturday’s NHL slate. Washington has gotten off to a terrific 5-1 start to begin the campaign, which has been a product of elite offensive play.
The Capitals rank third in goals scored per game. Meanwhile, the Bolts rank in the bottom half of the league in goals allowed per game, penalty kill percentage, penalty minutes taken per game, and xGA/60.
Subsequently, goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy has struggled behind the product in front of him. Vasilevskiy possesses a .871 SV% through six starts.
That brings us to Alex Ovechkin, the greatest pure-goal scorer in the history of hockey. He skates on both the first line and the first powerplay unit, two equally opportunistic ways to score against the Lightning.
Unsurprisingly, Ovechkin has scored eight goals over the past 17 meetings against Tampa Bay.
Prop bet #2: Auston Matthews to score
At the same time, the Boston Bruins host the Toronto Maple Leafs. It is almost always worth taking a look at Toronto’s Auston Matthews to find the back of the net, especially against Boston.
Matthews has now scored 14 goals over the past 22 meetings against the Bruins.
Meanwhile, number 34 also enters this matchup in good form with three goals over the past five games. This trend is likely to continue against Boston, a team that ranks in the bottom half of the league in goals allowed per game, xGA/60, shots on goal allowed per game, penalty kill percentage, and penalty minutes taken per game.
Matthews is a threat both at even-strength and on the power play, two areas in which the Bruins have struggled defensively thus far.
Prop bet #3: Dylan Strome to score
My thinking here is simple: I am confident that at least one of Ovechkin or Dylan Strome scores in this game, which guarantees a profit. If both score, all the better.
Strome skates alongside Ovi on the first line, which is expected to go against Jake Guentzel, Brayden Point, and Nikita Kucherov. That Lightning line ranks last on the team with a 3.36 xGA/60.
Furthermore, Ovechkin and Strome both skate together on the first powerplay unit, which could strike against a Tampa team that ranks 18th in penalty minutes taken per game and 29th in penalty kill percentage. Finally, at least one of Ovi or Strome has scored in four of Washington’s six games, while both have scored in one of them.
Today’s NHL games
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