A weekend of hockey continues with Sunday’s four-game slate and plenty of star power on the ice.
In my NHL picks for Sunday, October 13, I’ll look for league-leading scorer Jack Eichel to have another big night on the score sheet, Mark Scheifele to put plenty of pucks on net, and Connor McDavid to score his first of the season.
NHL prop picks and best bets for October 13
- Eichel Over 1.5 points (+130 at DraftKings)
- Scheifele Over 2.5 shots (-115 at DraftKings)
- McDavid anytime goal (+130 at BET99)
Picks made on 10-13 at 12:00 p.m. ET.
Today’s NHL prop picks and best bets
Prop bet #1: Jack Eichel over 1.5 points
It’s been a perfect start to the season for both Jack Eichel and the Vegas Golden Knights, with the star center notching a league-leading six points through two games and his club winning both contests.
Both Eichel and the Golden Knights will have a chance to feast once again tonight as they come into their contest against the Anaheim Ducks as massive -274 favorites.
The Ducks won their opener 2-0 against the Sharks on Saturday night but should have some tired legs as they hit the ice just 24 hours later. Anaheim was also one of the NHL’s worst defensive teams last year, ranking 30th in goals against per game (3.57) and 27th in shots against per game (32.5).
Eichel has found the score sheet in five of his last six games vs. the Ducks, notching multiple points in three of those contests.
Prop bet #2: Mark Scheifele Over 2.5 shots
The Winnipeg Jets are another team that’s gotten off to a perfect 2-0-0 start, thanks in part to strong performances from captain Mark Scheifele.
Scheifele scored two clutch goals, including an overtime winner, against the Blackhawks on Friday while throwing six pucks on net. I’ll look for him to keep shooting the rubber tonight against the Minnesota Wild.
Scheifele’s shooting rate took a slight dip in 2023-24 as he averaged just 2.08 shots on net per game. That number was up at 2.54 in 2022-23 and 2.37 in 2021-22.
The Jets captain has had a strong start to his campaign, though, with three goals and four points through two games, so his early penchant for shooting the puck has been successful. And when you’re converting on 30% of your shots, why not keep firing?
The Wild have been one of the more porous teams in this early season in terms of allowing shots on net, as they’ve averaged 33.5 shots per game through two contests. Minnesota is without Joel Eriksson Ek, one of the team’s best two-way forwards, so that could play a role in their defensive struggles.
Prop bet #3: Connor McDavid anytime goalscorer
We’ll get to enjoy this season’s first rendition of the Battle of Alberta tonight when the Edmonton Oilers host the Calgary Flames, and that could mean a strong showing on the score sheet for Connor McDavid.
Since McDavid entered the NHL in 2015-16, he's led all players with 29 goals and 57 points vs. Calgary — amassing an incredible .71 goals per game and 1.39 points per game over that span. The Oilers captain has yet to score a goal this season, but this matchup could be exactly what the doctor ordered for him to get off the schneid.
McDavid has taken just three shots on net through two games, but the underlying numbers suggest he's been around the net quite a bit. According to Natural Stat Trick, his 13 shot attempts rank third on the Oilers, while his six scoring chances are tied for second behind Zach Hyman (8).
While the Flames are 2-0-0 to start the year, they’ve given up eight goals in those two games, so McDavid & Co. should have their fair share of chances.
Today’s NHL games
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