A new era of players is officially upon us, as the NHL is oozing with young talent. While older players begin to fade, new opportunities arise in the NHL player props market.
I highlight three players 25 years or younger who've dominated in the early going of the new season, and who will continue to shine on Thursday, October 17.
NHL prop picks and best bets for October 17
- Chinakov o0.5 points (+100 at bet365)
- Slafkovsky o0.5 points (-111 at FanDuel)
- Frost o0.5 points (+106 at FanDuel)
Picks made on 10-17 at 1:30 p.m. ET.
Today’s NHL prop picks and best bets
Prop bet #1: Yegor Chinakhov Over 0.5 points
I'm betting on a top-line player who also plays on PP1 at -130 or better. Yegor Chinakhov is playing with the team's best skater, Sean Monahan, and has collected a point in all three games, with five in total. He's shooting a ton and gets a great matchup tonight vs. the Sabres who had a long game last night in Pittsburgh.
Not only did it go into overtime, but there were also big delays thanks to Sidney Crosby collecting his 1,600th point and Evgeni Malkin scoring his 500th goal.
Columbus can score tonight, and thanks to a lack of depth, the top line will be doing the damage. I've been betting on Chinakhov all year and he won't stop appearing in my NHL picks until he's -135 or shorter.
His Over 2.5 SOG and Over 0.5 points parlay is +250 for those looking for a bigger score.
Prop bet #2: Juraj Slafkovsky Over 0.5 points
The Los Angeles Kings have seen 23 total goals scored over their last two games. They lost 8-7 in overtime on Monday and 6-2 last night in Toronto. This is also game No. 5 on the road for L.A., as the Kings were given a brutal seven-game road trip to open the year.
Juraj Slafkovsky is turning into a legit scoring threat in the league and has been playing with the top skaters in Montreal for a long time now. The former No. 1 overall pick has four points in as many games and will have plenty of chances to pick up a power-play point tonight vs. the King's PK.
Montreal's PP has scored a goal in each of its four games this year and has 17 opportunities to date. The Kings' PK has also been brutal, giving up six PP goals over the last two games.
I like offense in this game, and Slaf is going to find the sheet. I'd bet this to -125/-130.
Prop bet #3: Morgan Frost Over 0.5 points
Matvei Michkov is legit, and bettors have taken notice of the rookie, as his point prop has gone from +110 to -130 over the last week. However, the value lies in his center, Morgan Frost, who centers him at even strength and on the top power play.
The Flyers are still out West on a road trip but wrap things up tonight in Seattle, looking to end the trip on a high note.
Their power play is 4-for-15 to open the year and is coming off a 2-for-7 outing vs. the Oilers. This line is also getting 64% of the advantage, which is good news for the output, as Frost had two PP helpers vs. Edmonton.
Seattle goaltender Joey Daccord has won 7-3 and 5-4 already this year, so high-scoring games aren't anything new for the home team tonight.
Today’s NHL games
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