Five games make up the NHL slate on Wednesday, October 9, and my top NHL player props have you covered for the action.
Erik Karlsson headlines my NHL picks, and I’m also expecting Sam Montembeault and Connor Hellebuyck to be busy between the pipes.
NHL prop picks and best bets for October 9
- Karlsson Under 0.5 points (+100 at DraftKings)
- Montembeault Over 28.5 saves (-125 at BetMGM)
- Hellebuyck Over 28.5 saves (-115 at DraftKings)
Picks made on 10-9 at 9:00 a.m. ET.
Today’s NHL prop picks and best bets
Prop bet #1: Erik Karlsson Under 0.5 points
Erik Karlsson missed the entire preseason with an upper-body injury, and he’s coming off a down year after winning the Norris Trophy for the third time in 2022-23. Jumping right into game action will have Karlsson behind the eight ball to start and potentially playing fewer minutes.
Another big draw here is the difficult matchup against the New York Rangers and No. 1 goalie Igor Shesterkin. New York was a middling defensive team overall last season, and it wasn’t Shesterkin’s tidiest campaign, but I expect the Blueshirts to start strong and limit the Penguins on Wednesday.
Ultimately, though, Karlsson missing the entire preseason and being limited in training camp isn’t fully priced into these odds.
Prop bet #2: Sam Montembeault Over 28.5 saves
While I do expect the Montreal Canadiens to show up in their home opener, they were a possession nightmare last year, and goaltender Sam Montembeault often traded at a higher saves total than 28.5.
The Toronto Maple Leafs have an improved lineup and finished seventh in shots per 60 minutes (32.08) last season, while the Habs allowed the third-most shots per 60 (32.78). Montreal also ranked fourth-lowest in Corsi For percentage at 5-on-5, and with Toronto pushing the pace and putting pucks on net early and often, Montembeault will cruise by this saves total.
Prop bet #3: Connor Hellebuyck Over 28.5 saves
The Edmonton Oilers and Winnipeg Jets had entirely different offseasons. Edmonton went out and added multiple secondary scorers to complement its superstars, while Winnipeg let a number of established NHLers walk without replacing them.
I’m expecting the Oilers to be buzzing Wednesday night, with the Jets hemmed in their own end and chasing the play throughout. Edmonton paced the league in shorts per 60 minutes (32.87) and ranked third in both Corsi For percentage and attempts per 60 at 5-on-5 last season, and I consider this year’s roster to be superior to last’s.
Connor Hellebuyck is going to see plenty of rubber, and the two-time Vezina Trophy winner will be up to the task. He ranks Top 5 in both SV% (.917) and goals saved above average per 60 (0.38) over the past three seasons, after all.
Today’s NHL games
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