The 2023 Stanley Cup Final is set to kick off between the Vegas Golden Knights and the Florida Panthers. One of these teams will win Lord Stanley for the very first time, and Stanley Cup odds have Vegas pegged as the favorite.
Both the Golden Knights and Panthers have had very unique paths to get to this point. Vegas has used its depth to take down some very strong opponents while Florida has ridden a hot goaltender in Sergei Bobrovsky as Matthew Tkachuk is quickly becoming the face of the NHL.
I am counting on Bobrovsky to continue to stand strong, Tkachuk to boost his team's offense, and Jack Eichel to make his mark in his first-ever Stanley Cup Final game. Here are my three favorite NHL player prop picks for the Panthers vs. Golden Knights.
Be sure to also check out Josh Inglis' Game 1 picks and predictions before puck drop.
Panthers vs Golden Knights Game 1 prop picks
Click on each pick to jump to the full analysis. Each odds widget below represents the best odds available for each betting market from regulated US sportsbooks.
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Panthers vs Golden Knights Game 1 props
Bob stopper
Sergei Bobrovsky is putting together one of the best Stanley Cup Playoff runs that we have seen from a goaltender in quite some time. He enters this series sporting a record of 11-2 and boasts a .935 SV% to go along with his 2.21 GAA. Perhaps his most impressive statistic is his +19.7 goals saved above expected, which is light years away from Adin Hill’s +6.4 GSAx.
As a team in this postseason, the Vegas Golden Knights are averaging 30 shots on goal per game, but in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final, there will certainly be a ton of nerves so I imagine that they will be throwing pucks on net at Bob from all angles.
Florida is allowing 37.3 shots per game in the postseason, which the highest among all 16 teams that competed. Its defense is not quite as strong as the Golden Knights' blue line, but Bobrovsky has been the one carrying his team.
If the Florida Panthers are going to come out on top, it will be Bobrovsky who has to perform the best yet again.
PICK: Bobrovsky Over 29.5 saves (-115 at bet365)
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Main man Matthew
Perhaps the biggest difference maker for the Panthers this postseason has been none other than Matthew Tkachuk.
Tkachuk has been the key contributor to Florida's offense, tallying nine goals and 12 assists in 16 games thus far in the playoffs. He is having a Conn-Smythe-like type of run and he is the catalyst for the Cats' second line, which consists of him, Nick Cousins, and Sam Bennett.
The Panthers are 11-1 in their last 12 games overall in the playoffs and a lot of that success is a direct result of Tkachuk’s play.
He has faced the Golden Knights 14 times in his career and in those games he has recorded 9 goals and 9 assists. It’s safe to say Tkachuk is used to tearing up Vegas, and if Florida is going to have success offensively, it all starts with Tkachuk.
PICK: Tkachuk Over 0.5 assists (-135)
Beginner's luck
Similar to Matthew Tkachuk, Jack Eichel has been the driving force for the Vegas forwards. Not only has he been producing, but he is also defending very well, playing a complete 200-foot game.
Eichel is currently leading the Golden Knights in points, tallying six goals and 12 assists in 17 games played thus far this postseason. He is coming off of a very strong Western Conference Finals series where he recorded an assist in four separate games against the Dallas Stars.
On home ice, Eichel has recorded three goals and six assists in nine games, playing a very consistent game, and truly destroying the narratives that were made about him underperforming in previous years.
Vegas should have all of the momentum on its side leading into Game 1. It has its home crowd behind it at The Fortress and will most likely be less rusty than Florida. I think Eichel will have a significant impact on this game while continuing to drive the offense for the Golden Knights.
PICK: Eichel Over 0.5 assists (-114)
