This article is part of our NHL Picks series.
Three games on the docket in the NHL tonight, and you best believe we're getting in on the action. We've got a big tilt north of the border in Toronto with the Senators & Maple Leafs, and 2 nationally televised games in the US starting with the Panthers visiting the Capitals and the Kings visiting the Golden Knights. Here are your best NHL bets and player props tonight. Let's get frisky y'all!
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Best NHL Bets Tonight
The matchup in Toronto is a tale of 2 teams needing statement victories to get back on track. The Senators come in losers of 5 of their last 6, and the Maple Leafs snapped a 4-game losing streak with their win over the Lightning on Monday. It'll be interesting to see which team dictates the pace of play. 8 of 10 Senators' games have had 7+ total goals scored, while only 3 of the Leafs' 10 games have registered that mark. I think Vegas is thinking most suckers are going to jump on that over line, so let's dare to be different.
Senators, Maple Leafs Under 6.5 (+116 on FanDuel)
The Caps have lost six straight in the regular season to the Panthers, with their last regular season victory over the Cats coming in May 2022. It's a weird time in DC these days. Franchise cornerstone Nicklas Backstrom stepped away from the team recently to tend to a hip injury that is likely to end his career. The Caps have only scored 19 total goals in 10 games, ranking among the league's worst in goals-per-game, another unusual statistic for Alex Ovechkin and company. But, they are winners of 4 of their last 5 and have solid analytics, for all those Corsi nerds out there. The Panthers seem to be struggling to find their identity out of the gate, waffling their way to a 6-4-1 record despite a -1 goal differential. I really don't like this matchup for a struggling Caps offense, and the Panthers have only scored 3+ goals 3 times.
Panthers, Capitals Under 6.5 (-115 on FanDuel)
The path to the Stanley Cup Final out of the West is likely to run through the Pacific Division, and the Kings and Golden Knights will both have a say in that. LA's looks every bit the contender, winning 7 of their last 9 after starting 0-2. Maybe most impressively, they're 6-0 on the road. That perfect record will be put to the test against the defending Cup champs in Vegas tonight. The Golden Knights are 11-1-1 and boast a whopping +24 goal differential. Get your popcorn ready for this one. These two met in Los Angeles on October 28 and the Golden Knights won 4-3. 7 of the last 10 games have gone over 6.5 total goals scored in this matchup, so I like the almost-even odds FanDuel is giving us right now.
Kings, Golden Knights over 6.5 goals (-105 at DraftKings in the Alt Total section)
Best NHL Player Props Tonight
Be sure to utilize our NHL player props page to find the best prices on every prop on the board, every night.
It's been tough sledding for the Senators of late. Shane Pinto got handed a massive suspension for gambling, former GM Pierre Dorion got canned, and the home crowd's been booing their club. Captain Brady Tkachuk hasn't liked what he's hearing from the Ottawa faithful and even took to the press about it. He's got a marquee matchup tonight against a division rival and another American-born superstar in Auston Matthews who has been torching the league so far this year. I think Brady's coming out swinging in so many ways tonight, and I like him to be buzzing around the net a bunch. He's had 4+ shots in 6 of 10 this year, and he's primed to hit again tonight.
Brady Tkachuk over 3.5 shots on goal (-140 on DraftKings)
You know how I said I hate the matchup for the Caps tonight, and how they've dropped 6 straight in regulation to the Panthers? Well that's because guys like Carter Verhaeghe absolutely feast when they play DC. The guy's got 19 points in his last 15 against the Caps, and points in 6 straight. DraftKings has him needing just 1 point to hit his points prop, so let's hammer it.
Carter Verhaeghe over 0.5 points (-145 on DraftKings)
Speaking of guys who love playing certain teams, last year's Conn Smythe winner loves playing the Kings. He's notched 15 points in his last 15 games against his Pacific Division rival, and has points in 7 straight. Even though the Kings throw lockdown centers like Anze Kopitar, Phillip Danault, and now Pierre-Luc Dubois at Vegas' top lines, Marchessault still seems to find a way. When the Golden Knights light the lamp tonight, he's likely to be involved.
Jonathan Marchessault over 0.5 points (-135 on DraftKings)
