The holidays are nearly here, and the NHL has just one more day of action before a brief break over Christmas. There are 13 games on the schedule tonight and plenty of NHL player props to pick from.
I'm riding this Montreal power play until the wheels come off, stacking the Islanders vs. a historically bad Buffalo team, and finding some value in the Blackhawks.
These are my three favorite NHL props for Monday, December 23.
NHL prop picks and best bets for December 23
Laine o0.5 power play points (+300 at bet365)
Barzal + Lee o0.5 points each (+210 at bet365)
Hall + Bedard o0.5 points each (+320 at bet365)
Picks made on 12-23 at 2:00 p.m. ET.
Today’s NHL prop picks and best bets
Prop bet #1: Patrick Laine Over 0.5 power play points
This prop has been padding my pockets for a week now. Patrick Laine has played nine games with the Montreal Canadiens and has eight power-play goals. He has hit this prop in six of his nine games and in three straight games. He is also shooting a ton and has the hot hand for a team with more power-play opportunities per game than 28 other teams.
The Columbus Blue Jackets are also a good target as they have some of the worst goaltending in hockey and see a lot of total goals at home, where their games average 7.08 combined goals, which is the most in the league.
The combination of Lane Hutson (+330 for a PP point) and Laine has been rocket fuel for this Montreal offense and with Laine shooting everything and getting good PP looks on one of the more dangerous 5-on-4 units, I'm riding the hot hand at big plus money.
Prop bet #2: Mathew Barzal + Anders Lee Over 0.5 points each
The Buffalo Sabres enter the last game before the Christmas break with the worst GAA over the last 30 days at 3.93. It has been an ugly run for Buffalo, losing an incredible 13 straight games. The NHL record is 17 games.
The New York Islanders have gotten very healthy on offense with the return of Anthony Duclair and Mathew Barzal and have a great opportunity to put up some points tonight, so I like a stack.
The two options are Barzal/Anders Lee at +210 or Brock Nelson/Kyle Palmieri at +200. You can't go wrong with either one but I'm taking the better price that also has the best player of the bunch in Barzal, who is playing in his fourth game back and should be at 100% now.
This stack hit in the Islanders' surprising 6-3 over the Leafs on Saturday and I think with the direction both sides are going, all three lines in New York can contribute at 5-on-5. They could do some damage on the power play as well as the Sabres' PK has allowed a goal in six straight games with nine total goals surrendered over that stretch.
Stack the Islanders with confidence.
Prop bet #3: Connor Bedard + Taylor Hall Over 0.5 points
Taylor Hall has jumped up to the top line and PP1 with Connor Bedard and has been contributing for a Chicago Blackhawks team that is 4-3 SU over its last seven games. They aren't even in the conversation for worst team in the league and could be a sneaky dog tonight in Minnesota vs. a reeling Wild team that has lost four straight.
Hall has six points over his last seven games and faces a Minnesota Wild PK that ranks 31st in hockey over the last 30 days. Over the losing streak, the Wild PK has killed just six of the 11 penalties. Chicago has a chance to score 3+ goals tonight and is giving a lot of value to do so as a +185 road dog.
The Wild will be getting No. 1 goalie Filip Gustavsson back but he has bene off for two weeks with a lower-body injury so he might not be the goalie he was before he went down.
NHL odds today
Here are the full NHL odds for all of today’s matchups.
Not intended for use in MA.
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