4 NHL Player Prop Bets to Target on Thursday 3/7/24

Player props can be useful in a variety of ways -- from taking advantage of them straight up to measuring a player's potential to produce in daily fantasy hockey on FanDuel. Here, we're going to focus on the former.

Utilizing numberFire's projections as a guide, here are some NHL player props bets that look appealing via the NHL odds at FanDuel Sportsbook.

Please note that betting lines and numberFire's projections may change throughout the day after this article is published.

NHL Prop Bets

Zach Hyman To Score a Goal (+120)/
Zach Hyman Over 3.5 Shots on Goal (+106)

With a massive 3.93 implied goal total, it should be all offense for the Edmonton Oilers when they take on the Columbus Blue Jackets.

This matchup is all about the Oilers' offense, which should be on full display tonight against one of the worst defenses in the league.

Over the last two weeks, the Blue Jackets have allowed the ninth-most (2.75) Goals and the fifth-most (68.60) Total Shot Attempts, both per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations. This is where they've been all season and it's led to them allowing the second-most (228) goals this season.

When we look at the Oilers' offense over the last two weeks, they are generating a staggering 71.67 Total Shot Attempts per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations, which tops the NHL.

This brings me to Zach Hyman, who leads the Oilers in both goals (42) and shots on goal (211) this season. Hyman sees time on the first forward line and the first power-play unit, putting him in a prime spot to pile up the offense.

With an easy matchup and Hyman coming off a game with no shots on goal, he is primed for a bounceback performance tonight.

Michael Bunting Over 2.5 Shots on Goal (-102)

The Carolina Hurricanes love to do one thing, pile up the shots.

As noted above, the Oilers lead the league with 71.67 Total Shot Attempts per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations over the last two weeks, and the Canes are right behind them at 69.64. When we look at the entire season sample size, the Canes lead the league with 70.95.

They always have their foot on the gas on offense and it leads to several of their skaters offering value in the prop market on a nightly basis.

We'll turn to Michael Bunting, who comes in with 29 shots on goal over his last 10 games, which is the second-highest on the team in that span. He sees time on the second forward line and the first power-play unit, which is a favorable role to have for shot props.

Tonight, they are up against the Montreal Canadiens, who have allowed the fifth-most (64.92) Total Shot Attempts per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations this season. This is among the more lopsided matchups on tonight's slate and should be all Canes from start to finish.

Nikita Kucherov To Record 2+ Points (-115)

Anything you can do, I can do better.

That is what we've seen from Nikita Kucherov and Nathan MacKinnon this season, as they compete for the top point-scorer in the NHL.

After a massive eight points in his last two games, MacKinnon (109 points) has jumped Kucherov (105 points) and currently leads the league. Tonight, Kucherov has a chance to respond and close the gap as we come down to the final few weeks of the season.

While that storyline is fun, it's a legitimately strong matchup for Kucherov and the Tampa Bay Lightning, who come in with a 3.52 implied goal total against the Calgary Flames.

Yesterday, the Flames traded one of their top defenders, Noah Hanifin, to the Vegas Golden Knights. Over the last two weeks, the Flames have allowed 2.81 Goals per 60 minutes in five-on-five situations, which is the seventh-worst in the league.

With Hanifin now out of the equation, an already bad defense is, fundamentally, even worse.

Long story short: Kucherov is a point machine this season with 1.6 points per game and now has an easy matchup to do his normal thing and pile up the offense.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.