Best NHL Player Props Today (5/4/26)

In this article, Canada Sports Betting’s Nick Martin breaks down the two best NHL player props that provide value at online sportsbooks today (5/4/26).

Friday’s card went 1-for-2, moving our record on the season to +10.11 units across 194 selections.

Logan Stankoven Over 2.5 Shots on Goal: -120 (Play to -130)

Logan Stankoven has always held strong underlying metrics at the NHL level while he honed a reputation as a big-game player with the Kamloops Blazers in junior hockey. At age 23, he’s also at a very natural age to show significant development. While many signs of a potential breakout where there, it’s hard to imagine even the most-pro Stankoven observers could have envisioned such an incredible start to the postseason.

As bettors, we are taught not to buy too high on a skater in this type of heater, given that often times the prices have already been adjusted. But with the price for Stankoven to record over 2.5 shots on goal still sitting at -120, there looks to be value in riding with what will likely be the most popular prop bet on Monday’s slate.

Stankoven has registered 23 shots throughout the first five games of the postseason and has averaged 6.6 shot attempts per game.

The Flyers were tremendous defensively in the final month of the campaign and for the majority of their opening-round matchup versus the Penguins. Still, the Senators suppressed scoring chances much more effectively this season, finishing with the best xGA/60 rating in the NHL and the third-lowest shots against per 60 average.

The Hurricanes’ second line of Stankoven, Jackson Blake, and Taylor Hall has arguably been the best offensive unit in the league this postseason. They have outscored opponents 5-0 where it counts, hold a 74.6% expected goal share, and have generated 75.93 shot attempts per 60.

While the Flyers are strong defensively, this series still arguably sets up as a more favourable opportunity for Stankoven’s line to continue their dominance than they faced in the first round. They played a lot of minutes head-to-head versus Shane Pinto’s unit, which statistically was one of the best defensive lines in the NHL this season, and that was not a concern.

Carter Hart Over 24.5 Saves: -130 (Play to -135)

There’s been a fair share of observers saying the Vegas Golden Knights were lucky to get past the Utah Mammoth in Round 1, and that take does not seem overly fair. The Golden Knights needed some late equalizers to win Games 4 and 5, but they also allowed only 2.69 xGA/60 and 24.83 SA/60 and carried more of the overall run of play.

While Carter Hart finished with a respectable .892 save percentage in the series, the Knights insulated him quite well, and it’s no surprise that he finished with a negative goals saved above expected rating.

It seems logical that the average game script in this series will feature the Ducks creating ultra-threatening chances in transition, but generally spending more of the overall game trapped in their own zone.

Hart’s movement and overall play did not look strong in Round 1, even in the two matchups where he did manage a save percentage greater than .900. Anaheim shot 13.52% versus the Edmonton Oilers, and it seems likely that its talented young offensive core will have some success versus Hart, but that success will likely be more so due to shot quality rather than quantity, and the fact that Hart does not appear to be a convincing starter.

You can follow all of Nick’s hockey bets on the Action Network App!