Best NHL Player Prop Bets For Nov. 17

Join Canada Sports Betting’s Nick Martin as he handicaps the best NHL player prop bets available from Monday’s six-game slate.

Best bet – Mackie Samoskevich Over 2.5 Shots on Goal: +195

The Florida Panthers have suffered yet another tough blow, as underrated forward Eetu Luostarinen was injured in Saturday’s matchup versus the Tampa Bay Lightning, joining elite forwards Aleksander Barkov and Matthew Tkachuk on the IR. Head coach Paul Maurice’s side will continue to need some forwards to step up to help the team tread water for the time being, and Mackie Samoskevich looks to be a likely candidate. 

Based on Monday’s coaching statement, Samoskevich is expected to step into Luostarinen’s vacated role alongside Brad Marchand and Anton Lundell. Marchand, Luostarinen, and Lundell have scored 4.09 goals per 60 in 117.2 minutes together this season at even strength and generated 63.98 shot attempts per 60. 

Samoskevich is a competent offensive skater who has contributed nine points in 18 games this season. Samoskevich has attempted shots at a pretty high rate this season with 16.5 shot attempts per 60, but has averaged only 1.94 shots per game, thanks in part to his low average time-on-ice of 14:57.

Considering his elevated role on a high-quality top line, Samoskevich will likely play more minutes in tonight’s matchup and should have a better chance of getting some scoring chances in those minutes compared to when he is playing further down the lineup. 

The Panthers are catching the Vancouver Canucks in a great spot in this matchup, as they will be playing for the third time in four nights after tough matchups versus the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday and the Lightning on Sunday evening. While playing with a heavily depleted lineup, the Canucks have allowed 30.69 shots against per 60 over the last 10 games, which is the fourth-highest mark in the NHL in that span. 

At +195, we are getting a great price to tap into the potential for higher shot volume from Samoskevich in tonight’s favourable matchup, as he gets a shot on what should remain a strong top line.

Best bet – Jakob Chychrun over 2.5 shots on goal: -120

Our editor at Canada Sports Betting likes to try and predict where I’ll go with these prop pieces, and I have a feeling he was probably onto this one. Chychrun has been very good to us over the last two seasons, as online sportsbooks have seemingly had a hard time adjusting to his offensive upside playing on a Capitals side that leans on its defenders to create offence as much as any other team in the league. 

The Capitals continue to own a high share of the overall play at even strength, but have struggled to finish scoring chances and have suffered from horrific special teams. Even in a tough matchup versus the Los Angeles Kings, it seems likely that what should be a desperate Capitals side can spend a good amount of time attacking in the offensive zone, and Chychrun appears likely to play big minutes and get plenty of offensive zone starts. 

Chychrun has recorded over 2.5 shots on goal in 13 of 18 games played this season and has poured 19.63 shot attempts on goal per 60 over the entirety of the year. Those marks are obviously encouraging towards this bet, but what is even more encouraging is his more recent shot volume and the fact that there is some legitimate causation. Over the last five games, Chychrun has recorded 18 shots on goal from 44 attempts on target. He’s been skating on the team’s top power-play unit and looked more and more aggressive in attempting to help kickstart a stagnant offence in the offensive zone. 

John Carlson missed Saturday’s matchup due to injury, and his absence certainly factored into Chychrun skating 28:22 and recording six shots on goal from 15 attempts. Carlson is a game-time decision ahead of this matchup, and while I’m happy with a price of -120 if Carlson is to play, it’s a number that will hold a ton of value if Carlson misses this matchup.

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