NHL Best Player Prop Bets For December 1

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

Best bet-Robert Thomas and Jordan Kyrou 1+ Point Each: +140

Over the last eight games, the St. Louis Blues have scored an average of just two goals per game and those games have featured an average total of 4.50 total goals. While if the Blues are to continue receiving respectable goaltending, they present as a fairly low-event side, their poor offensive play of late certainly has a lot to do with the fact that they have played a lot of high-quality defensive teams.

With Lukas Dostal sidelined, the Anaheim Ducks present as a strong target for the Blues to offer a more productive night offensively. The Ducks have allowed 3.32 goals against per game this season, despite the fact that Dostal has put himself in the Vezina Trophy conversation with his excellent start.

As the Ducks are playing the second leg of a travelling back-to-back and expected to start Ville Husso in goal, this becomes an extremely appealing matchup to target the Blues’ top offensive threats in Thomas and Kyrou. The Ducks have allowed 3.80 xGA/60 over the last 10 games and continue to play an up-tempo style, which has led to a ton of chances for both sides.

Head coach Jim Montgomery has elevated Kyrou back onto the top line, and it seems well warranted for Montgomery to keep Kyrou in that role, even if his 14 points in 25 games is a disappointing output. Kyrou has generally looked quite threatening this season, and the underlying metrics suggest he’s not deserved the criticism that he’s received while the Blues have struggled.

In a tiny sample of 19.9 minutes, the Blues’ new-look top line of Thomas, Kyrou and Jake Neighbours holds a 90% expected goal share. To look at a larger sample, units involving Thomas and Kyrou have generally fared quite well for the Blues dating back to the start of last season.

Considering the Blues’ chances of breaking out offensively in this spot, I’m happy to target their two most talented offensive skaters to each record a point in this matchup at +140 given the strong correlation.

Best bet-Clayton Keller Over 1.5 Total Points: +230

After the sudden passing of his father on Thursday, Keller toughed out both of the Utah Mammoth’s matchups over the weekend. Though it would have only been a tiny consolation in the grand scheme of things, everybody in the hockey world would have been happy to see Keller get rewarded with offence or some team results after Keller’s decision to stay with his team during a difficult time.

Unfortunately, it was not to be, but it seems reasonable to believe that the Mammoth can get a win Monday, while their captain could have a more productive evening. Keller has been a little less productive recently with just two points over the last five games, but I’m a firm believer that he is one of the more talented offensive skaters in the NHL, and in a good role playing alongside Nick Schmaltz on the top line.

Keller racked up 90 points in 81 games last season and has looked comparably dangerous this season even if the production hasn’t really been there. San Jose has allowed 3.65 xGA/60 over the last 15 games and still looks pretty awful defensively, but Yaraslav Askarov has helped to mask that flaw with tremendous play.

While Askarov is clearly a better-than-average goaltender at this point, I’m still not sure that his recent level of dominance is sustainable, and the Sharks still present as a much better-than-average opponent for opposing superstars to produce.

The Mammoth could be poised for a breakout offensive evening Monday, and at +230, I’m happy to take a swing on their captain leading the way offensively by recording two points.

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