Join Canada Sports Betting’s Nick Martin as he handicaps the best NHL player prop bets available from Wednesday’s four-game slate.
Best bet – Artemi Panarin/Vincent Trocheck 1+ Point Each: +160
Panarin/Trochek points parlay
Yes, it is a little dull to write up the same bet for the second consecutive New York Rangers game. We played this stack in Monday’s matchup versus the Nashville Predators and were successful, as Panarin and Trocheck combined for four points. While a matchup on the road versus the Tampa Bay Lightning presents a more difficult test for production, I’m happy to go back to the well with this play considering Wednesday’s slightly improved price tag and the way that the Rangers’ second line performed in Trocheck’s return to the lineup.
In 12:55 of even-strength play on Monday, Panarin, Trocheck, and Alexis Lafreniere held a 64.8% expected goal share and consistently looked quite threatening. Trocheck has consistently shown strong chemistry with Panarin in recent years, and he’s jumped back into the mix at a good time, as both Panarin and Lafreniere are trending into top form after disappointing starts to the season.
As we discussed on Monday, Panarin, Trocheck, and Lafreniere have been the Rangers’ most commonly utilized even-strength unit over the last two seasons. In 2023-24 they scored 3.75 goals per 60, and last season they scored 3.33 goals per 60. It’s a tiny sample, but in two of Trocheck’s three games played this year, he and Panarin have both recorded a point.
The Lightning are a high-quality defensive team, which is a concern, but they have not been dominant enough to scare me off this play at this price. They have allowed 2.73 goals against per game this season and could be a more attainable target tonight specifically if one or both of Victor Hedman and Anthony Cirelli are to miss this matchup, while Ryan McDonagh is confirmed to be unavailable.
Playing Lafreniere, Trocheck and Panarin all to record a point at +390 is another valid option, but my preferred play is backing Panarin and Trocheck each to record a point at +160.
Best bet – Logan Cooley Over 1.5 Points +290
Logan Cooley over 1.5 points vs. Sabres
The Utah Mammoth are in a good spot to bounce back offensively Wednesday at home versus the Buffalo Sabres after a disappointing four-game road trip in which they played to a record of just 1-3-0 and scored only 2.25 goals per game.
One of those matchups did come versus the Sabres and the Mammoth were only able to record two goals, but they did manage 35 shots on goal and had 18 high-danger scoring chances. It’s no surprise that the Mammoth created so many quality scoring chances in last week’s matchup versus the Sabres, as Buffalo has allowed 3.65 xGA/60 over the last six games.
To make matters worse for the Sabres, they are currently without number-one defender Rasmus Dahlin. While Dahlin is known for his high-quality offensive play, he did have an excellent impact from a defensive perspective last season.
Cooley, in particular, presents as an interesting target in the prop market in Wednesday’s matchup because head coach Andre Tourigny has bumped him back onto a stacked top line alongside Clayton Keller and Nick Schmaltz. The trio played together in Sunday’s matchup versus the Ottawa Senators, factored in to both of Utah’s goals, and looked quite threatening during their 13:21 of ice time together.
Cooley, Schmaltz, and Keller did spend a lot of time together last season and were highly productive in scoring 4.20 goals per 60 across 271.5 minutes of play. Cooley led the team with 17 points in the final 15 games of the season, and he spent most of that time playing on the top unit alongside Keller and Schmaltz, but for the majority of this season he has skated on the second unit.
Considering the long number of +290, this seems like a good shot to back Cooley recording two points in a favourable matchup.
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