We don't have quantity on the ice Wednesday, but there is plenty of quality.

This four-game slate features several of the league's hottest teams, with the Hurricanes (8-0-0), Oilers (7-1-0), and Blues (6-1-0) among those in action.

Let's get into our best bets.

Predators (+175) @ Oilers (-210)

The Predators enter play on a four-game winning streak. I don't like their chances of making it five in this spot. Wednesday will mark Nashville's third game in four nights, and the first two were taxing contests that went to overtime.

Now, with a quick turnaround, they take on a high-powered Oilers team that is built on fast-pace, high-event hockey. Not ideal.

Making matters worse is the Predators won't have their star goaltender, Juuse Saros, between the pipes to try and bail them out. Heck, they won't even have their veteran backup in David Rittich.

Instead, 24-year-old Connor Ingram will be tasked with slowing down Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and arguably the NHL's most potent offense.

Ingram did show well in his lone NHL game; however, he posted a sub-.900 save percentage in the AHL and SHL a year ago. This is not some highly touted, can't-miss prospect.

The Oilers should be able to control the run of play at five-on-five. They're a better team in that game state and have fresh legs.

If, for some reason, they still can't win the five-on-five battle, they're in good hands with the power play. They are the most prolific team, by far, on the man advantage, and Nashville is among the most undisciplined squads. I doubt the Preds will magically clean up their act with tired legs. If anything, they'll be more prone to reaching in and taking lazy penalties.

On top of all that, Filip Forsberg's status is in question after leaving last night's game with an injury. The Predators aren't going to control play so will rely on opportunistic scoring to hang around. Losing Forsberg would be a big blow for their ability to do that.

I like the Oilers to snap Nashville's winning streak in this one, and I think it happens with relative ease.

Bet: Oilers inside regulation (-130)

Setting the table

The Blackhawks (+140) could be a worthy 'dog if they start Marc-Andre Fleury in goal. His play is trending upward and Chicago is at home. The Hurricanes have been fantastic this season but are due for some regression. Their expected goal differential at five-on-five is +2. Their actual goal differential is +13. Oh, and Frederik Andersen isn't going to give them a .955 save percentage forever.

The Blue Jackets (+155) have been bet down quite a bit, but I still see some value on this line. The Avalanche are severely undermanned, playing without the likes of Mikko Rantanen, Cale Makar, Devon Toews, and Andre Burakovsky. They're also expected to start one of the league's worst netminders in Jonas Johansson.

Lastly, the Kings (+120) and under 5.5 goals (-110) are my leans should Cal Petersen start in goal. The Blues have overperformed thus far and are without arguably their most important player in Ryan O'Reilly. I don't see many goals in this game with the likes of O'Reilly, Viktor Arvidsson, and Drew Doughty out of the lineup - if Petersen starts, that is.

Official plays: Oilers in regulation (-130), Blue Jackets (+155)

Wait and see: Blackhawks (+140), Kings (+120) and/or under 5.5 (-110)

Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.

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We concluded the week on a high note, as the Boston Bruins and Los Angeles Kings both came through with victories Saturday night.

We'll now look to pick up where we left off. Let's dive into our best bets for Monday's three-game slate.

Senators (+105) @ Blackhawks (-125)

I was down on the Blackhawks heading into the season. I thought they were very overrated following a few noisy additions in the summer and there was value in betting them to miss the playoffs.

But I never expected a woeful 0-7-2 start. Chicago is one of two teams without a win, and, in many categories, the tanking Coyotes have actually outperformed the Blackhawks. It's bad.

Despite all that, Chicago is a tempting side to back Monday. Patrick Kane (COVID-19 protocol) should return to the lineup in this one, which would provide a much-needed spark to the offense.

And, as poor as Marc-Andre Fleury has played to date, it seems more than reasonable to suggest Chicago has a clear edge in goal over Matt Murray.

Chicago is also flat-out due for a win. You generally don't bet teams because "they're due," but this is the NHL. Even the worst teams, usually, are going to win two or three of every 10 games.

While Chicago has obviously played poorly thus far, the extreme record is undeserved. At five-on-five, expected goals for are 16.82-12.61 in favor of Chicago's opponents. Actual goals: 29-7. The Blackhawks are deserving of a -4 goal differential but instead sit at -22.

Sooner or later, the pendulum is going to swing. This team isn't going to continue shooting 4% at five-on-five, and Fleury isn't going to continue playing like a pumpkin. Eventually, they're going to start finding some level of success.

A home date against an underwhelming Ottawa Senators team seems like a good time for that to happen.

Bet: Blackhawks (-125)

Player prop

There isn't a ton of value to be found on Monday's games themselves, so we're turning to player props.

I'm going right back to Chicago against Ottawa and backing Alex DeBrincat's shot total (2.5) to go over the number. He has attempted 59 shots through nine games, averaging more than 6.5 per contest. He's shooting every chance he gets, and he should see plenty of chances against the Senators.

Ottawa is allowing 61.05 shot attempts per 60 minutes of five-on-five play, good for 30th in the league. This is a dream matchup for a volume shooter like DeBrincat.

Bet: Alex DeBrincat over 2.5 shots on goal (-130)

Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.

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Saturday features a packed NHL card: 10 games headlined by a heavyweight clash between the Panthers and Bruins.

Let's explore some of our best bets.

Panthers (+110) @ Bruins (-130)

The Bruins own a pedestrian 3-3-0 record, but make no mistake - they remain a very good team.

As usual, Boston has had no problem dictating the run of play at five-on-five. Its share of expected goals sits at 55.66%, behind only the Capitals, Wild, and Penguins. Those three teams own a combined record of 13-4-5; good company to be keeping.

The Bruins deserve better results than they've garnered, especially defensively. They sit 24th in goals against per 60 minutes at five-on-five despite ranking first in expected goals against. They aren't giving up much. Sooner or later, they'll be rewarded.

Florida, meanwhile, is an extremely dangerous team. That's especially true with Sergei Bobrovsky looking far more dependable than predicted. But the NHL's leader in goals saved above expected won't start tonight in a very bad spot for the Panthers.

Both teams are playing their third game in four nights, but Boston was idle Friday while Florida played a taxing overtime road game against the Red Wings.

Though they're obviously performing well, the Panthers have taken things to extremes amid their 8-0-0 start. Their expected goal differential at five-on-five is approximately plus-2. Their actual goal differential is plus-11.

Boston is playing better than its record indicates, while Florida isn't as invincible as it seems. We like the Bruins to hand the Panthers their first loss.

Bet: Bruins -130

Canadiens (-105) @ Kings (-115)

The Kings own a 1-5-1 record and are without two of their best defenders in Drew Doughty and Sean Walker. Even so, this line sells them a bit short.

Los Angeles ranks 10th in expected goal share and owns an even goal differential at five-on-five. That's impressive considering its poor record.

The Kings' biggest issue, by and large, has been their play on special teams. The power play has been inconsistent, and only the Coyotes have given up goals at a higher rate while shorthanded.

It just so happens that the Canadiens are a lesser five-on-five team and comparably bad on special teams. Montreal has scored only three goals in 46 power-play minutes - the team is essentially three-for-23 on the season - and struggled on the penalty kill. Conversely, only four teams have spent more time shorthanded, and that inability to stay out of the box has highlighted Montreal's penalty-killing issues.

Put simply, the Kings look like the better five-on-five squad and - despite their own struggles - aren't any worse than their opponents when it comes to special teams.

Cal Petersen is expected to start in goal for Los Angeles, and it seems he's a clear upgrade over Jonathan Quick at this point in the latter's career.

Montreal, meanwhile, will either continue overworking Jake Allen with his eighth start in nine games or turn to Sam Montembeault and his .890 career save percentage.

Whatever the case may be, the Kings are worth backing tonight on home ice.

Bet: Kings -115

Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.

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We're going to run regular player props articles going forward. They'll begin on a daily basis once the MLB season ends, but the fun starts now with no baseball today.

Let's get right into it.

Brock Boeser to score (+200)

Boeser, as usual, has been a shooting machine, piling up 24 shot attempts in just four games. That puts him within striking distance of Elias Pettersson (31) for the team lead among forwards, despite not even getting half of Pettersson's ice time.

Boeser is the Canucks' biggest scoring threat by far in terms of efficiency. He's generating more than 12 chances per 60 minutes across all game states. For perspective, Nils Hoglander is the closest at 8.47 per 60 minutes.

Boeser is a high-end finisher and is creating chances in bulk. The matchup here is quite enticing too.

The Flyers are in the latter half of a road back-to-back. Fatigue could play a factor for Philadelphia and I don't like Martin Jones' chances of bailing them out. He's been one of the NHL's worst goalies for years, finishing with a sub-.900 save percentage in three consecutive seasons.

If Boeser is able to create a few looks on net - which doesn't seem like a big ask - I like his odds of converting one against Jones.

Viktor Arvidsson to score (+230)

There is a shoot-first mentality, and then there is whatever Arvidsson has. The guy is the definition of trigger-happy and will not pass up the opportunity to shoot, ever.

Arvidsson has attempted a ridiculous 46 shots through six games, averaging 7.66 per contest. And it's not as if they're all low-danger garbage; he is also leading the Kings in scoring chances (27).

Despite piling up shots and chances while playing on the top line and power play, Arvidsson has just one goal to show for his efforts. One.

Lucky for him, tonight's matchup against the Jets seems like the ultimate breakout spot. Winnipeg ranks 25th in scoring chances against per minute and 2020 Vezina Trophy winner Connor Hellebuyck is getting the night off. Arvidsson will instead be shooting on journeyman Eric Comrie, who owns a .873 career save percentage.

Look for Arvidsson to take advantage.

Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.

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Wednesday night's slate was a mixed bag for us. We started on a positive note by winning our under - at plus money, no less - in the Boston versus Florida game.

We appeared destined for a 2-0 night, but, despite dominating the game, Dallas blew a lead with a minute to go in regulation and then fell in overtime to the undermanned Vegas Golden Knights.

We'll aim for better tonight as we look at the best way to attack this nine-game slate.

Jets (-115) @ Kings (-105)

Winnipeg enters this contest in a good spot. The team has won three consecutive games, and its captain, Blake Wheeler, might return to the lineup.

Combine that with the recent injuries to Kings defenders Drew Doughty and Sean Walker, and the Jets seem like an obvious team to back, right? Not so fast.

The Jets, despite their recent success, aren't playing very well. They place 26th in expected goal share at five-on-five, and they're ranked even worse for high-danger chances. Only the Vancouver Canucks and Detroit Red Wings have controlled smaller shares in the latter category than Winnipeg (42%).

So, why have the Jets been winning? A combination of high shooting percentages and Connor Hellebuyck.

I doubt they're going to continue shooting the lights out sans Mark Scheifele, and Hellebuyck won't be in the net tonight to bail out the team's defensive mistakes.

Instead, it'll be journeyman Eric Comrie between the pipes. The 26-year-old has bounced around quite a bit in recent years. He's only appeared in nine NHL games, and they haven't gone well as he owns a .873 career save percentage.

While the Kings aren't exactly known for their finishing ability, they do generate chances in bulk. They're tied with the Washington Capitals for fifth in high-danger chances at five-on-five.

I expect L.A. to create plenty of opportunities against Winnipeg, which should lead to success against Comrie.

Bet: Kings -105.

Avalanche (-125) @ Blues (+105)

The Blues are an improved team, and I expect them to contend for a playoff spot in the Central Division. With that said, I think people are getting a little too carried away with the hype surrounding the club right now.

While they are undefeated, their 5-0-0 record isn't as impressive as it looks on the surface. Hear me out.

St. Louis opened the season with a 5-3 win over Colorado. The Avalanche were missing Nathan MacKinnon, Gabriel Landeskog, and Devon Toews, among others. Despite that, Colorado out-chanced the Blues by 17 and came very close to taking them to overtime.

The Blues followed that up by beating a tanking Arizona team that started Carter Hutton, arguably the league's worst regular goaltender.

Up next? They squeezed out a 3-1 win over the Golden Knights, who were playing without Max Pacioretty, Mark Stone, and Alex Tuch.

Then they beat Los Angeles - minus Doughty - a couple of times while losing the Grade A chance battle 27-20 in aggregate. Truly impressive.

Yes, they can only play the teams in front of them. Yes, they deserve credit for finding ways to win. But their schedule, aided by injury troubles, has been soft, and, quite frankly, the Blues haven't controlled play as much as I'd like to see given the circumstances.

This is a team with a negative five-on-five high-danger chance differential - even accounting for score effects - that's been propped up by an unsustainably high 105.5 PDO (shooting percentage plus save percentage).

Tonight St. Louis expects to be without two-way star Ryan O'Reilly, who led the team in goals above replacement (plus-24.3) over the last two years. That's going to make a big difference, especially going up against the likes of MacKinnon, Landeskog, and Mikko Rantanen.

Even undermanned on the backend, I like the Avs to hand the Blues their first loss of the season.

Bet: Avalanche -125.

Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.

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Headlined by a heavyweight clash between the Boston Bruins and Florida Panthers, we have a fun five-game slate on the docket for tonight.

Let's take a look at the best way to attack it.

Golden Knights (+125) @ Stars (-145)

Vegas is off to a really sluggish start to the season. The team is dealing with a plethora of injuries to impact players - most notably Mark Stone and Max Pacioretty - and playing nowhere near the level we're accustomed to seeing.

While the Golden Knights picked up a much-needed win in Colorado on Tuesday night, I don't like their chances of going back-to-back in Dallas.

Vegas, as mentioned, is missing several of its best players. Not just stars, but high-end support pieces like Alex Tuch and Alec Martinez. Making matters worse, the Golden Knights are playing their third game in four nights, and they won't have Robin Lehner between the pipes either.

The Stars have only played once since Friday's win over Los Angeles. They're at home, well-rested, and getting healthier, with John Klingberg recently returning to the lineup.

Dallas should have an edge in goal as well. Braden Holtby's last couple of years have been rocky, but he owns a sparkling .939 save percentage and 2.4 goals saved above expectation over five games this season. He should be able to out-duel Laurent Brossoit, should it come to that.

Bet: Dallas Stars -145.

Bruins (+110) @ Panthers (-130)

This is a titanic clash between two of the Eastern Conference's best teams.

The Bruins and Panthers have combined to post a 9-0-1 record in the early going of the season, and they've had similar paths to victory. Boston ranks second in expected goal share at five-on-five, while Florida places sixth. The clubs have dominated territorially.

The Panthers have been more prolific offensively, but they're also holding up their end of the bargain in the defensive zone. Florida ranks seventh in chances against per 60 minutes. Boston is fifth.

These teams know how to suck the life out of opposing attacks. I expect they'll be looking to do just that considering the star power they're up against.

If all else fails, early indications suggest the goaltending should be good. Linus Ullmark is 2-0 with a .935 save percentage, and Sergei Bobrovsky shockingly leads the NHL in goals saved above expectation (plus-9). I don't know whether he can keep it up, but he's looked good so far.

Expect playoff-type intensity from the Panthers and Bruins tonight. Given how well each side defends and how competent the goaltending should be, I like this game to end under the number.

Bet: Under 5.5 goals (+105)

Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.

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We're coming off a solid night on the ice, posting a 2-1 record with our best bets.

The Calgary Flames blanked the Detroit Red Wings, while the San Jose Sharks moved to 3-0-0 with a win over the Ottawa Senators.

The Colorado Avalanche kept us from a perfect night, as we were on the wrong end of a great performance by Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky.

Moving along, we have a busy weekend of action ahead. Let's take a look at a few games to target over the next couple of days.

Bruins (-210) @ Sabres (+170)
Oct. 22, 7 p.m. ET

The Sabres are one of the feel-good stories in the NHL through the first few contests. They're undefeated over three games, and it's well deserved as they've controlled a league-leading 64% of the expected goals at five-on-five.

However, Buffalo isn't going to continue controlling the run of play to that extent. Even if it sustains strong chance numbers, the team lacks the scorers to finish on a remotely consistent basis. The Sabres' goaltending duo of Craig Anderson and Dustin Tokarski is also among the worst in the NHL.

Suffice to say, the good times will end sooner than later, and the first wake-up call could come tonight against Boston.

The Bruins are among the league's top five-on-five teams every year, and there's not much reason to expect anything different this season. They played pretty well in Philadelphia the other night - high-danger chances were 16-4 Boston - but fell short anyway.

Boston is no doubt looking to get back on track in a hurry, and I think it's going to overwhelm Buffalo.

It may not be a pretty game to watch, but I expect the Bruins to take care of business inside regulation.

Bet: Bruins in regulation (-130)

Maple Leafs (-120) @ Penguins (+100)
Oct. 23, 7 p.m.

The Penguins are as accustomed to playing without key players as any team in the league. They consistently do a good job at it, too.

But their problems are destined to catch up with them against the Maple Leafs on Saturday night.

Sidney Crosby may make his season debut in the contest, but Pittsburgh will still be without Evgeni Malkin, and now Jeff Carter is in COVID-19 protocol. Oh, and Bryan Rust recently went down with an injury, as well. The Penguins roster is paper-thin right now, especially at center.

That feels problematic when going up against the likes of Auston Matthews and John Tavares. Toronto seems likely to get the better of the chances, and it certainly has more healthy firepower to convert those opportunities.

The Leafs are also resting Jack Campbell on Friday, ensuring their starter is healthy and ready to go against Pittsburgh.

Bet: Maple Leafs (-130 or better)

Canucks (-110) @ Kraken (-110)
Oct. 23, 10 p.m.

The Kraken haven't exactly received a warm welcome to the NHL in the early going of their inaugural season.

They opened the year with five consecutive road games, winning only one of those contests. Seattle's underlying numbers aren't great either, as it ranks 27th in expected goals for percentage at five-on-five.

Still, the Kraken seem like a team worth backing Saturday night. The fans will undoubtedly provide a huge lift as the club plays at home for the first time.

And the competition isn't exactly stiff. Despite all of Seattle's injuries and COVID-related issues, Vancouver is one of the few teams it's out-performed in terms of xG.

Things have started pretty rough for the Kraken, but they're starting to get healthy and are putting the pieces together. I still believe this team can contend for a playoff spot in a weak Pacific Division. This game is a good opportunity to right the ship.

Bet: Kraken (-130 or better)

Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.

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We had a quiet night Wednesday, filing just one official play. The Bruins outshot the Flyers by 15 and recorded 12 more high-danger chances, but unfortunately for us, the Bruins still came out on the wrong side of a 6-3 scoreline.

It's a new day and tonight's massive slate offers plenty of opportunities to get back on track. Let's dive into our best bets.

Sharks (-115) @ Senators (-105)

The Sharks are off to a nice start, scoring nine goals in two early wins and controlling better than 57% of the expected goals at five-on-five. San Jose is playing legitimately well.

Though the Senators are also out to a respectable 2-1 start, their underlying profile isn't nearly as strong. They own an expected goals share below 50%, which is hardly surprising considering the lack of depth on the Ottawa roster.

While neither side is likely to challenge for a playoff spot, the Sharks are destined to be the better of the two with youngsters like William Eklund and Jonathan Dahlen supporting a veteran core.

I expect that to shine through in this game, especially with Matt Murray between the pipes for the first time this season. Only Brian Elliott (-19.3), Martin Jones (-18.9), and Carter Hart (-18.3) conceded more goals above expectation than Murray a year ago.

He is unlikely to bail out the Senators if they're outplayed tonight.

Bet: Sharks -115

Flames (-135) @ Red Wings (+115)

The Flames remain winless on the year, but don't let that fool you - they've largely played well.

Though Calgary dominated the Oilers on the shot clock in the season opener, Connor McDavid did Connor McDavid things and turned every Edmonton opportunity into a goal. Fair enough.

The Flames responded by thoroughly outclassing the Ducks, winning the expected goals battle 3.88 to 1.87, but Calgary couldn't convert on its opportunities against a locked-in John Gibson and eventually paid the price by losing in overtime.

While many are jumping off the Flames bandwagon, I think their results thus far have provided an opportunity to buy low.

Calgary has out-chanced opponents 58-23 (71.60 SCF%) at five-on-five through two games. The Flames are showing the ability to control the run of play and, with Johnny Gaudreau, Matthew Tkachuk, and Elias Lindholm leading the charge, it's not as if they're devoid of talent to finish plays off.

Still, they're getting little respect on the betting market. The odds imply a 57% chance of Calgary beating a rebuilding Red Wings team that won just 36 games from 2019-21 - let's take advantage of that.

Bet: Flames -135

Rapid fire: Colorado Avalanche (-105)

With Nathan MacKinnon healthy and Gabriel Landeskog back from suspension, I think this line is a little short. The Panthers are a good team, but the Avalanche entered the season as Stanley Cup favorites and they're going up against Sergei Bobrovsky, one of the league's worst netminders over the last couple of seasons. Priced at a near coin flip, there is value backing the Avalanche to snap their mini losing streak.

Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.

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We have a very light schedule tonight, as there are just four teams slated to play.

Let's take a look at the best way to attack this small slate.

Bruins (-140) at Flyers (+120)

These teams saw a lot of each other while playing in the East Division last season, and the action was rather one-sided.

The Boston Bruins won six of eight games, picked up a point in one of the other two, and dominated in every sense of the word. They outscored the Flyers by 11 and controlled more than 56% of the expected goals across all game states.

I expect the Bruins' success to continue Wednesday against the Philadelphia Flyers, who added some good pieces during the offseason - most notably Ryan Ellis - but also a couple of players who could cause more harm than good.

Martin Jones posted a sub-.900 save percentage in three straight years prior to hitting the open market. There's no reason to believe he's a competent NHL goaltender, and yet he was the Flyers' solution to their backup woes. Jones will get his first start against a very good Boston team that features arguably the best top line in the NHL.

Meanwhile, Rasmus Ristolainen - objectively one of the worst defenders in the league for years - is expected to make his Flyers debut. He's set for extended minutes, which is likely problematic for Philadelphia.

The Bruins have more high-end talent and are a better defensive side, and Jeremy Swayman is more likely to provide a quality start than Jones.

Even on the road, I'm comfortably backing the Bruins as clear favorites.

Bet: Bruins -140

Blues (+110) at Golden Knights (-130)

This game isn't in range for me to play on either side.

The St. Louis Blues aren't priced as well as I hoped considering Pavel Buchnevich is suspended. That's a big loss for them, especially on the road against the Vegas Golden Knights.

Vegas is also missing some heavy artillery with Max Pacioretty and Mark Stone. Even so, its forward group is competent, and it has plenty of high-end talent on the backend.

This is a line we'll have to watch throughout the day. If the Blues get into the +120 or +125 range, I'd be happy to pull the trigger.

On the flip side, the Golden Knights - or perhaps the over of six goals - would deserve serious consideration if Ville Husso gets his first start of the campaign.

Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.

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We shook off a slow start for our NHL best bets to finish last week in style, winning two recommended plays on both Thursday and Friday.

We'll look to pick up where we left off as we enter the second week of the 2021-22 NHL campaign.

Blues (-170) @ Coyotes (+150)

It's difficult to emphasize just how bad the Coyotes are. They conceded eight goals in the season opener against a Blue Jackets team expected to finish near the bottom of the league standings.

Arizona followed that up with another loss to a team with no expectations in the Sabres. Though that game was decided in a shootout, it didn't take long to identify the better squad. That squad was Buffalo, as the Sabres outchanced the Coyotes 23-11 at five-on-five and controlled nearly 65% of the expected goals.

So, Arizona lost by six goals and was then second-best against a team that will be in the thick of the Shane Wright sweepstakes. Yikes.

The Coyotes are back at home tonight, which will surely provide a bit of a jolt, but it's unlikely to matter much against the Blues.

St. Louis has far more talent than Arizona at every position. With the offseason additions of Brandon Saad and Pavel Buchnevich - as well as a healthy Vladimir Tarasenko back in the mix - the Blues are extremely deep up front.

Expect St. Louis to dominate possession and overwhelm the Coyotes on the shot clock. With big edges in finishing talent and in goal, we like the Blues to take two points in regulation.

Bet: Blues in regulation (-115)

Rangers (+160) @ Maple Leafs (-180)

There's not much value in picking winners on Monday's NHL slate. But there is value on Maple Leafs captain John Tavares to score his first goal of the season at +180 when Toronto battles the Rangers.

Tavares has been everywhere through three games. He's amassed 21 shot attempts and 14 scoring chances, nine of which were considered high-danger opportunities. All of that has amounted to a team-leading 2.11 expected goals - and zero actual goals.

He's a fantastic finisher, having scored on at least 10.8% of his shots every year since entering the NHL in 2009. Playing with William Nylander at even strength and net-front on a loaded power play, Tavares will certainly have no shortage of chances coming his way.

It's only a matter of time before he converts.

Bet: Tavares to score a goal (+180)

Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.

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