Another day, another 2-1 effort for our shot props. Dougie Hamilton and Noah Dobson pulled through for us Tuesday, while Jordan Kyrou came up a couple short at home.

We'll look to keep the train moving in the right direction with three more plays for Wednesday's slate.

William Nylander over 3.5 shots (-120)

Nylander is on a nice little shooting run. The ultra-talented winger has recorded at least four shots in 13 of the last 20 games - good for 65%.

There's every reason to believe he can continue his success Wednesday against the Blackhawks.

For starters, the matchup is quite enticing. Chicago is a poor defensive team that spends a lot of time absorbing pressure in its own zone. It's a nice positional spot for Nylander as well, as only six teams have allowed more shots per game to right-wingers this season.

Nylander does his best work on home ice, with his hit rate 8% higher in Toronto. He also expects to welcome Auston Matthews back to his line in this game.

Nylander's shot generation numbers are noticeably higher with Matthews on his line than with someone like Alexander Kerfoot. The latter is more of a pass-first player, but the Leafs don't tilt the ice anywhere close to the same level as they do with Matthews in his place.

Coming off a disappointing showing against the Blue Jackets, Toronto will no doubt come out with purpose and spend a lot of time on the front foot in this one. Nylander should have ample opportunity to go over his shot total.

Nikita Kucherov over 3.5 shots (+105)

Kucherov - like many offensive players - is a more consistent shooter at home. Even so, I believe he's worth backing on the road against the Coyotes.

Arizona isn't a good defensive team at five-on-five, and, perhaps more importantly, it takes a lot of penalties. No club has spent more time shorthanded this season. The same can be said if we isolate the Coyotes' last 10 games.

Kucherov takes a lot of shots on the power play. With the Lighting having played Tuesday, those easy offensive special-team opportunities may be necessary to get the job done. Kucherov should get plenty of those against this undisciplined Coyotes side.

Kucherov has played against Arizona once this season. He attempted 11 shots and hit the target five times during the meeting. I expect another productive outing this time around.

Tage Thompson over 3.5 shots (-125)

The Ducks continue to bleed shots each and every night. Although Anaheim won five of the last 10 games, it conceded more shots and attempts than anybody in the league during that time.

As has been the case all season, the Ducks have struggled most against the center position. No NHL team has allowed more shots per game to centers, and it's not even close. Anaheim has given up 14.66 shots to centers, while the team behind it sits at 12.75.

Thompson is a puck-dominant center who isn't shy about pulling the trigger when the chance presents itself. He should control the middle of the ice against this horrendous Ducks team and send more than his fair share of rubber John Gibson's way.

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 strong weekend of best bets. The Maple Leafs came through on the puck line Friday night, and the Wild followed up with a home win against the red-hot Devils on Saturday.

We'll look to pick up where we left off with two more plays for Monday's slate.

Flames (-165) @ Senators (+140)

This game has fireworks potential written all over it. The Flames have been lights out offensively lately, leading the NHL in goals per minute at five-on-five over the last 10 games.

Calgary shifted its lines around in an effort to have a more potent and balanced attack, and the shuffling has paid off. The Flames aren't just riding a shooting percentage bender, as they're top 10 in expected goal generation over those 10 contests.

They now draw a mouthwatering matchup against a Senators team in a bad spot. Ottawa has struggled to keep the puck out of its net at the best of times.

The Sens will be trying to punch way above their weight to slow down a red-hot offense. And they'll have to do it without their starting goaltender, backup netminder, and one of their top defenders in Jake Sanderson.

Calgary will test Mads Sogaard early and often, and there's not much reason to believe he can handle it. Sogaard owns a putrid .898 save percentage across 21 games in the AHL this season. A date with the Flames isn't exactly an ideal spot as he gets his feet wet with his first NHL start of the campaign.

I definitely expect Calgary to do the heavy lifting in this spot, but Ottawa should be able to contribute its share to the goal total. The Flames have allowed a hair under three goals per game this season, and Jacob Markstrom (.892 save percentage) has struggled all campaign.

The Sens have more than enough talent up front to cause Markstrom problems, and they'll need to do just that to have any chance of getting a positive result.

Look for a 4-3 or 5-2 type of contest in the nation's capital.

Bet: Over 6.5 (-115)

Red Wings (+100) @ Canucks (-120)

The Canucks have quietly been playing much better hockey under head coach Rick Tocchet.

They own a 3-3-1 record under their new bench boss and have posted remarkably better underlying metrics, particularly on the defensive side.

Vancouver has allowed 47.24 shot attempts and 2.20 expected goals per 60 minutes at five-on-five. Both numbers rank the club in the top five, surrounded by teams like the Hurricanes and Golden Knights. Tocchet has the guys buying in, and it shows.

On the flip side, the Red Wings have hit a real rut when it comes to creating chances. They rank dead last in five-on-five expected goal generation over the previous 10 games. Detroit also sits near the bottom in shots and high-danger opportunities.

The Red Wings are struggling to facilitate scoring opportunities, while the Canucks are doing a fantastic job of limiting them.

However, goaltending has been a huge concern for Vancouver. A tandem of Collin Delia and Spencer Martin is very bad and has the potential to undo a lot of the good that's happening.

That being said, Delia has conceded only two goals more than expected through 13 games. Martin has allowed 23.5 more than expected across 29 contests and has performed terribly. At least Delia has been somewhat competent on most nights.

With Delia expected back between the pipes and a home date against a Red Wings team having issues offensively, I think the Canucks will get back on track and grind out a win.

The potential absences of Lucas Raymond and Jake Walman - who's played excellent hockey alongside Moritz Seider on the top pairing - would also provide healthy boosts to Vancouver's chances.

Bet: Canucks (-120)

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

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We have a busy weekend of hockey ahead of us, with 18 games over the next couple of days.

Let's dive into two that stand out from the pack.

Maple Leafs (-250) @ Blue Jackets (+210)
Feb. 10, 7 p.m. ET

For years, the Maple Leafs have played down to their competition and failed to come through when enormously favored. Even without Auston Matthews, I think they're going to buck the trend and pick up a convincing win over the Blue Jackets.

They really seem to be buying what Sheldon Keefe is selling this season, playing a more committed defensive game. That, coupled with strong goaltending, is why only three teams - the Bruins, Hurricanes, and Stars - have done a better job of limiting goals at five-on-five.

That should spell trouble for a Blue Jackets team that has struggled immensely to create offense at five-on-five. Over the last 10 games, they've generated only 9.12 high-danger chances per 60, which is dead last in the league.

While the Jackets have a couple of dynamic stars on the wing, their forward group as a whole is rather shallow. Not to mention, they don't really have players on the back end right now, with Zach Werenski, Jake Bean, and, more recently, Adam Boqvist out of the lineup due to injuries.

I don't see them creating much against a fairly stout Maple Leafs team that should be chomping at the bit following an extended break.

Matthews' absence is unlikely to be problematic in this game as well. The Leafs have generated 2.90 expected goals per 60 since he left the lineup, which is directly in line with their season average of 2.86.

They should have no problem facilitating chances - and finishing them - against a Blue Jackets team that allows 3.83 goals per 60 minutes.

Bet: Maple Leafs -1.5 (-105)

Devils (TBD) @ Wild (TBD)
Feb. 11, 8 p.m. ET

The Devils are on a 9-1-1 run but haven't played nearly as well as the results indicate. Not even close.

At five-on-five, they have controlled just 44.2% of the expected goals, putting them bottom-five in the NHL during that span.

The only teams that have performed worse - and not by much in that category - are the Blackhawks, Ducks, Canadiens, and Blues: four bad teams that'll be selling everything they can at the deadline.

In terms of strictly scoring chances, the Devils have posted a minus-60 differential at five-on-five during this hot streak.

So, how have they been winning? The recipe is simple: Jack Hughes, goaltending, and overtime luck (they've won five of six).

Hughes missed Thursday night's affair - another in which the Devils were noticeably out-chanced - but prior to that, he accumulated 18 points over a 10-game period. Every time the Devils needed a play, he came up with one.

The Devils don't currently have the budding superstar available to bail them out. That's a huge factor.

It's also fair to expect a dip in goaltending performance sooner rather than later. With respect to Vitek Vanecek, who I really like, and Mackenzie Blackwood, they're not Andrei Vasilevskiy and Igor Shesterkin. It's not reasonable for them to shave an average of a goal off the expected output each time out, which has been the case of late.

I know the Wild haven't exactly been lighting it up of late and are dealing with some problems of their own.

But the Devils' underlying metrics are even worse. With Hughes out of the lineup and the goaltending likely due for a spell of lesser play, this feels like a spot where their issues will catch up to them.

Bet: Wild (likely in the -125 range)

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

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We're in for a quiet start to the weekend with just four games on Friday night.

Thankfully, there still appears to be plenty of value on the board in the prop market. Let's take a closer look at three players to prioritize.

William Nylander over 3.5 shots (-130)

Nylander is normally a player I prefer to back on home soil, but I'm happy to make an exception on Friday night.

The ultra-talented winger has come through in three straight road games and leads the Maple Leafs in shot attempts and scoring chances since Auston Matthews departed the lineup. With No. 34 sidelined, the Leafs don't have as much pop up front, and more weight falls on players like Nylander.

More important than anything else, though, is the matchup against the Blue Jackets. Only the Ducks have allowed five-on-five shots at a higher clip this season. With so many players sidelined against a high-class opponent, I don't see things getting any better for the Blue Jackets this time around.

Vladimir Tarasenko over 2.5 shots (-120)

Tarasenko is expected to make his Rangers debut alongside Artemi Panarin and Mika Zibanejad on the top line. While Tarasenko isn't quite as dynamic as a couple of years ago, he remains a threatening offensive player who won't be shy about shooting the puck when it comes his way.

I think playing with Panarin will be especially beneficial. Panarin is a pass-first winger in every sense, has played with Tarasenko plenty on the international stage, and they are good friends off the ice.

Panarin will no doubt be looking to find Tarasenko early and often and give him every chance to shine in front of the MSG crowd.

Although the Kraken are a strong shot suppression team, I still like Tarasenko in this spot. Seattle is in the latter half of a road back-to-back, and Tarasenko has hit in three of four games versus the Kraken - including three straight - since their inception.

Seth Jones over 2.5 shots (-140)

Jones is a Coyotes killer. There are a lot of them, I know, but Jones is absolutely among the group.

He has faced the Coyotes five times over the last season and a half. He averaged 3.8 shots per game while going over the total in four of those meetings.

All the data points toward another successful night for Jones this time around. The Coyotes rank 30th in shots against per game versus defensemen, allowing more than all but the Ducks and Jackets.

Jones is also a much more efficient shot-generator on home soil. He has gone over his total 61% of the time in Chicago, a far cry from the 35% hit rate he's managed on the road.

With a mouthwatering matchup to look forward to on home ice, there's every reason to believe Jones is in line for a productive evening.

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

Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tuesday night was another split for our best bets. The Edmonton Oilers picked up a relatively sweat-free regulation win over the Detroit Red Wings, but the Colorado Avalanche blew their lead late in Pittsburgh and could not get the job done in overtime.

Let's take a closer look at three plays that stand out for Wednesday's pint-sized slate.

Wild (+115) @ Stars (-135)

Going with the under on a low total (5.5) is a scary proposition when snipers like Kirill Kaprizov and Jason Robertson are featured in a game ... but that's just what we're going to do!

These teams are all about defense. No side has been better at limiting high-danger chances at five-on-five this season than the Minnesota Wild. That's right - not even the Boston Bruins or Carolina Hurricanes have prevented quality scoring opportunities more efficiently.

Meanwhile, the Dallas Stars have flipped the switch lately, ranking first in high-danger chances against per 60 over the last 10 games. The Stars are giving up nothing right now.

Strong chance suppression alone isn't enough to get me on the under when guys like Kaprizov and Robertson can simply take advantage of any opportunities that come their way. I also need goaltending, which this game should have in spades

Filip Gustavsson has been one of the league's biggest surprises between the pipes, owning a .922 save percentage in a season where the league average sits at .901.

As good as those numbers are, his goals saved above expected mark looks even better. Only Linus Ullmark, Ilya Sorokin, and Juuse Saros rank ahead of Gustavsson on a per-game basis.

Gustavsson's expected counterpart Jake Oettinger is sitting right there with him. Oettinger's save percentage ranks a little higher at .925, but he lags just behind in GSAE.

But both goaltenders have been extremely good, no matter the metric you look at. With Gustavsson playing behind one of the NHL's best five-on-five defenses this season and Oettinger backing one of the league's best five-on-five defenses of late, goals should come at a premium in this one.

Bet: Under 5.5 (+100)

Jason Robertson over 3.5 shots (-120)

Robertson is about as good as it gets on home soil. He has piled up 115 shots in Dallas this season, which is more than all but David Pastrnak and Timo Meier have amassed in their own buildings.

Robertson has averaged 4.6 shots per game in Dallas and hit the over on his shot total a whopping 68% of the time. That's a big step up from his numbers on the road, where he finds success only 44% of the time.

While the Wild are a strong defensive team, they have a couple weaknesses that play into Robertson's hands.

Chief among them is their inability to stay out of the box. Only six teams have spent more time shorthanded on a per-game basis. If we isolate the last 10 games for a better idea of the current picture, that list shrinks to three.

Minnesota tends to take more than its fair share of penalties, and Robertson will benefit from that the most - his bread and butter is hammering pucks on the power play.

It's also worth noting Robertson has generated at least five shots on goal and eight attempts in four straight meetings against the Wild.

Miro Heiskanen over 2.5 shots (-120)

We're double dipping with the Stars and backing Miro Heiskanen as well. Heiskanen is a favorite go-to defender because he often doesn't even need to be efficient to get the job done - he logs more than 25 minutes per night.

Like Robertson, Heiskanen has been a completely different animal on home ice. The smooth-skating rearguard has generated three shots or more 70% of the time at the American Airlines Center.

The Wild's defensive prowess hasn't slowed Heiskanen down in recent games, as he's gone over his shot total in four of the last five against Minnesota.

In a clash between the No. 1 and No. 3 seeds in the Central Division, Heiskanen should get all the ice he can handle in a game of such importance - especially considering he has only had to suit up once since January 27th. He should be well-rested and ready to go.

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

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We split our best bets Monday night. The Islanders picked up two points in Bo Horvat's debut, but the Lightning laid a complete egg in Florida to bring us back to square one.

We'll set our sights higher with a couple more plays for Tuesday's six-game slate.

Avalanche (-110) @ Penguins (-110)

The Avalanche currently sit eighth in the Western Conference and are holding on to a wild-card spot by a thread, but they remain a very dangerous team.

Their place in the standings is a result of an extreme amount of injuries - key players at that - from the word go. They just haven't been remotely healthy for any period of time and have struggled to find their footing as a result. Until now.

Colorado put together a healthy 7-3 run in the 10 games prior to the All-Star break. Now, it will welcome back a couple of important pieces - Valeri Nichushkin and Bowen Byram - set to return to the lineup against the Penguins. The importance of those players cannot be overstated.

Nichushkin is a near point-per-game forward who is as impactful defensively as offensively. This year's Avalanche are 15-3-2 with him in the lineup.

The smooth-skating Byram put up five points in 10 games while averaging nearly 21 minutes per night prior to going down with an injury.

Having those players healthy should lead to more consistent scoring beyond the big guns and allow the offense to really flourish.

A date with Casey DeSmith is a nice "welcome back" spot, as he owns an .897 save percentage in 2023 and has conceded five or more in three of his last four.

Alexandar Georgiev, who has been terrific all season, owns a .939 save percentage over the same period of time. He should give the Avalanche a clear edge between the pipes as a cherry on top.

Look for the Avalanche to pick up their eighth win in 11 games as they begin their ascension up the standings.

Bet: Avalanche (-105)

Oilers (-165) @ Red Wings (+140)

The Oilers are scorching hot. They own a 7-1-2 record over the last 10 games and are full value for it.

At five-on-five, they have scored a league-high 32 goals while conceding only 18, good for a plus-14 differential. Edmonton also ranks first with a high-danger chance share above 60% during that stretch.

Everyone knows the Oilers are as good, or better, as any team on the man advantage. When they're clicking at five-on-five, they're nearly impossible to beat, and we're seeing that right now.

I think they have a great chance of picking up where they left off when they meet the Red Wings in Detroit.

Despite all the offseason changes, the Red Wings remain a very underwhelming team at both ends. They rank bottom five in high-danger chance share over the last 10 games, and only the Blue Jackets have generated fewer high-danger opportunities.

It's going to be difficult for them to create enough offense to keep up with the high-flying Oilers, especially now that Stuart Skinner and Jack Campbell are providing competent goaltending every night.

The same can't be said of Red Wings starter Ville Husso, who has hit a bit of a rut of late.

The 28-year-old netminder has posted an .899 save percentage through 10 appearances this calendar year. That's not going to cut it for a team struggling to create offense.

With edges across the board, I expect the red-hot Oilers to take care of business inside 60 minutes.

Bet: Oilers in regulation (-115)

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

Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

There are six games on the menu Monday night as the NHL returns from its All-Star break. That means there are plenty of player props to comb through.

Let's dive into a few that stand out from the pack.

Nikita Kucherov over 3.5 shots (+110)

Death, taxes, and backing Nikita Kucherov against the Florida Panthers. He has hit the over in four of his last five games against the Panthers, including both meetings this year.

Kucherov combined for 15 attempts during those games and registered seven or more in each. That's the kind of volume you want to see when backing a shot total of 3.5.

I expect Kucherov will be able to exploit the Panthers once again. At five-on-five, they've been one of the worst teams in the NHL at suppressing Grade A chances over the last 10 games.

Perhaps more importantly, only the Arizona Coyotes have spent more time shorthanded per game this season. There should be plenty of chances for Tampa's power play to go to work and Kucherov is one of the key trigger men.

Jason Robertson over 3.5 shots (-110)

The Dallas Stars' sniper has been a lethal shot generator this year, especially on home soil. Robertson has recorded an average of 4.5 shots per game in Dallas and has hit the over on his shot total 67% of the time, well above what he has managed on the road (44%).

Robertson's home cooking should certainly continue in a mouthwatering matchup against the Anaheim Ducks. They have shown no signs of improvement defensively, ranking last in shot suppression over the last 10 games and conceding an average of more than 40 shots per game in that time.

For perspective, the Chicago Blackhawks rank 31st and have allowed four fewer shots per contest in that time.

The ice should be heavily tilted in Dallas' favor from start to finish and Robertson will be the primary shooting threat. At home, I'd likely play Robertson -110 against any team in the league. To get that price in such an advantageous matchup is a gift.

Jack Hughes over 4.5 shots (+100)

Jack Hughes was one of the league's best shot generators leading up to the break. No. 86 has been particularly dangerous on home ice, averaging 5.5 shots on more than eight attempts over the last 10 in New Jersey.

Hughes is in a good spot to continue his success against the Vancouver Canucks. They are an exploitable team at the best of times. With Bo Horvat traded, and Ilya Mikheyev done for the season, the Canucks should have an even more difficult time controlling their share of the play.

I expect the New Jersey Devils to dominate the puck in this game and it is Hughes who facilitates anything and everything - at even-strength and on the power play - for the red and black.

Hughes made a mockery of the Canucks' defense last time they faced each other, generating eight shots on 11 attempts with the help of no power play time.

The Canucks are very immobile on the back end and they struggle moving the puck. That's a recipe for disaster against Hughes, whose speed causes problems for anybody standing in front of him.

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

Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With the All-Star break behind us, the unofficial start of the season's second half begins Monday night.

We have a fairly juicy six-game slate on the docket as the NHL returns to action. Let's take a look at a couple that stand out.

Islanders (-130) @ Flyers (+110)

The Islanders have won only three of their last 10 games and sit outside of the playoffs as a result.

There's plenty of reason to believe they can get back on track Monday night against the Flyers.

First and foremost, the Flyers are vulnerable defensively. At five-on-five over the last 10 games, they rank bottom five in shot suppression and bottom 10 in high-danger chance prevention. They're making life very difficult for Carter Hart.

The Islanders aren't exactly world-beaters offensively, but the Flyers are the kind of team that can bring out their opponents' ceiling. Not to mention, New York should get a big-time spark with Bo Horvat debuting on the top line alongside Mathew Barzal.

Horvat has converted an unsustainably high percentage of his shots this season. Still, he provides some much-needed pop at even strength and is one of the league's better skaters below the dots on the power play. Even a small boost to the team's offense would go a long way with Ilya Sorokin between the pipes.

Sorokin ranks second in the NHL in goals saved above expected this season and has caused the Flyers nothing but problems since entering the NHL. He has won seven of his last nine games against Philadelphia and conceded just two goals in both defeats.

I expect him to severely limit Philadelphia's offense once again. If he can do that and Horvat can provide a spark to New York's attack, the Islanders should pick up an important win.

Bet: Islanders (-125)

Lightning (-125) @ Panthers (+105)

The Lightning once again look the part of Stanley Cup contenders. They were a little slow out of the gate, treading water over the season's first 14 games.

Since then, they've been as good as any team. The Bolts are just a win back of the Bruins for the league lead in that time, and they've played two fewer games.

The offense - led by Nikita Kucherov, Steven Stamkos, and Brayden Point - is steering the ship, as the Lightning have been unstoppable in the final third of the ice.

Tampa Bay has generated an average of 3.83 goals and 15.21 high-danger chances per 60 minutes across all situations. Both of those outputs are comfortably tops in the NHL.

That should be nightmare fuel for the Panthers given their current state. Only six teams have given up more high-danger looks over the last 10 games, which is problematic enough when going up against the Lightning.

Making matters worse is the situation in goal. Sergei Bobrovsky posted an .898 save percentage in January and has played two minutes of hockey over the last 20 days. Spencer Knight hasn't made an NHL appearance in nearly a month, and Alex Lyon is, well, Alex Lyon.

Either the Panthers start a netminder who hasn't played in an extended period of time - which tends to lead to a dip in performance - or one who's probably not NHL caliber. All three options are far from ideal in a huge divisional clash against the hottest offense in the sport.

Look for the experienced Lightning to take care of business coming out of the break.

Bet: Lightning (-120)

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

Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We have reached the All-Star break, which is looked at as an unofficial midway point of the season.

Perhaps more than any other major award, the Norris Trophy remains completely up for grabs. A handful of players have put together strong cases for the hardware but nobody is running away with it ~50 games into the year.

Let's take a look at where the market stands and how things have changed since prior to puck drop on the 2022-23 campaign.

Leading the group is Erik Karlsson, who is producing at the highest rate of his entire career at age 32. Karlsson is playing for a mediocre San Jose Sharks team that ranks 20th in scoring efficiency league-wide. He has managed to put up 16 goals and 66 points over 51 games; a 27-goal, 106-point pace. He leads all defensemen in Goals Above Replacement despite his defensive game being graded at a net-negative.

Hot on his tail is the pre-season favorite Cale Makar. He has been unseated through no fault of his own. Despite the Colorado Avalanche being crushed by injuries, Makar has averaged more than a point per game while driving play and logging more than 27 minutes of ice on a nightly basis. He has been a huge factor in keeping the Avalanche afloat.

Rounding out the big four are Adam Fox and Rasmus Dahlin. Fox is producing at a point-per-game clip and ranks second among NHL defensemen in average Game Score.

Meanwhile, Dahlin is producing at a 92-point clip and serving as Mr. Everything for a Buffalo Sabres side that finds itself in the thick of the wild card race.

Of the group, Karlsson might be most vulnerable of slipping. His defensive game has holes and he plays for a bad team that will only get worse when the likes of Timo Meier (likely) get shipped out. If his production falls off, he doesn't have a leg to stand on the way the others do.

With regards to longer shots, Dougie Hamilton is probably the guy carrying the most value. He is tied for third among blue-liners in goals, flirting with a point per game, and owns a +19 goal differential at five-on-five. This while playing big minutes against quality competition for a New Jersey Devils team that sits fourth in the league, a spot nobody predicted they'd hold this far into the season.

If he can raise his production just a hair in the second half, while Karlsson's perhaps falls off, his numbers figure to be every bit as good as the rest of his competition. The difference will be Hamilton is viewed as a super long shot in the market while you have to pay a premium to back the others.

After the +4000 range, things really fall off. Quinn Hughes plays for a tire fire in the Vancouver Canucks, Charlie McAvoy missed too much hockey, Victor Hedman is having a down season, and the others don't produce enough.

This looks like a five-horse race, with Hamilton being the most likely to jump in and make it six.

Buckle up; it's going to be a wild race to the finish.

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

Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We only have two games on our final slate in advance of the All-Star break. Thankfully, they're good ones.

Let's dive into the best way to attack them.

Hurricanes (-150) @ Sabres (+130)

The Hurricanes are sizzling hot right now. They've won six consecutive games, eight of nine, and picked up at least a point in 10 of the last 11.

As well as they're playing, the Sabres offer good value to snap the Hurricanes' lengthy winning streak on Wednesday night.

The Sabres are quietly playing some fantastic hockey of their own. They own a 6-2-2 record over the last 10 games and have dominated opponents in that span, controlling 55% of the expected goal share. That's a top-five rate.

It's their offense that has been leading the charge, which is nothing new, especially on home soil. They've netted a whopping 3.78 goals per 60 minutes in Buffalo. Only the Lightning (4.04 per 60) have scored more efficiently at home in 2022-23.

Although the Hurricanes are a strong defensive team, I think they're going to have a hard time slowing down the Sabres in this spot.

They find themselves in the latter half of a road back-to-back, their third game in four nights, and the expectation is Antti Raanta will get the nod in goal. He owns an .897 save percentage this season and is probably the closest thing the Hurricanes have to an Achilles' heel.

Raanta will be tested plenty against this Sabres team - particularly if Jaccob Slavin is unable to play again - and I have concerns he can hold up.

With a win, the Sabres would find themselves in a playoff spot heading into the All-Star break. This is a big game for them, and that should shine through in their performance.

Bet: Sabres (+130)

Bruins (-125) @ Maple Leafs (+105)

The Bruins are in the midst of an epic slide - by their standards, anyway. They dropped just nine of their first 47 games and have since lost three in a row. Unthinkable!

While a road game prior to a 10-day vacation probably isn't the ideal time to bank on a team to really dig in, the Bruins aren't an ordinary team. Their roster is veteran-heavy, and they take their business seriously. I expect them to come out angry and determined to get a result, finishing the unofficial first half on a high.

More important than anything else, though, is the fact Auston Matthews won't play for the Maple Leafs. As much talk as there has been about Matthews not being as lethal as a season ago, he's still producing at a 92-point pace and ranks sixth among all NHLers in average game score.

Matthews leads the league in five-on-five goals since entering and is a lethal shooter on the man advantage. Suffice to say, the Maple Leafs will feel his absence against the No. 1 team in preventing goals at five-on-five and on the penalty kill.

Boston's top six has more juice than Toronto's sans Matthews, the Bruins are arguably the league's best defensive side, and Linus Ullmark leads the NHL in Goals Saved Above Expected.

There appear to be plenty of edges for the Bruins in this spot. I expect they'll be able to parlay those - along with some extra urgency - and get back in the win column.

Bet: Bruins (-125)

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

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