Hello and good morning, everyone! I’m Andrew Santillo. You may know me from such DobberHockey articles such as Capped, DFS Tuesday/Thursday, Looking Ahead, and, going back a bit further, Coffee in the Crease over at GoaliePost. I’ll be taking over the Saturday picks, and I couldn’t be more excited. NHL futures betting is one of my favorite markets (Canadiens under 98.5 points, book it), and I spend plenty of time digging into lines, props, and anything DFS-related.

Before we dive in, a little context. I use Hard Rock Bet as my primary sports book, mostly because my younger brother and I like comparing football lines every Sunday. He lives in Florida, and at the time Hard Rock was the only sports book available in the Sunshine State. So, we started using it out of necessity and ended up sticking with it. As a result, some of my odds may differ slightly from what’s available at your preferred book, but the variance should be minimal.

These odds will usually be current as of the day before, but this week I had to go out of town so we're doing a little guesstimating where these lines will settle by Saturday, but I expect they’ll be very close. With that, let’s make some bettor bets!

GOLD SELECTION — Adam Fox o0.5 Assists (-145)

I like the gold, silver, and bronze format, so let’s keep rolling with it.

This is a fantastic spot for the Rangers, particularly on the power play against the Seattle Kraken. Dating back to last season, Seattle has struggled on the penalty kill, and that trend has continued this year, with the Kraken entering the weekend among the league’s worst penalty-killing teams.

Fox has recorded at least one assist in 12 of the Rangers’ first 17 games heading into Thursday night, and this matchup sets up perfectly for him to continue that trend. If you’re looking for a reliable anchor in a player parlay or a same-game parlay piece, Fox to record an assist is a strong option.

SILVER PICK — New Jersey u3.5 total goals (-125)

Let’s get spicy! As much as betting unders can be less exciting than cheering for goals, I love this spot for the Devils on the road against the Islanders.

New York has quietly been one of the NHL’s best defensive teams, ranking second in goals against entering Thursday, trailing only Dallas. The Islanders will also be extremely well-rested, having played just one game over the previous week. Rest isn’t everything, but I’d much rather back a team that’s played once since Halloween than one that’s played five games in eight days.

Now, if we get to Saturday and Pete DeBoer decides it’s time for the Semyon Varlamov Show, I’m probably out. As we know, Varlamov underwent double knee replacement surgery during the offseason, which isn’t exactly ideal for a 38-year-old goaltender. If Ilya Sorokin is in net (folds hands, lights candle, says prayer), then this bet is live. If not then…well, I'm sure there's a decent college football game on.

BRONZE PICK — Montreal Canadiens ML (+102 / -122)

I’m listing a range of odds here because Nick Suzuki‘s status could have a significant impact on where this line settles. Depending on the news leading up to puck drop, I could see the market moving in either direction.

Montreal has won four straight games against Toronto, and these matchups tend to be tighter than many people expect. The Maple Leafs will also be on the second half of a back-to-back, which could create a more favorable situation for Montreal. Odds are this will be Sergei Bobrovsky in net as well, which may be a more enticing matchup than shooting on Anthony Stolarz.

Whether the Canadiens enter as slight favorites or road dogs, I’m comfortable backing them here. The biggest key will be staying out of the penalty box against a dangerous Toronto power play. That said, Montreal has been generating offense recently, averaging 4.67 goals per game over its last three contests entering Thursday.

Side Bets

Brandon Hagel o3.5 shots (+120)
Artturi Lehkonen first player to score a goal (+1100)
Utah Mammoth u4.5 total goals (-325)

That's it for now — best of luck tonight!

For continued fantasy news and notes, follow me on Twitter @ndySanz.