Thursday NHL Player Props: Expect Shots From Burns and Backlund
Will McLean
2023-01-12
It is Thursday once again, so let's find some winning NHL props. There are 12 games on the NHL schedule today, which gives us more than enough options to find some winning prop bets. I've taken my time to look over every matchup tonight, and I think I've found a few props that can win us some money. The research is done, the picks are in, and now it's time to watch some hockey!
Below, I highlight three player props that stood out to me for tonight's games. Our record this season stands at (16 – 8) after going (3 – 0) last Thursday, hopefully, we can sweep the board again tonight!
Brent Burns – Over 2.5 Shots (-133)
The Carolina Hurricanes are visiting the Columbus Blue Jackets tonight, which should be a favourable matchup for Brent Burns to rack up the shots. So far this season the Blue Jackets are allowing an average of 35.4 shots against per game, the second most in the NHL. They also allow the most shots against to opposing defensemen, allowing an average of 11.33 shots against per game, which bodes well for Burns considering he's a defenseman. Burns has already played the Blue Jackets twice this season, those two games resulted in four- and six-shot performances for Burns. This season Burns is averaging 3.24 shots per game and 7.17 shot attempts per game, but over his last five games he is averaging 4.2 shots per game and 8.4 shot attempts per game. Burns's recent jump in shot production has also led to him recording three or more shots in six of his last eight games. Considering how well Burns has been producing shots recently and how perfect of a matchup this is for him, I expect Burns to win us this bet easily.
Mikael Backlund – Over 2.5 Shots (-125)
Backlund has been quietly killing it recently with these shot bets. This year he is averaging 3.12 shots per game and 4.79 shot attempts per game, but over his last 10 games, he is averaging 4.4 shots and 6.7 shot attempts per game. His recent success has led to him recording three or more shots in five straight games and nine of his last 10. In Backlund's last game he recorded five shots against the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday night, considering he is playing the Blues again I am going to bank on a repeat performance tonight.
Sam Montembeault – Over 27.5 Saves (-112)
The Montreal Canadiens aren't very good defensively and that's what I am banking on with this bet. The Canadiens are averaging 33.5 shots against per game this season, the sixth most in the NHL. But, over their last 10 games, the Canadiens are averaging 35.8 shots against per game, allowing more than two shots per game more than their season average. On top of that they are hosting the Nashville Predators tonight, who over their last 10 games are averaging 33.3 shots per game, the seventh most in the NHL over that span. When it comes to Montembeault himself, he's been really successful with this exact bet this season. Montembeault has recorded 28 or more saves in five straight games and 10 of his last 12. With how many shots the Canadiens allow, how many shots the Predators have been taking, and how consistently Montembeault has won this bet, look for Montembeault to hit the 30 save mark tonight.