Nothing feels better than a sweep. And last NHL best bets article did just that going 3-0 for 2.85u worth of value. Let’s keep rolling and find more player props that seem mispriced to take advantage of. That big bounce back helped our 19-23 record on the articles, but we need to keep crawling back to get a positive record. Luckily with all the plus money plays we are still closer to even on units won/lost, but time to keep stacking the dubs.
We will be breaking down NHL best bets here at Betting News all playoffs long! Each article will look for VALUE, as in straights you can take to build up your bankroll or pieces you can use to beef up your parlays. All bets will be -135 or better odds. And while we will focus on NHL player props, there are times we will take sides and totals. So keep your eyes peeled here as we will drop these throughout the week.
And if you haven’t already be sure to check out some of my favorite futures and awards. So time to lace them up and get ready to ride with Betzky for my favorite NHL best bets of the day.
1. Nikita Kucherov o1.5 Points +150 on BetOnline:
Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov skates to the circle before a faceoff.
Nikita Kucherov 2+ points looks like a classic “buy-low on an elite” spot against Montreal on December 9th. Kucherov comes into this matchup with 34 points in 26 games this season – about 1.3 points per game, once again pacing Tampa’s attack from the right flank. And in the last 10 games, Kucherov has been the key cog to the Lightnings offense. He has 7 multi-point games in that span and 18 points.
So why are we getting a prop that has a decent recent hit rate at such a good price? Well the Lightning have been held scoreless in two straight games, including last night in Toronto. But this is exactly the time to jump on such a elite player. The historical matchup angle is very friendly to a 2+ points prop. In his career against the Canadiens, Kucherov has 44 points (17G, 27A) in 38 games, comfortably above a point per game, and he’s produced 8 points (4G, 4A) in his last 5 meetings with Montreal. He’s consistently hurt them on the power play and as a primary distributor at even strength, which is exactly the profile you want when you need a ceiling game rather than just a single point.
Game environment matters too. Montreal is top-10 in goals for (90 in 28 games) but bottom-eight in goals against (97), which is classic “high-event” territory – they can score enough to force Tampa to keep pressing, but they also give up plenty at the other end. Books and prediction models are generally expecting a competitive, mid-to-high-total game in Montreal, which correlates strongly with Kucherov’s multi-point outcomes: when Tampa gets to 3–4+ goals, his odds of landing on two or more points spike dramatically, making this an NHL best bet.
2. Kirill Marchenko o2.5 SOG +110 on BetOnline:
Columbus Blue Jackets winger Kirill Marchenko brings the puck into the offensive zone.
I don’t care that the Carolina Hurricanes allow the least amount of shots against in the league. When you are ripping rubber as much as Marchenko has been in his last three games the volume is worth chasing, no matter who he is playing against. Since coming back from injury he has hit his 2.5 SOG prop in three straight games, with 14 SOGs and 24 shot attempts in those games. That is elite volume.
The only reason we are getting a great price here is because this recent streak has snapped a cold streak which occured right before he missed a week’s worth of games with a minor injury. Marchenko has evolved into Columbus’ primary trigger man. Through 25 games he has 10 goals, 24 points and 79 shots on goal, averaging about 3.2 shots per game while logging a career-high ~19 minutes a night on the top line and first power play. That alone clears the 2.5 number on season-long rate. The recent form is even more encouraging: over his last 10 games, Marchenko has 27 shots (2.7 per game), including outings of 4, 4 and 6 shots in his last three, so he’s coming into this one on a clear upward swing in volume.
On paper, Carolina is an elite shot-suppression team, allowing only 24.3 shots against per game, the lowest mark in the league, and a 79% penalty kill that’s slightly below their usual standard. That’s the main risk to the over. But the matchup context works in Marchenko’s favor: the Hurricanes typically tilt the ice and generate a ton of their own attempts, which often forces opponents into “chase mode” and longer offensive-zone pushes late. It is also the reason we get such a great price on this NHL best bet.
Get 50% up to $750 Deposit on BetOnline for this pick
3. Pavel Buchnevich point -115 on BetOnline:
Buchnevich will be riding on the top line for the Blues
Buchnevich has 14 points in 30 games so far this season for St. Louis, playing a top-six role and seeing regular power-play minutes. While that raw pace isn’t eye-popping, the recent trend is more important for a one-game prop. Over his last three games alone (all on this same road/home swing), he’s picked up points in three straight – an assist in Ottawa, another helper in Montreal, and a goal plus an assist in Boston in the 5–2 loss at TD Garden on December 4th. That means he comes into this rematch having already solved this Bruins team once in the past week.
Historically, Buchnevich has held his own against Boston. For his career he has 22 points (9G, 13A) in 25 games vs the Bruins, just under a point per game. That consistency across both his Rangers and Blues years suggests he matches up well with Boston’s structure and goaltending, and he’s shown he can contribute in multiple ways – on the rush, off the cycle, and as a passer on the man advantage.
The team context here is also friendly for a point prop. St. Louis carries a 19.0% power-play efficiency into this game, right around league average, but Buchnevich remains a staple on PP1 and one of the primary half-wall puck-touchers.The Blues are back home after a 2-1-0 road trip and will be “looking for revenge” against the only team that beat them on that swing – these kinds of revenge spots often translate to leaning heavily on skilled forwards like Buchnevich in offensive-zone situations, and it’s exactly why this is an NHL best bet tonight.
Get 50% up to $750 Deposit on BetOnline for this pick