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Best NHL Prop Picks, Predictions for Thursday’s Games

Scott Cullen

Updated on March 9, 2023 at 5:18 PM EST • Read time: 3 minutes and 31 seconds. Find more information on Twitter and Google News.

New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes fires a shot in warm-ups before a game against the Washington Capitals.
Jack Hughes of the New Jersey Devils shoots during warmups before a game against the Washington Capitals. Photo by Paul Bereswill/Getty Images via AFP.

Thursday’s NHL schedule is packed with 11 games, offering numerous value options in the player prop market. Scott Cullen highlights four of his top NHL player props for Thursday’s matchups using the most recent NHL odds.

I have already selected goal scorers for Thursday’s NHL Best Bets with Jack Quinn and David Pastrnak in mind for my Oilers vs. Bruins pick. Therefore, these prop bets will concentrate on shots and points.

Jack Hughes of the New Jersey Devils is known for his ability to generate shots, while Anders Lee of the New York Islanders is a force in front of the net. Both players have favorable matchups that could lead to plenty of shots on goal.

I am considering both Dmitry Orlov, the new defenseman for the Boston Bruins, and Jordan Eberle, the seasoned winger for the Seattle Kraken, as possible point scorers.

Below are our NHL prop selections for Thursday, with odds from DraftKings, FanDuel, Caesars, BetMGM, and PointsBet.

Take a look at the NHL’s top bets for Thursday!

Thursday’s NHL player prop picks

  • Jack Hughes Over 3.5 shots on goal (-140 via DraftKings)
  • Anders Lee Over 2.5 shots on goal (-114 via FanDuel)
  • Dmitry Orlov Over 0.5 points (+101 via Caesars)
  • Jordan Eberle Over 0.5 points (-121 via Caesars)

Take a look at our parlay calculator available on this page!

NHL Player Props

Jack Hughes Over 3.5 shots on goal vs. Capitals (-140) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Hughes is considered one of the top players in the league when it comes to generating shots, averaging 4.61 shots on goal per game outside of the Prudential Center. He has managed to record at least four shots on goal in 17 out of 28 away games and will be up against a weakened Washington Capitals defense on Thursday.

Despite allowing only 28.4 shots per game, the Capitals’ defensive lineup has been significantly weakened due to trades and injuries.

Before the trade deadline, the team traded their scoring leader on defense, Eric Gustafsson, to Toronto, and Dmitry Orlov was sent to Boston. Nick Jensen’s injury is undisclosed, John Carlson has a facial injury, and Martin Fehervary’s lower body injury makes him a game-time decision for Thursday night’s game.

With Rasmus Sandin and Trevor van Riemsdyk leading the way, the rest of the defense doesn’t offer much and will likely struggle to contain Hughes. I believe he should be priced closer to -205 to exceed his shot total, which is why I give this bet a five-star rating.

DraftKings has the most competitive price for Hughes to exceed 3.5 shots, with BetMGM and FanDuel closely following at -143 and -144 respectively. PointsBet offers a higher price at -155.

Take a look at our most recent Rocket Richard Trophy betting odds!

Anders Lee Over 2.5 shots on goal vs. Penguins (-114) ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Lee, a powerful presence in front of the opposition goal, has tallied 15 shots on goal in the last three games. He has also performed admirably on the road throughout the season, registering 3 or more shots in 18 out of 32 games away from UBS Arena.

Of particular significance in this game, the Penguins have allowed an average of 34.6 shots against per 60 minutes at PPG Paints Arena, ranking them 29th in the league. It is also worth mentioning that Lee has recorded 13 shots on goal in three games against Pittsburgh this season, with a minimum of three shots in each game.

Therefore, my price for Lee to cover this shot prop is -165.

At our top sportsbooks, FanDuel offers the most attractive odds. DraftKings and BetMGM are not far behind at -115, with PointsBet slightly higher at -125.

Dmitry Orlov Over 0.5 points vs. Oilers (+101) ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Looking at his overall performance this season, it’s hard to feel optimistic about Orlov’s impact with only 28 points in 48 games. However, his recent play with the Bruins has been exceptional, as he has tallied nine points in just five games, with all of his production coming in the last four games.

Orlov has found a new role on Boston’s top power-play unit, a chance he rarely had in Washington. With the Oilers struggling defensively on the penalty kill, allowing 8.64 goals per 60 minutes, Orlov has a great opportunity to build on his recent offensive success.

Orlov’s recent surge in point production has left the market uncertain about how to value him due to the limited sample size. Caesars offers the most favorable odds for an Orlov point, with BetMGM (-105), FanDuel (-108), and PointsBet (-109) slightly behind. DraftKings (-125) is not recommended for this bet.

Jordan Eberle Over 0.5 points vs. Senators (-121) ⭐⭐⭐

Eberle is the top scorer for the second-year Kraken, accumulating 51 points so far. Recently, he has been on fire, scoring 13 points in his last 12 games. Eberle has managed to tally at least one point in 17 out of 31 games at Climate Pledge Arena, including the last six consecutive games.

He is a good match against an Ottawa team that has a 3.33 goals against average on the road, ranking 19th in the league.

Among our top sportsbooks, Caesars offers the best price, slightly edging out DraftKings and PointsBet at -125. FanDuel (-126) and BetMGM (-128) are also competitive, but my -140 price for an Eberle point is less favorable compared to Caesars.

NHL player prop selections for March 9, 2023, were made at 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time.

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Written By:
Scott Cullen
Scott Cullen is UnderscoregReview.com’s Sports Betting Analyst and is one of the most well-known sports betting writers on the web. He wrote about fantasy sports for TSN for many years, and he has also written for The Athletic, NHL.com, The Hockey News, Monkey Knife Fight, and McKeen’s Hockey. Born in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada, Cullen was an Economics major at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario and played for the Laurier Golden Hawks hockey team.