NHL Player Props Tonight: Anytime Goal Scorer Predictions & Best Bets for Thursday

I'm offering my best NHL player props tonight, featuring some of the sport's biggest stars ahead of an exciting Thursday slate. 

My NHL picks include a five-star play on Oilers dynamo Leon Draisaitl to score on the road against the Islanders while also expecting an all-around performance from the Golden Knights' Mitch Marner.

🏒 Best NHL player props tonight

NHL player prop picks for Thursday; NHL odds subject to change.

• Cale Makar, D, Avalanche: Over 0.5 assists (-148 via DraftKings) ⭐⭐⭐
• Mitch Marner, RW, Golden Knights: Over 1.5 points (+160 via BetMGM) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
• Nathan MacKinnon, C, Avalanche: Anytime goal (+120 via FanDuel) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
• Leon Draisaitl, C, Oilers: Anytime goal (+105 via DraftKings) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

💰 Best NHL player prop bets for Oct. 16

Our NHL player prop odds tool shows the best odds for every market across legal sportsbooks in your area.

⬆️ Cale Makar Over 0.5 assists (-148) ⭐⭐⭐

Makar has four assists in as many games to start the season, notching at least one on three occasions. It's no wonder the implied probability for him to register at least one apple is 59.68%. While the -148 odds turn it from a four to a three-star play, I'm willing to sacrifice some potential profits for the increased likelihood. 

Sweetening the deal is Makar's four assists in the last two games against the Columbus Blue Jackets, along with the Colorado Avalanche scoring 11 times against them in two meetings last season.

The Norris Trophy odds favorite also has 10 assists in the last 10 games against Columbus. A winning $10 bet at DraftKings will profit $6.76. Our Liam Fox is backing Makar to find the back of the net with his anytime goal scorer predictions today.

⬆️ Mitch Marner Over 1.5 points (+160) ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Marner has two multi-point performances in his first four games with the Vegas Golden Knights. He finished with two helpers in the last game against the Calgary Flames and is quietly, yet effectively assimilating to life in Sin City.

The silky smooth playmaker will face the Boston Bruins in Vegas tonight, a former arch nemesis against whom he amassed nine assists in the last four meetings.

While those explosive performances came as a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs, I see no reason his production against the Bruins will slow down. 

BetMGM offers the best price (+160) of the best sports betting sites, marginally better than the +150 at Caesars. Liam Fox has three other picks for this matchup in his Bruins vs. Golden Knights player props.

🥅 Best anytime goal scorer predictions tonight

🔥 Nathan MacKinnon (+120) ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Receiving the second-shortest Hart Trophy odds, MacKinnon has catapulted out of the starting gate, scoring four goals in as many games. He scored two against the Buffalo Sabres in the last game and has three in the previous four versus tonight's opponents, the  Blue Jackets. 

MacKinnon scored three goals in the previous four head-to-heads versus Columbus. FanDuel's +120 odds will facilitate a $12 profit on a winning $10 bet. 

🔥 Leon Draisaitl (+105) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

It's been a modest start for Draisaitl, which is saying something considering he has two goals in three games.

He has only three shots on goal in the last two games after ripping six on the Calgary Flames' Dustin Wolf to open the season. That evening, he had 23% of the team's expected goals. 

Those stats are not why I'm backing him, though. Draisaitl terrorizes the New York Islanders, scoring seven goals in the previous five meetings, including four in the last two. I'm happy to come to terms with the short +105 odds, considering his prolific history against Patrick Roy's team. 

Our Liam Fox went a different direction while still eyeing Oilers and Avalanche stars in his best NHL anytime goal scorer predictions tonight.

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