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NHL Player Props & Best Bets Today: Expect Goals in Toronto

Ryan Gilbert

Last Updated: December 14, 2023 6:52 PM EST • 3 min 41 sec read.

NHL best bets
NHL best bets

We have our top NHL prop picks and best bets for an eight-game NHL schedule ahead of Thursday night based on the leading NHL odds from our best sports betting apps.

We have a somewhat lighter schedule of NHL contests for our daily picks, but that doesn't mean there isn't value in Thursday's eight-game slate.

The evening boasts several captivating NHL matchups starting at 7 p.m. ET with the Capitals taking on the Flyers, promising an intense clash between these formidable teams. Following that, at 9 p.m. ET, the Lightning face off against the Oilers in what anticipates to be an engaging battle on the ice.

The night's lineup culminates with the Panthers squaring off against the Canucks at 10 p.m. ET, presenting another intriguing matchup for hockey enthusiasts to enjoy.

Here are our top NHL prop picks and best bets for Thursday (odds via our best NHL betting sites; Pick confidence is based on a 1-to-5-star scale).

Thursday’s NHL schedule and odds

(Odds via DraftKings)

Thursday’s NHL best bets

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Thursday’s NHL prop picks

Moritz Seider Over 1.5 shots on goal (-145 via DraftKings)  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Detroit Red Wings defenseman Moritz Seider has been consistently shooting the puck, and we’re going back to him to get at least two shots on goal Thursday.

Seider is averaging just over two shots per game in 2023 (59 shots in 28 contests), but he endured a bit of a slow start. After registering just 10 shots across his first nine games, he's racked up 49 shots over his last 19 outings, well over two per contest. 

He's gone Over 1.5 shots on goal in eight straight appearances, with 25 total shots during that span. That's been a decent mix of home and road games as well, with five away from Detroit and only three on home ice.

Detroit faces the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday, one of the league's stingiest clubs in terms of limiting shots on goal. But Seider should continue to be aggressive with forwards Dylan Larkin (injury), J.T. Compher (injury), and David Perron (suspension) out.

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Evan Bouchard to record a point (-160 via DraftKings) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Edmonton Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard is quietly moving up the Norris Trophy odds chart. He’s riding a 12-game point streak with 18 total points throughout that stretch.

Bouchard is now up to 30 points across 26 games in 2023, and he’s been fairly consistent while popping up on the scoresheet. He's been held without a point in just five of 26 affairs.

The Oilers are on fire, and Bouchard has been a significant contributor. Edmonton has won eight straight games and 11 of its last 14. Meanwhile, the Tampa Bay Lightning have been a bit leaky defensively, with 12 goals allowed in their previous three games.

Thursday’s NHL game picks

Blue Jackets vs. Maple Leafs Over 6.5 (-130 via DraftKings) ⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Blue Jackets and Maple Leafs are two of many teams dealing with goaltending issues. It's expected to be Elvis Merzlikins (3.10 GAA, .910 SV%) against Ilya Samsonov (3.29 GAA, .884 SV%) in Toronto on Thursday.

The Maple Leafs are coming home after a weekend trip to New York when they beat the Rangers 7-3 after falling to the Islanders 4-3 in overtime. Both of those games went Over 6.5, and Toronto's matchups have gone Over 6.5 in five of the team's last six too.

Columbus has also been playing in a lot of high-scoring outings recently, with four straight games going over the total.

The Blue Jackets just aren't that deep defensively, and the Maple Leafs are down a few blue-liners due to injury. Additionally, both teams boast the talent up front to put more than a few goals on the scoreboard.

Oilers -1.5 vs. Lightning (+150 via FanDuel) ⭐⭐⭐

Edmonton has won eight straight games, with six of those victories being of the multi-goal variety. The Oilers are 11-3-0 since Nov. 11, including two-plus-goal wins in eight of those games.

The Lightning have been better overall, but their recent losses have come with a stench. They're coming off a 4-1 defeat to the Vancouver Canucks, just two games after losing 5-1 on the road to the Nashville Predators. The Lightning are 3-6-0 since Nov. 27, and each loss was a multi-goal defeat.

Tampa Bay has been putrid on the road this campaign at 5-9-2, while Edmonton is 9-4-1 at home. The Bolts are just 13-12-5 in 2023, and all 12 regulation losses have been by at least two goals.

NHL best bets made 12/14/2023 at 9:40 a.m. ET

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Written By:
Ryan Gilbert
Ryan Gilbert is a contributing writer at SportsbookReview.com, covering hockey and baseball. He is the lead NHL writer and editor at the Sports Gambling Podcast Network, where he also co-hosts the Hockey Gambling Podcast. Ryan covers the Philadelphia Flyers for Broad Street Hockey and co-founded Sons of Penn. His past stops include NBC Sports Regional Networks and NHL.com.