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NHL Player Props & Best Bets Today: Showtime in Detroit

Ryan Gilbert

Last Updated: February 29, 2024 7:11 PM EST • 4 min 7 sec read.

NHL best bets
NHL best bets

With 12 NHL games scattered across the Thursday's menu, we're offering our top NHL prop picks and best bets based on the top NHL odds from our best sports betting apps.

It's a budsy Leap Day for NHL fans with 12 games on the schedule to close out the month of February. And we're diving in with our favorite side bets and player props across them all.

The evening kicks off with the Vegas Golden Knights taking on the Boston Bruins at 7 p.m. ET, followed by a matchup between the Winnipeg Jets and Dallas Stars at 8 p.m. ET. The San Jose Sharks conclude the night with a game against the Anaheim Ducks as the sole 10:30 p.m. ET fixture.

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

Thursday’s NHL best bets

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Thursday’s NHL schedule and odds

(Odds via BetMGM)

  • Buffalo Sabres vs. Tampa Bay Lightning | Spread: Lightning -1.5 | Total: 6.5
  • New York Islanders vs. Detroit Red Wings | Spread: Red Wings -1.5 | Total: 6
  • Carolina Hurricanes vs. Columbus Blue Jackets | Spread: Hurricanes -1.5 | Total: 6.5
  • Montreal Canadiens vs. Florida Panthers | Spread: Panthers -1.5 | Total: 6
  • Vegas Golden Knights vs. Boston Bruins | Spread: Bruins -1.5 | Total: 5.5
  • Arizona Coyotes vs. Toronto Maple Leafs | Spread: Maple Leafs -1.5 | Total: 6.5
  • Minnesota Wild vs. Nashville Predators | Spread: Predators -1.5 | Total: 6
  • Winnipeg Jets vs. Dallas Stars | Spread: Stars -1.5 | Total: 6
  • Colorado Avalanche vs. Chicago Blackhawks | Spread: Avalanche -1.5 | Total: 6
  • Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Seattle Kraken | Spread: Kraken -1.5 | Total: 6
  • Los Angeles Kings vs. Vancouver Canucks | Spread: Canucks -1.5 | Total: 6
  • Anaheim Ducks vs. San Jose Sharks | Spread: Ducks -1.5 |  Total: 6

Thursday’s NHL player props

Patrick Kane to record an assist vs. Islanders (+100 via DraftKings) ⭐⭐⭐⭐

There were a few eyebrows raised when Patrick Kane decided to sign with the Detroit Red Wings, but the Chicago Blackhawks legend hasn’t missed a beat this season. Kane has recorded 30 points (12 goals and 18 assists) across 28 games to help put the Red Wings in a comfortable playoff position.

Kane is red-hot with 14 points during a nine-game point streak. That includes a three-game assist run, with an assist in eight of nine contests since the All-Star break. He’s recorded an assist in 15 of 28 games during 2023-24, and the Islanders have allowed 20 goals in their last five games.

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Tage Thompson Over 3.5 shots on goal vs. Lightning (+110 via DraftKings) ⭐⭐⭐⭐

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Buffalo Sabres forward Tage Thompson has been a man on a mission recently, especially when it comes to shooting the puck. Thompson is coming off a seven-shot game in Florida, and he's gone Over 3.5 shots in seven straight contests with a total of 36 during that span.

The winger has recorded four-plus shots on goal in 26 of his 49 games (53%), and that includes five-plus shots in 17 games. He logged 12 shot attempts last time out and nine in the game prior. The big man isn't struggling at all to get the puck on net during 2023-24.

This could be a good ladder spot for Thompson. Getting +110 odds for something he’s done in over half his games is good value, but so is Over 4.5 shots (+235 via FanDuel).

Thursday’s NHL game picks

Canadiens team total Under 2.5 vs. Panthers (-156 via FanDuel) ⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Florida Panthers are coming off a trip to the Stanley Cup Final, and they're the favorite in our 2024 Stanley Cup odds. They’ve been terrific defensively and in net this season to help put them in the Presidents’ Trophy race.

The Cats have been especially stingy as of late. Florida has allowed two goals or fewer in 14 straight games, with just 22 goals allowed in that span. The Panthers have been able to limit shots against (27.7 per game), and Sergei Bobrovsky has logged a 2.35 GAA and .916 SV% on shots that do get through to him.

We’re getting some favorable odds here at FanDuel, with the Canadiens team total Under of 2.5 as short as -170 through DraftKings and -160 at BetMGM.

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Canucks ML vs. Kings (-142 via DraftKings)⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Canucks have hit a bit of a rut with a 1-4-1 record over their last six games following a three-game winning streak. To be fair, they’ve been playing some tough competition, and now the team faces a good opportunity to get back on track.

The Kings are at the end of a three-game road trip, and this matchup is their third outing in four nights. They’ve already needed to do battle against two rivals in Edmonton and Calgary, coming away with 4-2 losses in each contest. The Flames heavily outplayed them while outshooting the Kings 36-23 on Tuesday night.

Vancouver is 20-5-3 at home in 2023-24, with Los Angeles’ road record coming back down to Earth at 18-9-4. That trend should continue on Thursday.

NHL best bets made 2/29/24 at 9:30 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.