Top Expert NHL Prop Picks for Friday

The undefeated Oilers, Sabres, and Sharks are among the NHL teams playing Friday night.

Here's a look at the top NHL team and player props for Friday's four-game schedule from our team of betting experts (odds via DraftKings Sportsbook and Ceasars).

NHL Team Prop Picks

Toronto Maple Leafs Over 3.5 Goals (-140) - Jason Gilbert

Buffalo Sabres Under 1.5 goals (+190) - Swinging Johnson

No Maple Leafs goal in each period vs. Sharks (-210) - Matt Jordan

Toronto Maple Leafs’ first-period moneyline (+110) - Esten McLaren

NHL Player Prop Picks

Auston Matthews to score a goal (-106) - Gilbert

Linus Ullmark shutout (+900) - Johnson

Jeff Skinner Over 0.5 points vs. Bruins (+140) - Jordan

Taylor Hall to score (+240) - McLaren

SEE ALSO: Sharks vs. Maple Leafs Picks

Top Expert Team Prop Picks

Toronto Maple Leafs Over 3.5 Goals (-140) - Gilbert

The Maple Leafs have yet to score over three goals in a game this season, but not due to a lack of effort. They’ve compiled 9.49 Expected Goals during five-on-five play across their four matchups, but have only tallied five markers. The team has run into good goaltending and gotten some bad luck.

In all situations, the Leafs have generated 14.29 xGF while scoring just eight goals. They're due for positive regression, and three days off before playing a tired Sharks club seems like the perfect time for that.

Buffalo Sabres Under 1.5 Goals (+190) - Johnson

The Sabres are somehow undefeated and near the top of the Atlantic Division. Tonight they welcome the Boston Bruins while trying to notch another victory. However, the oddsmakers aren’t buying the hype, as Boston is being installed as a -195/+165 road favorite.

I don’t buy it either and believe that Linus Ullmark will be on top of his game while making his first start for the 28-year-old's new team. He'll be facing his old club, which will give him added incentive to shine. He's also getting an opportunity to seize the starting job after Jeremy Swayman looked every bit the rookie he is in a disastrous 6-3 loss to the Flyers.

No Maple Leafs Goal in Each Period vs. Sharks (-210) - Jordan

There's lots of juice on this prop, but the bet is worth it. Toronto hasn't gotten going offensively yet while ranking near the bottom of the NHL in scoring at just 2.00 goals per game. Granted, the Leafs played their first three games without superstar Auston Matthews, the reigning Rocket Richard Trophy winner. But Toronto managed only one goal Monday during Matthews’ season debut in a home overtime loss to the Rangers.

The Leafs have totaled three goals once, so what makes anyone think they'll score in every period against excellent Sharks netminder Adin Hill (1.55 goals-against average, .932 save percentage)?

Maple Leafs’ First-Period Moneyline (+110) - McLaren

The Sharks squeaked out a 2-1 road win over the Ottawa Senators on Thursday, but they'll face a tougher test during the second half of their back-to-back games.

The 2-1-1 Maple Leafs have been off since a 2-1 overtime loss to the New York Rangers on Monday, and they'll start a three-game road trip Saturday. San Jose is last in the NHL with a 43.93 Corsi For percentage at five-on-five, and it registered just 42.39 percent of the full-strength shot attempts Thursday. Toronto won the shot-attempt battle in three of its four games so far, and now the club will strike early against a tired opponent.

Top Expert Player Prop Picks

Matthews to Score a Goal (-106) - Gilbert

Matthews made his season debut on Monday night and racked up 16 shot attempts, nine scoring chances, and eight shots on goal against the Rangers, but he came away empty-handed.

That’s going to happen some nights, especially when a goalie plays as well as Igor Shesterkin did. But Hill isn’t at that level. Matthews registered a goal in 31 of 52 games last season, and he'll tally one Friday night.

Linus Ullmark Shutout (+900) - Johnson

If you’re all in, you’re all in. Ullmark will flash and cash for us tonight, which means he'll shut down his former teammates in front of his former fans. I allowed for one goal to get past him in the team prop, but there will be no room for error here because +900 to get a shutout is listed at several books, and that's too tempting to ignore.

Jeff Skinner Over 0.5 Points vs. Bruins (+140) - Jordan

Boston is giving Swayman tonight off in Buffalo and going with Ullmark for his first start of the year. Ullmark could be a bit rusty, and former longtime teammate Jeff Skinner should know his weak points.

Skinner is tied for second on the Sabres with three points, and he's produced at least one in two of the team's three contests. The veteran looks like he did in 2018-19 when the winger accumulated 63 points, as opposed to last season when he finished with just 14 over 53 games.

Taylor Hall to Score (+240) - McLaren

After putting up 19 points during a disappointing 37-game stint with the Buffalo Sabres, Hall racked up 14 points across 16 games with Boston last season. He scored two goals and added four assists over six games against the Sabres after the Bruins acquired him in 2020-21.

Hall scored his first goal of the 2021-22 season at even strength Wednesday, and he still offers the chance to better than double your investment with another goal in this revenge spot. The 3-0-0 Sabres remain a heavy fade despite their unexpected hot start.