NHL Bets: Game Picks and Player Prop Plays for April 9, 2024

Now this is an NHL slate that any gambler can get excited about. With NCAA Basketball finishing last night, it’s time to take a full dive into the NHL world with 26 teams in action tonight. The playoffs are getting closer, and that Wild Card spot in the East is just begging to be taken. Who will grab it? Honestly, I have no clue, but I do have some rank plays tonight that will make everyone some sweet, sweet moola. Three game picks and six player props to wet our appetites. And after profiting again last night, we are up to +6.30u ($630 profit on $100 unit bets) on tracked bets in my articles for the month of April. Why not just keep winning?

*Units for me will be $100 bets. Bet responsibly.

Games will be listed below in order from highest unit bet to lowest unit bet.

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Game 1: Buffalo Sabres vs Dallas Stars, 6:00 p.m. CST

Pick: Dallas Stars 3-Way (Regulation Time) Moneyline -130 (1u)

My biggest bet of the night is reserved for this game, where I think the -130 line is way too enticing for a deadly team like Dallas at home.

I mean, these teams are trending in two totally different directions. The Sabres are a middling 5-5 in their last ten games, and the expected starter for tonight (Luukonen) just gave up 3 goals on 21 shots in his last appearance.

Then you have the Stars. Just on an absolute ripper, going 9-1 in their last ten games. Not to mention we have Oettinger confirmed as the starter tonight, who just has a measly little seven-game win streak going for him with two shutouts.

Dallas is just playing way better hockey right now. Their offensive depth is comparable to a 30 foot swimming pool, whereas Buffalo’s offensive depth is more comparable to an above-ground pool that’s made for dogs to swim in. The Sabres have that line with Peterka and Tage rollin, but nothing else. I expect Dallas to get out to an early lead and cruise to a nice little 3-4 goal win.

Lock it in.

Game 2: Winnipeg Jets vs Nashville Predators, 6:00 p.m. CST

Pick: Winnipeg Jets Moneyline -110 (0.5u)

Poor Jets fans. The probability of Winnipeg playing Colorado in the First Round of the Playoffs is a near certainty, and I can’t wait for that entertaining action. But after such a great season, you’d think the Jets would get a little reprieve in the First Round. Guess not.

The good part for Jets fans is that this team will still win some games in what’s left of the Regular Season. Starting with this game against a very up-and-down Nashville team.

It’s a battle of the tendy’s tonight with Hellebuyck and Saros confirmed as the starters. And while Saros has been pretty deadly lately, Helle holds the advantage here as one of the favourites to win the Vezina this year.

Then, you look at how these teams have been playing recently. The Preds went on that scorcher of a run recently, winning something like 14 out of 16 games and going undefeated in regulation. But recently? 2-4 in their last six games with some bad losses. Meanwhile, the Jets have won three straight going into this one, and those games (MIN, CGY, and LAK) weren’t against the basement dwellers of the league.

I just feel like the Jets are starting their roll into the Playoffs, whereas the Preds have already used up all their juice on that amazing run a couple weeks ago. This line getting down to -110 is no doubt due to the fact that the Jets are on the road, but I don’t find this matchup close to a coin-flip.

Let’s stack it up.

Pick: Nicolaj Ehlers Over 2.5 SOG -150 (0.25u)

Pick: Gabe Vilardi Over 2.5 SOG +110 (0.25u)

Ah, ah, ah. Not so fast. We have more for this game! This one’s a double bubble with my two favourite Jets players.

This one makes sense from a quick-maths point-of-view. WPG 9th in the League in SOG …. NSH bottom 10 in the league in preventing SOG …. Likely a competitive game with back-and-forth action ….

So yea, give me some Jets Over SOG. Why pick the Ehlers/Vilardi combo? Well, other than the fact that we won on both of these two picks last week, here it is:

Ehlers’ last 10 games: 3, 3, 0, 5, 5, 3, 1, 4, 3, and 3 SOG (8/10 hit rate)
Vilardi since back from injury: 1, 9, 4, and 2 SOG (2/4 hit rate)

The Ehlers’ pick is self-explanatory with that hit rate, but I’m feeling Vilardi getting back to his average of 2.59 SPG after a 1 SOG performance in his last one. He’s the kind of player I expect a bounce-back from after being minimally involved in that game, so nail these two.

Game 3: Toronto Maple Leafs vs New Jersey Devils, 5:00 p.m. CST

Pick: New Jersey Devils Moneyline +110 (0.25u)

As a fan of the Devils, the last few weeks have made me want to throw-up in my mouth. They legit just had to win a couple of close games, not give up leads late in games, and they would’ve been in a playoff spot right now. Instead, they shit down their leg and made me cry.

The fact that I have the Devils in this spot should make you feel extra confident in them, as I hate them at the moment. But this pick has a lot to do with Toronto, who is hitting up a road back-to-back and will likely be starting their backup goalie in Woll.

Now, Toronto is 4-4 in their last 8 back-to-backs. But let’s take a look at those back-to-backs:

Loss to Carolina 3-2 at Home
Win against Anaheim 2-1 on the Road
Loss to Detroit 4-2 at Home
Win against Seattle 3-1 on the Road
Win against Vegas 7-3 on the Road
Loss to Boston 4-1 at Home
Win against Washington 7-3 on the Road
Loss to Carolina 2-1 on the Road

It’s my feeling that at this point in the year, the Devils are better than Anaheim, Seattle, and Washington. So the only win the Leafs have on a back-to-back against a better team than NJD (out of the other 5 chances) is the win against Vegas. Now, that could easily happen tonight, no doubt. But Jake Allen is in net for the Devils, and he’s been solid since the trade over (2.73 GAA and 913 SV% in 10 games). Couple that with NJD coming off competitive games against NSH, OTT, and NYR … and I think they deserve a small wager here.

Game 4: Ottawa Senators vs Florida Panthers, 5:00 p.m. CST

Pick: Drake Batherson Under 2.5 SOG -120 (0.25u)

That’s right Drake; tonight I’m picking on you. I just can’t, in good faith, advise that this guy will put up 3 shots-on-goal (SOG) or more tonight.

Florida is just so damn stingy, ranking 2nd in preventing SOG in the League this year. Meanwhile, Ottawa isn’t in the top half of the League in SOG (they sit at 17th). So I’m expecting the Sens right around 25 SOG in this one.

Then, take a look at the Bathman’s SOG totals lately: 2, 0, 2, 1, 1, 2, and 2 SOG in his last seven games. I mean, not a prolific shooter, right? He averages 2.31 shots-per-game (SPG) on the year, but it seems that lately he is taking a bit of a backseat.

At the end of the day, I don’t care how many baths this guy likes to take, I’m going Under on this prop.

Game 5: Carolina Hurricanes vs Boston Bruins, 5:00 p.m. CST

Pick: Jake Guentzel Over 2.5 SOG -175 (0.5u)

And I’m back …. Back in the Guentzel groove. That’s right; they keep setting his line at 2.5 SOG, I keep taking it. We are 2/2 in past articles on Guentzel’s Over SOG props and we’re looking to keep the magic goin here. Guess Guentzy just likes us or something.

But really, I mean look at these stats:

Carolina leads the League in SOG
Boston allows the 19th most SOG in the League
Guentzel’s last three games: 2, 4, and 6 SOG (2/3 hit rate)
Guentzel’s last ten games: 2, 4, 6, 2, 2, 6, 4, 4, 3, 4 (7/10 hit rate)
Guentzel’s SPG this year: 3.625 SPG!!!!!!!!

I mean, do I even have to say anything after setting all that out? Love this play, and would think about a ladder with this one as well (adding on 0.25u on Guentzel 4+ SOG and 0.1u on Guentzel 5+ SOG).

Game 6: Philadelphia Flyers vs Montreal Canadiens, 5:00 p.m. CST

Pick: Cam York Over 1.5 SOG -175 (0.25u)

I have a feeling that this might be a sneaky one in MTL. The Flyers are looking like absolute dogshit lately, they have Ersson in net, and they’re on the road. But c’mon, I can’t actually take MTL ML and be confident in my wager. Instead, I’ll stick to this young defenseman slingin the puck from the point.

I was honestly surprised at how much the Flyers shoot the puck this year. 3rd in the League in SOG is impressive, so Torts must have them just rippin it without a second thought. And I mean …. Montreal giving up the 26th most SOG in the League doesn’t hurt.

The simple fact here is that York has hit this Over SOG line in six straight games. It seems as though he is starting to shoot the puck more, and with Montreal likely getting hemmed in their zone through this game …. he should have the chance to get a couple on Montembault.

Game 7: Anaheim Ducks vs Los Angeles Kings, 8:00 p.m. CST

Pick: Troy Terry Under 2.5 SOG -150 (0.25u)

The last one for tonight, I’m going with no Terry Tuesday.

It seems like nobody on the Ducks can consistently get SOG besides Vatrano, so it’s odd they set Terry’s total at 2.5 SOG. ANA is 30th in the League in SOG, and LAK are the 4th best at preventing SOG.

With those stats, I would expect Terry to have hit this line more than he hasn’t recently. And the lie detector test determined that would be a ….. lie. 5/10 times in his last ten games he had under 2.5 SOG. So with the defence of LA … good luck pally.

Well that’s it people. I will be posting a betting article soon on the huge UFC 300 Card and will continue to post NHL picks through the week. If you want to make sure you don’t miss these articles, follow me on X at @plusmoneypost as I will be sharing them there.