NHL Best Bets: Game Picks and Player Props for April 16, 2024

Mar 14, 2024; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Hurricanes left wing Jordan Martinook (48) shot attempt is stopped by Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (72) and defenseman Gustav Forsling (42) during the first period at PNC Arena. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports

We’re here, the final three days of NHL games before the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Let’s Fucking Go!!! Who doesn’t love the NHL Playoffs? I can hardly wait to see minimal powerplays, hits being finished on every play, and scrums in front of the net after every whistle. The intensity is unparalleled in any sport, and during the first round, there can be four or five games on a night! Sounds like a dream, and this dream is about to come true.

In the meantime, we have some business to take care of to finish the season. While there are some huge stakes in tonights’ slate of games (i.e Washington, Philly, and Red Wings battling for the last Wild Card spot), I’m staying away from these spots. Instead, I’m slamming three favourites in regulation time, and hopefully these teams don’t shit down their leg like we saw Tampa Bay do last night against the Sabres. Add in a couple player props …. and we’re cooking with gas baby. On to the bets!

*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: Carolina Hurricanes vs Columbus Blue Jackets, 5:00 p.m. CST

Pick: Hurricanes 3-Way (Regulation Time) ML +105 1u

This is a pretty juicy line at +105 to win in regulation time when the Canes are the much superior team. They’re on the road, and they have a backup goalie starting in Spencer Martin (who actually played pretty well while Freddy Anderson was out), but are we forgetting that every other player on the Hurricanes is a stud? You match-up Carolina line for line with Columbus, and Carolina comes out ahead on every line. The depth is good, the team defence is good, and scoring can come in bunches with the addition of Jake Guentzy. Love Rod the Bod too, what a coach.

Columbus is just straight bad. Whatever happened to Johnny Gaudreau? The guy leaves Calgary as arguably a top 20 scorer in the NHL, and now he would be lucky to make the top 50. I sure hope the benefits of a small-market like Columbus (less pressure from the media, or being closer to home, for example) were worth it to go to a dumpster franchise with no supporting cast. Probably not though.

Recent trends support this pick as well. Carolina is on a six game winning streak, and Columbus has lost four in a row. Carolina’s riding the wave into the playoffs, and Columbus can’t wait for a familiar early offseason after missing the playoffs for the 18th time in their 24 year history. Yikes.

Hammer time.

Game: Ottawa Senators vs Boston Bruins, 5:00 p.m. CST

Pick: Bruins 3-Way (Regulation Time) ML -130 1u

I’m sorry Ottawa, I know you’ve been playing better lately …. but this is a prime bounce-back spot for Boston. The Bruins lost last night on a 16 SOG and 0 goal effort against the Capitals. It was a bad performance, but give the Caps their flowers; they played extremely tight in a must-win game to stay in the Playoff race. Ottawa … has nothing to play for, and they will likely be starting their backup tendy tonight (Anton Forsberg, 3.30 GAA and 0.886 SV%) after losing 4-0 to the Rangers last night. Do you think they really have that much to play for in their last game of the season? Yeah, I don’t either.

Boston has an extreme luxury in being able to start Ullmark tonight after Swayman played last night. Ullmark is an absolute stud, and I’m expecting at least 30 SOG from the Bruins tonight while they try to regain their form heading into the Playoffs. If the Sens win with nothing to play for and a shitty backup tendy …. I’ll eat crow. I just don’t see it happening.

Let’s ride B’s.

Game: Seattle Kraken vs Winnipeg Jets, 5:00 p.m. CST

Pick: Jets 3-Way (Regulation Time) ML -130 1u

For my last game pick of the night, I’m going to the greasy north in Winnipeg to take my chances against this mythical sea creature. I actually like this Kraken team to take a step next year, but lately, they’ve been more of an ass-krak as a team than the powerful legend they were named after.

Losers of three straight, it’s really hard to suggest that the Kraken are going to come out tonight like gangbusters in the Peg. Sure, I could see them giving a good effort, but good luck getting it past this stingy team with the ultimate goaltender in Hellebuyck. The Kraken just don’t have the dudes to put the puck in the net here, and they will have to tickle twine if they’re going to have any chance of beating the Jets.

Meanwhile, the boys from the Peg are firing on all cylinders. Six straight wins, Villardi playing deadly, Connor and Scheifele doing what’s expected, and Morrissey and Pionk holding down the backend. It’s a recipe for success, and with them rolling like this into the Playoffs, how can you not take a stab at this one?

Game: Washington Capitals vs Philadelphia Flyers, 5:00 p.m. CST

Pick: Cam York Over 1.5 SOG -180 0.5u

I’ve hit this line already with Cam York a little earlier in the season, and the bookies just refuse to move his line up to 2.5 SOG. Their loss, because Yorky hammers this line consistently.

As it is, Philly is great at getting shots through, ranking 4th in the League in SOG. Washington can have decent defensive performances, but they still allow SOG at a top ten rate in the NHL on average. Philly can get the shots here, especially with the Caps being a little sluggish on a back-to-back.

Then we turn to Yorky. In his last ten games, he hasn’t posted below 2 SOG. 10/10 hit rate on this line in his last ten games!!!!!! And they put this line out there at -180? The disrespect …..

So let’s ride, and hope I didn’t put the kiss of death on him by having him as my favourite player prop.

Game: Calgary Flames vs Vancouver Canucks, 8:00 p.m. CST

Pick: Elias Pettersson Under 2.5 SOG -130 0.25u

The last bet for the night, we’re taking this absolute stud to underperform with his SOG total for tonight. And we have good reason to think he will go under, starting with the team ranks in SOG.

For as good as the Canucks have been this season, they are 27th in the League in SOG. Meanwhile, the Flames are in the top half of the League in preventing SOG. All adds up so far.

Then we look at Petey’s recent performances, and I’m telling you …. I did not expect this. 1, 2, 2, 6, 2, 2, 1, 4, 1, and 1 SOG in his last ten games. I really thought these totals would be higher. So in eight of his last ten, he has missed this SOG line, and now he’s up against a team not known for giving up that many SOG. That’s enough for me to jump this line.

Well that’s it people. I will be posting another betting article soon with some more NHL picks and an NHL Playoff Preview. 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.