Best NHL Prop Bets Today: Detroit’s Playoff Hopes Continue to Dwindle

Even though a majority of their offensive production stems from just four players, the Carolina Hurricanes front line are in a great position to succeed as they face off against a Detroit Red Wings defense who ranks 27th overall in Expected Goals Against in All Situations. Later in the night, we turn our attention towards the matchup between Anaheim and Edmonton as the Oilers look to build on their momentum by stone walling the anemic Ducks offense.

Carolina Hurricanes vs. Detroit Red Wings - Prop Bets (7:00 PM, EST)

Carolina Hurricanes Team Total Over 3.5

After losing their last two games in a row to Columbus, the Detroit Red Wings odds to make the playoffs have taken a serious hit as the rest of the contenders have caught up to them in the Eastern Conference wildcard standings. With the Tampa Bay Lightning possessing an eight point lead over them for the last auto berth in the Atlantic division standings, the Red Wings must hold on to one of the two wildcard spots should they want to make the playoffs.

Unfortunately for Detroit, they may find themselves quickly down on the scoreboard against Carolina as the Hurricanes offense have been one of the most lethal units in the league this season. As of writing, the Hurricanes lead the league in Expected Goals For in All Situations and in 5-on-5 Play. Even after trading away Martin Necas for Mikko Rantenan, the Hurricanes have been able to sustain their high level of play as Rantenan currently leads the team in Expected Goals while averaging 2.83 Shots on Goal per game.

Carolina’s high powered offense will be on full display against Detroit as their back line has struggled to protect their net as their near dead last rank in Expected Goals Against in All Situations indicates. Their lack of coverage has hurt Cam Talbot and Alex Lyon’s ability to play at a competitive level as both goalies average nearly three Goals Against per game. No matter who gets the start in net for Detroit, bet the over on Carolina’s team total as both goalies will struggle to wall off the Hurricanes high quality Shots on Goal.

Mikko Rantanen Anytime Goalscorer

Speaking of Mikko Rantenan, the newly acquired Hurricanes forward has found himself in a great position to succeed as he plays on the same line as Sebastian Aho and Andrei Svechnikov. With all three players excelling at generating Expected Goals, the Red Wings defense will be stretched out thin in an attempt to smother their shot attempts. This will potentially lead to wider gaps in coverage for Rantanen to exploit, drastically increasing the quality of his Shots on Goal to help cash this prop.

Anaheim Ducks vs. Edmonton Oilers - Prop Bets (9:00 PM, EST)

Anaheim Ducks Team Total Under 2.5

After snapping their five game losing skid by securing the win over the Hurricanes in their last game out, the Edmonton Oilers are in a great position to build on their momentum with a favorable matchup against the Anaheim Ducks. Especially with Anaheim’s front line struggling to play at a competitive level as the Ducks offense ranks 22nd in Expected Goals For in All Situations with an average of 2.96 Expected Goals per game. 

While the Oilers offense hogs most of the spotlight due to their abundance of star power, their back line has quietly been more productive as their defense ranks third overall in Expected Goals Against in All Situations. Against Anaheim, their back line will have the opportunity to continue to thrive as the Ducks lack of versatility will struggle to space out their suffocating coverage. This will hamper the Ducks ability to generate high quality Shots on Goal while also masking Stuart Skinner’s low level of play in net.

Edmonton Oilers Puck Line -1.5

Not only has Anaheim’s offense struggled to play at a competitive level, but their back line has also been abysmal as their defense ranks dead last in Expected Goals Against in All Situations. Their lack of coverage will allow the Oilers to generate higher quality scoring opportunities at a more consistent rate which increases their chances of pulling away on the scoreboard to help cover the puck line. For some more exposure, escalator bet the Oilers puck line by sprinkling smaller wagers on their alternate spreads.