NHL Player Props Today: Best Bets & Anytime Goalscorer Picks (Oct. 16)

• I’ve got three must-take NHL player props across Friday’s two-game late slate
• Nathan MacKinnon is off to a hot start with Colorado, with five goals and 12 points in seven games
• Read below for my analysis, odds and the numbers behind each NHL prop bet

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Friday’s NHL schedule is short, but it gives prop bettors two good spots to work with. The Pittsburgh Penguins visit the Colorado Avalanche at 9pm ET, and the Boston Bruins face the Anaheim Ducks at 10pm ET.

Both games feature high-volume shooters, and that’s where I’m focusing my NHL player props today. I’m building my card around players who keep putting pucks on net, with one goal bet and two shot totals.

You can also compare every line on the latest NHL odds page. My best NHL prop bets for Friday night are below.

NHL Player Props for October 16

Odds as of October 16. Get theScore Bet promo code to wager on NHL games this season.

My NHL player props today include one anytime goalscorer pick and two shots on goal plays. MacKinnon at -130 carries a 56.5% implied chance, while Pastrnak’s Over at -115 translates to about 53.5%.

McAvoy is the biggest favorite of the group at -150, implying a 60% probability. None of these are long shots, so the case for each one comes down to shot volume.

Best NHL Prop Bets and Anytime Goalscorer Picks

• Nathan MacKinnon Anytime Goal (-130 at theScore Bet)

MacKinnon is off to a quick start for the Avs this season. He has 12 points so far, with five goals and seven assists.

The number that sells me on this anytime goalscorer bet is his volume. MacKinnon has already put 29 shots on goal, and a player who shoots that often gives himself plenty of looks on any given night.

You’re paying a bit of juice at -130, good for about a 56.5% implied chance. I’m fine with that cost for a shooter who keeps testing goalies, especially with Colorado playing at home against Pittsburgh.

• David Pastrnak Over 3.5 Shots on Goal (-115 at theScore Bet)

Pasta has been letting it fly this season. He has 27 shots on goal through seven games, which works out to nearly 3.9 per game. That sits right above tonight’s line before we even look at the matchup.

There’s a longer trend in his corner too. Going back across multiple seasons, Pastrnak has gone over 3.5 shots in four of his last five road games against teams with winning records, averaging 4.0 shots in those games.

That’s a small, cross-season sample, so I’m not leaning on it alone. But it lines up with the volume he’s putting up this year, and that’s the main reason I’m on this shots on goal prop.

Anaheim is allowing 26.83 shots per game. At -115, or about a 53.5% implied probability, I’ll back the Bruins winger to get at least four pucks on net.

• Charlie McAvoy Over 1.5 Shots on Goal (-150 at theScore Bet)

I’m turning to the Boston blueline to wrap up my NHL player props today. McAvoy’s line sits at 1.5 shots, so two pucks on net cashes this one.

His splits after wins stand out. Across seasons, McAvoy has topped 1.5 shots in four straight games following a Bruins win, averaging 2.5 shots in that span. He’s also cleared the line in eight of his last nine road games after a win.

Those are historical samples, not a streak from this season, so I’m treating them as support rather than the whole case. Still, the defenseman has shown he can get two shots through on the road.

The Ducks are giving up 26.83 shots per game, which leaves room for Boston’s blueliners to get involved. The -150 price implies a 60% chance, and I like McAvoy to get two shots through on Friday night.