Friday NHL Player Props: Best Bets & Anytime Goalscorer Picks

• Friday’s NHL player props come from a two-game slate, with Montreal in Chicago and Tampa Bay in Colorado
• Nick Suzuki’s injury adds a lineup question to tonight’s Canadiens–Blackhawks matchup
• See my NHL best prop bets and anytime goalscorer picks for Oct. 23 below

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This evening’s NHL card is short. The Montreal Canadiens visit the Chicago Blackhawks at 8 pm ET from the United Center, with Tampa Bay at Colorado following at 9 pm ET. I went through both games and kept coming back to the early one.

Montreal is shorthanded. The team announced Thursday that captain Nick Suzuki will miss two to four weeks with an upper-body injury, which puts more pressure on the rest of the forward group in a road game.

Neither defense has offered much resistance so far, and neither starting goalie is confirmed. My Friday NHL player props, best prop bets and anytime goalscorer picks are below, along with the latest NHL Odds to check before puck drop.

Friday NHL Player Props

All three of my Friday NHL player props come out of Canadiens vs Blackhawks. Caufield’s shots over is essentially a coin flip at a 49.5% implied chance, while Bedard’s -160 price translates to about 61.5%. Caufield to score at +110 carries a 47.6% implied probability, so two of the three plays pay plus money.

NHL Best Prop Bets

I’m starting my NHL best prop bets with two shot totals, one from each side.

Caufield Shots on Goal Pick

• Cole Caufield Over 3.5 Shots on Goal (+102 at FanDuel)

Caufield has 32 shots on goal through nine games, an average of 3.56 per night. That’s already above this line, and he’s turned the volume into six goals and eight points. The four-shot requirement is within reach, although that average alone does not establish how often he clears it.

Chicago hasn’t kept many pucks out, allowing 4.00 goals per game with a 74.1% penalty kill. Spencer Knight has an .888 save percentage in seven games, and Arvid Soderblom sits at .820 in two appearances. Neither has been confirmed as tonight’s starter, but both options are favorable for Montreal’s shooters.

The Suzuki injury is the biggest knock on this bet. Montreal loses its captain, and Caufield could see less help around him. I still expect the Canadiens to lean even harder on his shot with Suzuki out, so I’m comfortable taking the over at near even money.

Connor Bedard Shots on Goal Pick

• Connor Bedard Over 2.5 Shots on Goal (-160 at FanDuel)

Bedard has eight shots on goal in three games, good for 2.67 per game. He’s added a goal and two assists while logging 20:18 of ice time per night, so the minutes are there for him to get to three shots against a team missing its top center option.

Montreal’s defense also gives him a good spot. The Canadiens are allowing 3.78 goals per game, and their 78.4% penalty kill means a Chicago power play could add to his chances. Bedard should be in the middle of whatever offense the Blackhawks generate.

The -160 price works out to roughly a 61.5% implied probability, which is steep for a shots prop. His per-game rate and heavy ice time justify that cost for me, and it’s a nice pairing with the plus-money Caufield over on the other side.

Anytime Goalscorer Picks

• Cole Caufield Anytime Goalscorer (+110 at FanDuel)

Caufield has six goals in nine games, a pace that keeps him on the radar in the Rocket Richard Odds. The +110 price means about a 47.6% implied chance, and I think he finds the net against this Chicago team.

His shot volume is the main reason I’m backing him. A player averaging 3.56 shots per game gets plenty of looks, and Chicago’s goaltending hasn’t stopped much. Knight’s .888 save percentage mark is the better of the two options, and a Soderblom start at an even worse .820 save percentage would make this even more appealing.

Suzuki’s absence is a fair concern, but I’ll take the shooter with the hot hand to wrap up my anytime goalscorer picks. Compare these Friday NHL player props across the Best NHL Betting Apps & Sites before puck drop, since prices can move.