NHL Player Props Today: Best Bets & Anytime Goalscorer Picks (Oct. 3)

• Shot volume leads the card across two early-season matchups
• A top Edmonton scorer brings the strongest goalscorer case
• Keep reading to see the best NHL player prop bets for October 3rd

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The Oct. 3 NHL slate offers a useful mix of shots and anytime-goalscorer markets. I am focusing on four selections with clearly posted odds, using player roles, recent production, and team-level opportunity to frame each play. For more of today’s NHL Player Props, compare the number before puck drop.

Early-season samples remain small, so I separate 2026 regular-season team results from 2025-26 player context. That makes the numbers useful without treating one or two games as a permanent baseline. I am looking for repeatable avenues to production: shot volume, top-line usage and power-play involvement.

Colorado has scored four power-play goals in five opportunities in its 2026 opener, while Edmonton has produced 14 goals through two games and averaged 34 shots. Seattle also generated 32 shots and six goals in its 2026 opener. Those figures help define the scoring environment for these NHL player props, but they do not decide an individual result.

NHL Player Props & Anytime Goalscorer Picks Today

Odds per BetMGM, Bet365, and Caesars Sportsbook as of Oct. 3, 2026, at 10:37 AM ET

Nathan MacKinnon Props & Predictions

• Nathan MacKinnon over 3.5 shots on goal (-139 at Caesars Sportsbook)

MacKinnon opened the 2026-27 season with eight shots on goal and two goals, an immediate reminder of how dominant he can be. In 2025-26, he averaged 4.38 shots and 0.66 goals per game, finishing with 53 goals in 80 games. That production also keeps him relevant in the Hart Trophy Odds discussion.

Colorado posted 29 shots in its 2026 opener and went 4-for-5 on the power play. MacKinnon’s top-line deployment and special-teams role give him several paths to four shots, including extended offensive-zone possessions and power-play attempts.

The line is close to even money, but the 2025-26 volume baseline supports the over more than a single-game goal spike would. I make this my preferred shot prop on the card at -139.

Leon Draisaitl Props & Predictions

• Leon Draisaitl anytime goalscorer (-102 at BetMGM)

Draisaitl has two goals and 10 shots through Edmonton’s first two games of the 2026-27 season. His 2025-26 regular-season record included 35 goals in 65 games, or 0.54 goals per game, giving this market a strong player-specific foundation.

The Oilers are averaging 34 shots and seven goals per game in 2026, while their power play has converted at 33.3%. Edmonton’s offensive volume creates more scoring opportunities for a forward who remains central to the team’s top attacking units.

At -105, I still prefer Draisaitl over the other Edmonton scoring options listed here. The price is playable at the current number, with the 2026 team production supplying useful context rather than a guarantee.

Cale Makar Props & Predictions

• Cale Makar over 2.5 shots on goal (+132 at Caesars Sportsbook)

Makar’s shot over is available at plus money, and Colorado recorded 29 total shots in its 2026 opener. His role as an offensive defenseman gives him regular access to the point, the slot, and the Avalanche power play.

Colorado also produced four power-play goals from five opportunities in that opener. That special-teams efficiency matters for a defenseman whose best shooting chances can come from sustained puck possession and repeated touches around the perimeter.

The +132 price makes Makar a useful second shot-volume angle rather than a substitute for MacKinnon’s heavier baseline. I would consider the over while the market remains above even money.

Jared McCann Props & Predictions

• Jared McCann over 2.5 shots on goal (+115 at Bet365)

McCann opened Seattle’s 2026 season with four shots and three assists. That combination shows both direct shooting involvement and a prominent role in the Kraken’s attack, making three shots attainable despite the modest line.

Seattle averaged 32 shots and six goals in the opener, while its power play went 1-for-5. McCann’s offensive involvement gives him opportunities at even strength and on special teams, and the team’s overall shot count supports an aggressive game environment.

At +115, this is my smaller, price-sensitive flyer. The odds compensate for the uncertainty that comes with a 2.5-shot threshold, while McCann’s four-shot opener provides the clearest recent support for the over.