The NHL All-Star break is finally here and offers teams the opportunity to exhale and take stock of where they are.

Let's do the same and examine each division to see how the betting market is shaping up.

The Bruins keep chugging along. Due to retirement and cap constraints, they had to move on from Patrice Bergeron, David Krejci, Taylor Hall, Tyler Bertuzzi, and Dmitry Orlov, among others, last summer. Surprisingly, Boston hasn't skipped a beat and remains one of the league's best and most consistent teams. The club's underlying metrics are excellent, David Pastrnak continues to spearhead a strong offense, and Jeremy Swayman and Linus Ullmark give it one of the best goaltending tandems.

But if I'm jumping into the betting market to get involved with an Atlantic Division side at current prices, I'm taking the Panthers. Specifically, I like their Eastern Conference odds (+450) in a wide-open race.

Despite playing the season's first couple months without top defensemen Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour, Florida is tied for the conference lead in wins and sits first in expected goal share. The sky is the limit now that the Panthers are healthy, and I think there's enough incentive for them to push all their chips into the middle to upgrade.

Sam Reinhart, Gustav Forsling, and Montour are unrestricted free agents at season's end and are all in line for monster raises. Florida won't be able to keep its fantastic core fully intact, so it makes sense to go all in while everyone's around. Only the Jets and Hurricanes - notoriously stingy spenders - have more cap space than the Panthers among playoff teams. Look for Florida to use that financial flexibility come deadline time.

The Hurricanes are just two points behind the Rangers for the top spot in the division and have a game in hand. I love their chances of surpassing New York by season's end.

Carolina has dealt with atrocious goaltending for much of the season and ranks 30th in team save percentage. But there's light at the end of the tunnel. Pyotr Kochetkov has helped stabilize things lately, and he's back healthy again. Frederik Andersen has also resumed on-ice activities and could factor in, which would be a big help.

The Metro shouldn't be an issue if the Hurricanes get anything resembling competent goaltending. They're also a much better five-on-five team than New York in controlling the run of play and scoring. The Rangers actually own a negative goal differential in that game state, and they're not nearly as good as their record indicates.

New York relies heavily on its power play and goaltending to get wins. However, Igor Shesterkin has struggled while the man advantage has dried up over the last 10 games, scoring just five power-play goals. It's no coincidence the Rangers have won only four times (against the Senators, Ducks, Capitals, and Kraken) during that span.

Regarding long shots, the Devils are worth considering to win the East and/or Stanley Cup. They entered the season at +900 to win it all, the third shortest odds. Injuries have primarily led to New Jersey's struggles rather than poor performance.

Jack Hughes has multiple extended stints out of the lineup. Timo Meier missed significant time. Nico Hischier was sidelined. Dougie Hamilton has played just 20 games. The list goes on. When healthy, the Devils are a handful to deal with, and they should be healthy sooner rather than later. Hughes is expected to return shortly after the All-Star break. Meier and Hischier are back in the lineup already. Hamilton is likely to return around playoff time, assuming New Jersey gets there.

The Devils have a chance to do damage if they can get healthy and find an upgrade in goal, something they're rumored to be chasing.

The Oilers are having one of the craziest seasons I can remember. At one point, they were sitting in the basement with the Sharks. Fast-forward a couple of months, and Edmonton's listed as Stanley Cup favorites - understandably so!

Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and Zach Hyman have led the charge for an unstoppable Oilers offense. The team has also tightened things defensively, while Stuart Skinner has seen his level of play go from among the worst to the best. He has stopped 18.39 goals above expected since Dec. 1, placing him second only to Connor Hellebuyck (18.48).

If Edmonton can rely on quality goaltending from Skinner, there aren't many holes you can poke in this team. I see some value on the Oilers to come out of the West at +325.

The Canucks are an excellent team, and adding Elias Lindholm certainly makes them better, as it addresses the club's need in the middle of the ice and boosts the top power play. I just don't want to get in the way of the Oilers.

The Central Division playoff picture is wide open, and you can make the case for either of the three key contenders. The Avalanche have the most firepower but lack depth and goaltending. Although the Stars are the most well-balanced team, Jake Oettinger's inconsistent play is a concern. Then there's the Jets, who have the least amount of star talent but play a very structured defensive game and have arguably the league's top goaltender. Pick your poison.

I think the best way to get involved is by backing the Avalanche to come out on top in the regular season. They're a notoriously dominant regular-season team and appear to be hitting their stride. Colorado also has the softest remaining schedule of all Central Division clubs.

It'll likely come down to the wire, but +145 for the current leaders, led by Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar, is a price worth getting involved with.

Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X at @ToddCordell.

Copyright © 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We have a small three-game slate ahead of us Wednesday on the eve of the All-Star break.

Let's take a look at three ways to attack it.

Brady Tkachuk: Over 3.5 shots

Tkachuk came through for us last time out, soaring past his over with an eight-shot performance. We're going right back to the well in a fantastic matchup versus the Red Wings.

Detroit has won its fair share of games lately but certainly not because of its defense. The Red Wings rank 30th in five-on-five shot suppression over the past 10 contests and have allowed at least 30 total shots in nine of them. Win or lose, their goaltenders are seeing a ton of rubber.

I fully expect that to be the case again here. Believe it or not, the Senators are first in five-on-five shot generation over the last 10. They're creating a lot of offense, and Tkachuk is at the forefront.

Nobody on the Senators has more shots or chances in that span, whether it be at five-on-five or on the power play.

Tkachuk has registered four shots or more in 65% of his games this season. Given the Red Wings' inability to limit shots of late, he's in a prime spot to get there again.

Odds: -145 (playable to -160)

Alex DeBrincat: Over 2.5 shots

DeBrincat has cooled off of late, going over his total in just three of the past 10 games. Even still, his season outputs remain very encouraging. He has recorded three shots or more in 57% of his games and a whopping 69% when playing in Detroit.

I expect his home success to continue Wednesday night against the Senators. He's back on the top line alongside Dylan Larkin and Lucas Raymond, which should lead to extra usage relative to what he has seen lately.

DeBrincat has also generated shots at a higher rate with Larkin than other centers like J.T. Compher and Andrew Copp, even though Larkin is much more of a shooting (and scoring) threat.

I expect DeBrincat to have some extra pep in his step squaring off against his former team. He has faced the Senators three times this season, going over his total in two of them.

He attempted six shots in the lone defeat, which is in line with his season average at home - where he has been so successful - and generally enough for DeBrincat to get the job done.

The Red Wings haven't played in a few days, and this is their last game before the break. Every point is needed in a heated playoff race, so expect the Red Wings to give their top players as much ice as they can handle.

Odds: +103 (playable to -125)

Adrian Kempe: Under 3.5 shots

This line is too high for me. Kempe is averaging 3.1 shots per game (3.0 on the road) and owns a 36% hit rate for the season.

He's not exactly on an upward trajectory, having averaged 2.6 shots over the last 10 games while falling short of his total in eight of them.

Yet Kempe's line still sits at 3.5 heading into a road contest against the stingy Predators. They have been one of the league's best defensive sides since the calendar flipped, ranking near the top in expected goals suppression while routinely playing in low-event games.

The Predators aren't going to give Kempe much room to breathe at five-on-five. While they aren't in fine form killing penalties, they don't take many of them.

Head coach Andrew Brunette is likely to go with the best-on-best mentality, which means Kempe should see plenty of the Ryan O'Reilly line and Roman Josi pairing. It may be sweaty, but the Predators are well-equipped to keep Kempe under this number.

Odds: -145 (playable to -160)

Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X at @ToddCordell.

Copyright © 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We have just one game on the ice Monday night as the NHL crawls toward the All-Star break.

Let's look at the best ways to attack it.

Predators (-105) @ Senators (-115)

The Predators have mastered the art of low-event hockey. They've tightened the ship relative to what we saw earlier in the season by cutting down the chances allowed while sacrificing offensively. The strategy has led to a lot of low-scoring contests lately.

Nashville has played seven straight games in which no more than five goals were scored, with the average being just 4.57 goals. That's nearly two full goals below tonight's total.

I know the Senators have bled goals all season, but there's reason to believe there's light at the end of the tunnel. Ottawa finally appears to be making a lot of progress under interim coach Jacques Martin.

At five-on-five, the Sens have allowed just 1.96 expected goals per 60 minutes over the past couple of weeks (seven games). That's the second-lowest rate in the league, placing them behind only the Panthers.

Ottawa has also done a much better job of staying out of the box in that time, which helps make life easier for its netminders.

We've still seen some big goal totals in the Senators' games, as goaltending has remained an issue, but their process has improved drastically. And the Predators aren't a highly skilled finishing team likely to convert on seemingly every chance that comes their way.

Nashville and Ottawa both rank in the top seven in expected goal suppression over the past couple of weeks. With the Predators playing in a lot of hotly contested, low-scoring affairs and the Senators looking to play a similar style to mask their goaltending issues, I don't expect much action in this one.

Bet: Under 6.5 (+105)

Brady Tkachuk: Over 3.5 shots

Tkachuk has gone under his shot total in four consecutive games, but I love his chances of getting back on track Monday night.

The 24-year-old has recorded four-plus shots in 19 of 26 contests in Ottawa this season, which equates to a ridiculous 73% success rate.

We've seen a slight dip in Tkachuk's volume lately, but that's likely a byproduct of a difficult schedule as opposed to anything he's doing wrong. The Senators' last three home games came against the Jets, Bruins, and Rangers.

The Predators are competent but certainly a tier or two below those teams.

Nashville also struggles mightily on the penalty kill. Over the past 10 games, the club ranks in the bottom six in suppressing shots, goals, and expected goals when shorthanded.

Tkachuk has a healthy team lead in shots and scoring chances while on the man advantage. Getting him looks around the net is the top priority for the Senators, so Tkachuk should have ample opportunity to take advantage of Nashville's weak penalty kill.

As a cherry on top, Tim Stutzle returns Monday to center Tkachuk's top line. The Sens captain averages four more shot attempts per 60 minutes when playing with Stutzle as opposed to Josh Norris.

Odds: -135 (playable to -150)

Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X at @ToddCordell.

Copyright © 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We split our best bets Thursday night. Thankfully, we earned a sweat-free victory on the under in Edmonton, but the Red Wings blanked the Flyers despite getting outshot 30-17.

Let's look at a couple of sides worth backing as we try to end the week on a strong note.

Golden Knights (+135) @ Rangers (-155)

The Rangers aren't playing their best hockey. They've dropped seven of the past 10 games and just laid several eggs throughout a West Coast road trip, capped by blowing a multi-goal lead to a Sharks team that ranks last in wins.

The good news is that New York is back on home ice against a bruised and battered Golden Knights squad. Vegas is missing Jack Eichel, Shea Theodore, and William Karlsson, among others, and the underlying metrics suggest the team is feeling those losses.

Over the past 10 games, the Golden Knights rank 28th in shot suppression and 25th in shot share. They're not generating a lot offensively and are more vulnerable than usual in their own end.

Vegas recently conceded six goals to a Devils squad missing a handful of key players, headlined by superstar center Jack Hughes. The team followed that up by allowing 42 shots in an undeserved win over the Islanders.

The Golden Knights have real problems right now, and the Rangers have it in them to take advantage.

New York's power play is dangerous, and the Artemi Panarin line is one of the league's best and will see more advantageous matchups at home. The Rangers are also playing much better team defense than Vegas.

I expect a much-needed bounce-back effort from the Rangers at Madison Square Garden.

Bet: Rangers in regulation (-105)

Kings (+125) @ Avalanche (-145)

The Avalanche are a very good team coming off back-to-back blowout wins. The Kings have lost eight of the past 10 and reached a point where Drew Doughty is ranting to the media about teammates being too focused on juicing their stats.

These teams' opposing paths have led to some value for the Kings.

Sure, Los Angeles is in a healthy rut, but it's nowhere near as bad as things look.

The Kings have a great 1-2-3 punch down the middle and a few fantastic offensive wingers, and they're generally a strong defensive team. They don't allow many shots and can muddy things up against high-powered clubs like the Avalanche. Los Angeles allowed only 21 shots to Colorado in a 4-1 victory in December.

Nathan MacKinnon's remarkable play has also masked some of the Avs' problems. Only the Blues and Blue Jackets have conceded more five-on-five goals over the last 10 games than Colorado.

The Avs sit bottom-10 in expected goals against during that span, so it's not as if those numbers can be pinned solely on goaltending. They're not playing great defense.

I expect the Kings to play with extra purpose after being called out by one of the team's best players.

Los Angeles is desperate to stop the bleeding, and it's going up against a club sitting in a cushy spot in the standings and could have guys with one eye on a lengthy vacation after the game.

Bet: Kings (+125)

Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X at @ToddCordell.

Copyright © 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We split our best bets Thursday night. Thankfully, we earned a sweat-free victory on the under in Edmonton, but the Red Wings blanked the Flyers despite getting outshot 30-17.

Let's look at a couple of sides worth backing as we try to end the week on a strong note.

Golden Knights (+135) @ Rangers (-155)

The Rangers aren't playing their best hockey. They've dropped seven of the past 10 games and just laid several eggs throughout a West Coast road trip, capped by blowing a multi-goal lead to a Sharks team that ranks last in wins.

The good news is that New York is back on home ice against a bruised and battered Golden Knights squad. Vegas is missing Jack Eichel, Shea Theodore, and William Karlsson, among others, and the underlying metrics suggest the team is feeling those losses.

Over the past 10 games, the Golden Knights rank 28th in shot suppression and 25th in shot share. They're not generating a lot offensively and are more vulnerable than usual in their own end.

Vegas recently conceded six goals to a Devils squad missing a handful of key players, headlined by superstar center Jack Hughes. The team followed that up by allowing 42 shots in an undeserved win over the Islanders.

The Golden Knights have real problems right now, and the Rangers have it in them to take advantage.

New York's power play is dangerous, and the Artemi Panarin line is one of the league's best and will see more advantageous matchups at home. The Rangers are also playing much better team defense than Vegas.

I expect a much-needed bounce-back effort from the Rangers at Madison Square Garden.

Bet: Rangers in regulation (-105)

Kings (+125) @ Avalanche (-145)

The Avalanche are a very good team coming off back-to-back blowout wins. The Kings have lost eight of the past 10 and reached a point where Drew Doughty is ranting to the media about teammates being too focused on juicing their stats.

These teams' opposing paths have led to some value for the Kings.

Sure, Los Angeles is in a healthy rut, but it's nowhere near as bad as things look.

The Kings have a great 1-2-3 punch down the middle and a few fantastic offensive wingers, and they're generally a strong defensive team. They don't allow many shots and can muddy things up against high-powered clubs like the Avalanche. Los Angeles allowed only 21 shots to Colorado in a 4-1 victory in December.

Nathan MacKinnon's remarkable play has also masked some of the Avs' problems. Only the Blues and Blue Jackets have conceded more five-on-five goals over the last 10 games than Colorado.

The Avs sit bottom-10 in expected goals against during that span, so it's not as if those numbers can be pinned solely on goaltending. They're not playing great defense.

I expect the Kings to play with extra purpose after being called out by one of the team's best players.

Los Angeles is desperate to stop the bleeding, and it's going up against a club sitting in a cushy spot in the standings and could have guys with one eye on a lengthy vacation after the game.

Bet: Kings (+125)

Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X at @ToddCordell.

Copyright © 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We have a pint-sized four-game slate ahead of us to begin the weekend. Luckily, there's still plenty of value on the board.

Let's take a closer look as we try and bounce back from a disappointing night of player props.

Aleksander Barkov: Over 2.5 shots

Barkov doesn't carry a sky-high shooting ceiling, but he consistently goes over his total. He's managed three shots in 25 of 41 games this season, good for a 61% success rate.

Barkov has fared even better away from home. The Panthers captain has registered three-plus shots in 65% of his road games, including eight of the past 11.

Unlike many star players, Barkov seems to benefit from playing on the road. When in Florida, he generally sees the opposing team's best offensive line every shift. Paul Maurice has a tougher time getting matchups on the road, meaning Barkov gets additional shifts against opponents' second and third lines.

His hit rate on the road is 7% higher than at home, while he averages 1.3 points per game on the road compared to 0.9 on home ice.

The Penguins aren't overly stout defensively, nor are they up to the Panthers' level in terms of controlling the run of play. This is a spot where Barkov should be able to get involved offensively.

Odds: -114 (playable to -130)

Artemi Panarin: Over 3.5 shots

The Golden Knights are dealing with a ton of injuries right now. Jack Eichel, Shea Theodore, and William Karlsson headline the list of absences, but there are other depth pieces as well.

We've predictably seen a dip in Vegas' performance without these players. The Golden Knights haven't generated chances and goals at the clip we've grown accustomed to. They've also spent a lot more time on their heels defensively.

Vegas ranks 28th in five-on-five shot suppression over the last 10 games. That's very abnormal for a team built on structured two-way play and grinding opponents into the ground.

Panarin should be the prime beneficiary of this softer defensive matchup. He leads the Rangers in goals, points, shot attempts, scoring chances, and shots on goal. Getting him the puck in shooting position is the top priority for this New York team.

The Rangers will have an easier time doing so against this banged-up Golden Knights squad. With New York in need of points after a disastrous road trip, I expect Panarin to get all the ice time he can handle so long as the game is remotely close. The Rangers need a win here, and they'll rely heavily on Panarin to get it.

Odds: +110 (playable to -120)

Cale Makar: Over 2.5 shots

Makar is very productive on home ice. He averages 3.1 shots on a very healthy 7.4 attempts per game. That's the volume you'd expect out of a high-end first-line forward.

Unsurprisingly, those outputs are leading to a lot of success with his shot prop. Makar has gone over his total in 68% of his home games, a stark contrast from his 52% success rate on the road.

While many players tend to see their numbers fall off a cliff against the Kings, we haven't seen that from Makar. He's gone over his total in three of his past four games against Los Angeles, recording at least four shots on target in each of his hits.

Makar has the speed and game-breaking ability to cut his way through even the most structured teams. I expect the Kings to be so focused on slowing down Hart Trophy candidate Nathan MacKinnon, and his linemates, that Makar will have extra space to work with when jumping into the play behind them.

Odds: -135 (playable to -150)

Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X at @ToddCordell.

Copyright © 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The hockey gods weren't kind to our unders Wednesday night. Arvid Soderblom conceded six goals on 28 shots and posted a putrid .786 save percentage against the undermanned Kraken, while a game featuring two goals in the first 26 minutes totaled eight.

Let's look at a couple of plays that stand out Thursday as we attempt to get back in the win column.

Flyers (+105) @ Red Wings (-125)

We successfully faded the Red Wings last time out, and we're going right back to the well.

Detroit isn't a very good team. It doesn't generate many shots, allows a ton of them, and generally needs strong goaltending - and/or unsustainably high shooting percentages - to string together any run of success. But that's what we've seen lately from the Red Wings to win seven of their last 11 games.

However, they've controlled only 41% of the expected goals in that span, the second-lowest rate in the NHL.

While the Flyers have stumbled a little lately, strong five-on-five play has been their calling card all season. They play a structured and tight defensive game, and career seasons from the likes of Travis Konecny and Joel Farabee have given the team a real punch at the other end. Philadelphia should be able to expose Detroit's five-on-five woes.

I don't think Carter Hart's absence will mean much in this contest. Samuel Ersson has stopped six goals more than expected this campaign, while Hart only managed to tread water in that regard.

The Red Wings rank dead last in expected goal generation at five-on-five over the past 10 games. This is a matchup in which Ersson should get back on track and hold Detroit to a reasonable number.

I see the Flyers as live underdogs in this spot. The edge would only grow further if Owen Tippett - labeled as day-to-day - returns.

Bet: Flyers (+105)

Blackhawks (+435) @ Oilers (-575)

The Blackhawks can't score goals. They found the back of the net no more than twice in seven of the past eight games, coming up with one or blanked entirely on six occasions.

Generating chances is a big problem, and Chicago doesn't have the finishing ability in the lineup to convert on the opportunities.

There's every reason to expect another dry offensive performance in this one, as the Blackhawks are still missing what feels like their entire forward core due to injury. They're also in the second half of a road back-to-back and taking on an Oilers team amid what could be a historic winning streak.

Edmonton has played excellent defense during this run, conceding no more than two goals in 12 straight games. I don't think Chicago will be the team to break the streak.

Assuming that's the case, the Oilers would need to score at least five goals to put this contest over the number. And they could require more depending on how much they limit the Blackhawks.

While that's certainly within the realm of possibility for an offense led by Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, I don't know if it's likely.

Chicago has played low-event hockey lately by trying to suck the life out of games. The club will likely lean further into that style, with fatigue being a potential issue.

The Blackhawks also saved starting goaltender Petr Mrazek for this game. He's been good this season, saving more goals above expectation than the likes of Igor Shesterkin and Juuse Saros. I'm as surprised as you are.

This feels like a game where the Oilers can get out to a multi-goal lead and sort of coast their way to victory. I'm expecting a 4-1 type of contest and see value in backing the under.

Bet: Under 6.5 (-105)

Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X at @ToddCordell.

Copyright © 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Wednesday was a disappointing night on the ice as just one of three player props came through, pushing our weekly record to 4-2.

We'll look to get back on track with three plays that pop off the page for Thursday's big card.

Brady Tkachuk: Over 3.5 shots

Tkachuk is one of the sport's most consistent shot-generators. He's averaged 4.3 shots per game this season and has gone over his total 67% of the time. His hit rate jumps to an absurd 79% on home ice.

I think we're getting a severe discount here because of the strength of the Bruins. I'll be the first to say they're one of the league's better teams, but that's never hindered Tkachuk in the past. He's registered at least four shots on goal in eight straight games against Boston, averaging a hair under five per contest in that span.

The Bruins are also in a tough spot, playing on the road in the latter half of a back-to-back. They just played a hotly contested game against a Hurricanes team built to turn things into a grind and wear opponents out.

It's worth noting Boston is very undisciplined. Only the Ducks have spent more time shorthanded this season, which means Tkachuk should have ample opportunity to post up around the net and generate high-danger shots on the power play.

Odds: -106 (playable to -140)

Wyatt Johnston: Over 0.5 points

All aboard the Wyatt Johnston train. The Stars recently moved the youngster up to the top line alongside Roope Hintz and Jason Robertson. As a result, they've absolutely dominated.

As a trio, Dallas' new top line has controlled 70% of the shot attempts and 83% of the expected goals, and it's outscored opponents 7-1 in just 57 minutes.

Johnston has been very productive along the way, piling up seven points over the span of five games.

He now finds himself in a mouthwatering matchup against the Ducks. They give up a ton of shots and have conceded 3.8 goals per game over the last 10.

Equipped with elite linemates and a weak opponent, Johnston will likely find the scoresheet once again.

Odds: -120 (playable to -150)

Colin Blackwell: Over 1.5 shots

We're going deep into the well with this one. Blackwell has recorded two shots or more in 10 of his past 12 games. His underlying volume is very strong as well with Blackwell piling up four attempts or more all but once in that span.

The Blackhawks are dealing with an abundance of injuries up front. Without Connor Bedard, Taylor Hall, Andreas Athanasiou, and Tyler Johnson, among others, there's a lot more ice time to go around. Someone has to take it, and Blackwell has been a prime beneficiary, routinely playing 15-plus minutes.

A road back-to-back against the NHL's hottest team isn't a prime spot to jump on board, but two shots aren't a lot to ask for someone in Blackwell's role. There's also a real chance the Blackhawks are trailing for much of this game, which could result in the Oilers playing things a little more conservatively.

Blackwell recently faced Edmonton and managed to go over this shot total while attempting four shots over 15 minutes. I expect similar results this time around.

Odds: +103 (playable to -125)

Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X at @ToddCordell.

Copyright © 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tuesday was a great night on the ice as we swept the board with all three of our player props.

We'll try to replicate that performance with a few more plays for an abnormally juicy Wednesday card.

Auston Matthews: Over 4.5 shots

Death, taxes, and Matthews overs at home. His hit rate for shots is 17% higher when playing in Toronto as opposed to on the road.

While the Jets have not been a good team to target for shots this season, the screws appear to be loosening defensively. They have conceded an average of 32.25 shots on goal over the last four games, giving up 35 or more in three of them. The one exception came last time out against the Bruins.

The Jets fell behind early in that game, and the Bruins were happy to sit on their lead, squeezing a team that was missing a couple of its best weapons in Mark Scheifele and Gabe Vilardi.

The Leafs tend to fight fire with fire, matching the Matthews line against the opposing team's top unit. That means he'll see plenty of the line currently centered by Adam Lowry, a useful player but one who is in far over his head on a first line.

The numbers for that unit are down significantly without Scheifele, and I expect that to continue with plenty of ice time against the league's best scorer.

Look for the Matthews line to spend a lot of time on the attack in this game, which should naturally lead to plenty of shot volume.

Odds: +110 (playable to -125)

Ross Colton: Under 2.5 shots

Colton is registering three shots or more in only 31% of his games this season and has gone over his total in 14 of 45 appearances. He's averaging 1.9 shots on four attempts per game, which means there isn't much wiggle room for blocked shots or missing the target if he's going to go over.

His volume is up slightly over the last 10 games (4.4 attempts per), but that includes an 11-attempt outburst against the Canadiens. Not only are the Habs susceptible to giving up shots, but they take a ton of penalties, and Colton found himself on the top power play due to the absences of Artturi Lehkonen and Valeri Nichushkin.

The expectation is that Lehkonen will return to the lineup tonight and bump Colton off the top unit. That lowers his ceiling. So does playing on a line with an extreme shoot-first player like Miles Wood, who often puts the puck on net the moment it comes his way.

Given Colton no longer has top power-play responsibilities and plays with a shot hog at even strength, I have a hard time seeing him generate much shot volume against a very low-event Capitals team.

Odds: -145 (playable to -160)

Jared McCann: Over 2.5 shots

This is a really nice spot for McCann. The Blackhawks are one of the worst five-on-five teams in the league and spend a ton of time on their heels absorbing pressure, which is probably why McCann has managed to go over his shot total in six of the past eight against Chicago.

What I also like about McCann here is the surrounding circumstances. Matty Beniers is sidelined with an injury while Yanni Gourde has a game remaining on his suspension. A healthy bite has been taken out of the Kraken lineup so more will fall on the plate of McCann offensively.

McCann hasn't had his best season but still leads the Kraken in goals by six. Due to absences around him, McCann finds himself as the top-line center at even strength and a focal point on the No. 1 power play.

Look for McCann to take advantage of an uptick in usage against one of the NHL's bottom-feeders.

Odds: -134 (playable to -150)

Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X at @ToddCordell.

Copyright © 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

There are nine games scheduled for a busy Tuesday night in the NHL. Although the slate is lacking when it comes to marquee matchups, there is plenty of value on the betting board.

Let's take a closer look at a couple of sides that stand out.

Stars (-145) @ Red Wings (+125)

The Red Wings have won a lot of games of late, but they aren't necessarily playing well, particularly at five-on-five. They have controlled just 42.67% of the expected goal share in January, faring worse than all but the Blues and Canadiens.

The team has also struggled to create chances, generating only 1.89 expected goals per 60 minutes. That's the worst mark in the NHL.

Detroit has nonetheless managed to score goals at a fairly healthy clip because of an 11.37% conversion rate. The Wings do have a couple of high-end offensive players, but that kind of clip is not sustainable.

If they don't drastically improve their underlying process, things are going to get ugly in a hurry when the shooting luck dries up.

A date with the Stars is an obvious spot for that to happen.

Jake Oettinger is likely to return to the crease following a short absence with the flu. He isn't enjoying his best season, but his game is heading in the right direction and he's allowed only one goal in two of his past three contests.

The Stars are also a stable defensive team, even without Miro Heiskanen. Youngster Thomas Harley has handled himself nicely while taking on a bigger workload and helped ensure the Stars don't miss a beat.

Dallas has more high-end talent and a better underlying profile. So long as Oettinger shows no signs of rust after a weekend illness and gives the Stars a respectable performance, they should be able to cool off a Wings team whose recent success appears to be smoke and mirrors.

Bet: Stars (-145)

Rangers (-340) @ Sharks (+270)

The Sharks love losing by multiple goals. Of their last 14 losses, 11 were by at least two goals. When they lose, they often lose big.

This is a prime spot for that to happen again. The Sharks played a taxing game against the Kings on Monday night. They played a full 65 minutes, conceded 47 shots, and spent a lot of time on their heels chasing the puck around in the defensive zone.

Now they have to take on the Metro Division-leading Rangers with a quick turnaround. And they have to do it without their best goaltender.

Kaapo Kahkonen (+5.3 goals saved above expectation) played on Monday night, meaning the Sharks will turn to Mackenzie Blackwood (-1.6 GSAE) in this one. Blackwood owns a .894 save percentage and has won just six of 27 starts. For reference, Kahkonen has won six of 19.

Kahkonen has very clearly outplayed Blackwood under the same set of circumstances. Not having him available against the Rangers is a problem.

The Rangers have one of the league's best five-on-five lines in Artemi Panarin's unit and the league's second-best power play by conversion rate. They are tough for opposing defenses and goaltenders to deal with.

Coming off one of their worst stretches of the season, in which they won only four of 10 games, the Rangers will no doubt be looking to get back on track and flex their muscles in the most advantageous matchup they will come across.

Bet: Rangers -1.5 (-130)

Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @ToddCordell.

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