The NHL continues to grow in popularity, and as it does, sportsbooks are responding by offering a better menu of possible bets. Among the most entertaining of these are what are known as prop bets, or proposition bets, which are based on something that will happen in the game that doesn’t revolve around a team to win or lose. 

There are many categories of prop bets to mention and monitor, and Lines.com will always have you covered with the best advice and information to make the most of these types of wagers.

For more informed betting, consider checking our NHL predictions.

BEST NHL PLAYER PROP BETS TODAY

NHL prop bets can revolve around a player’s performance, a team’s performance, the number of times something will happen or how long it will take for something to happen.

A prop bet usually will be offered for any of the stars in a game, but sometimes the best value can be found in lesser-known players. Be sure to shop around the various sportsbooks to find the best odds and the widest selection of offerings.

Each and every week, we'll be giving insight into the top matchups and prop bets throughout the entire NHL season. And don't forget about our expert analysis inside every NHL picks all year long! 

NHL PROP ODDS

The best NHL prop bets have odds similar to the prop bets in all of the other major sports. Bettors can find them for both teams and individual players, and the odds are primarily related to either an over/under on a specific statistical performance or more lucrative plus-minus odds on an individual accomplishment.

For example, you can easily find a prop bet for the New York Rangers to score over/under goals in a game, with the more likely outcome to be the favored side with minus odds and the less likely result to bring plus odds. For a particular game, you can bet on the Rangers to score over 2.5 goals per game at -150, or to score under 2.5 goals at +130.

Individual players can bring better odds based on how difficult the accomplishment is. For example, if you think Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs will score a goal at any time in the matchup (Anytime Goal Scorer) you can find a wager that pays +100 if that happens. To score two goals, the odds would increase to +800, and to score three goals the odds would go as high as +2200.

Make sure you check in at Lines.com to find the best free bets on prop plays every night of the NHL season. You can also check out our NHL odds page for more info. 

WHAT ARE NHL PROP BETS?

NHL prop bets are easy to understand because they are based on the simple statistics that are familiar to anyone who is a fan of the game or who may be new to the action.

An NHL player prop bet will center on goals scored, assists, points (including on the power play) and shots on goal for skaters, and saves and goals allowed for goaltenders.

Sportsbooks such as DraftKings offer a full spectrum of selections on these items, either as over/under wagers or individual results in the game.

For team prop bets, it’s the same thing: goals scored, shots on goal taken and goals allowed, or when they are scored (in the game or in an individual period). 

PROP BETTING OPTIONS: BEST NHL PROP BETS

A player prop bet is just that: a proposition that a single player will do something during the game. That could be as simple as scoring a goal, or more complex such as scoring a point on the power play (what his team has a manpower advantage due to a penalty on the other team), scoring in the first 10 minutes of a period, or his total number of points (goals plus assists) or shots on goal he takes during the contest.

NHL team props betting works the same way: How many goals will a team score, how many shots on goal will they take, will they score the first goal or a goal in each period, the exact number of goals they will score, and so on.

Betting markets also allow you to combine the two teams for similar wagers, or items such as if either team will score during the game or what the exact final score might be.

There is always a full selection of wagers for every National Hockey League game, and Lines.com is here as a guide to the NHL’s best selections with top best advice and information.

EXAMPLES OF NHL GAME & TOP NHL PROP WAGERS

Goals

The most popular top NHL individual prop bet is on a goal scorer. These involve the most well-known stars as well as secondary players. The best goal-scorers in the league are capable of scoring in any game they play, and goal scoring usually runs in streaks, so always keep an eye on who the hot players are in today’s NHL.

You can wager on a player to score any time in the game (Anytime Goal Scorer) or to score multiple goals in the same game (usually offered as 2+ or 3+). There will be an option for a power-play goal as well. 

Also, like a first touchdown scorer bet in college football and the NFL, you can also wager on the player to score first (First Goal Scorer) in any game. There also are options for the second goal of the game (Second Goal Scorer) or the last goal of the game (Last Goal Scorer) or maybe a combination of all three.

A related prop bet is unsurprisingly Shots On Goal. This can pay off if a player you like is generating offense but just can’t seem to find the back of the net. Options include players to compile multiple shots on goal during a game (1+, 2+, 3+, etc.), plus over/under for individual players. Combining this prop with a goal scorer prop can make for a profitable parlay if your sportsbook allows such combinations.

Points/Assists

Bettors can also wager on individual skaters without worrying about them scoring a goal with a Points/Assists prop bet. This allows a bettor to use a player to score one point in the game, which can be a goal or an assist. There also is an option to wager on a player to simply get an assist (can also be specific to a power play). Some players are known more as playmakers rather than goal scorers, so this prop can be more suited to them. In addition, there can be up to two assists for every goal scored, so in theory there are twice as many chances to get an assist rather than a goal during an NHL game.

Saves

At the opposite end of the ice stands the goalie, and there are a multitude of props for this position as well. With only one playing for each team, it is easier to handicap a goalie’s performance for any particular game, and there are a wealth of advanced statistical sources that can help you determine which goalies are at the top of their game and which ones have not been playing up to par.

The most basic statistic and prop bet for a goalie is Number of Saves. This, however, is based more on the offensive ability of the opponent than the talent of the goalie. That’s because a good offensive team will generate a great deal of shots on goal, giving the opposing goalie a chance to make more saves. Because this prop bet doesn’t rely on how many goals or scored, it could be a good way to play a talented goalie against a threatening opponent.

Prop bets will vary but are usually offered as an over/under on the saves a goalie will make (similar to an NBA player for over/under rebounds, for example), with other options for the actual number of saves (20+, 25+, 30+, etc.).

A higher-paying prop bet for a goalie would be for him to get a shutout in the game (no goals allowed against by his team). Shutouts have become more rare in the new high-scoring NHL, but if you can find a good opportunity for one, the payoff could be exciting.

NHL TEAM PROP BETS

An NHL team prop bet revolves around the accumulation of statistics for all of their players in the game. They would be goals scored, goals allowed or shots on goal taken by each individual team. Some sportsbooks offer the same wagers for both teams combined in the game. These are most often over/under wagers for the category but also can be a specific range of amount.

If you are looking for a prop bet that does not center on an individual player or team, there are plenty of those related to game action regardless of the winner and loser.

One of the most interesting is the By Period prop bet, which allows you to wager on events that take place in each individual period. The options are varied here as well, and it’s like having three individual games within one NHL game.

Like a full-game wager, NHL bettors can select which team will “win” the period (score more goals than the opponent) or a puck line for the period (similar to the run line in an MLB baseball game). There are also prop bets for the total number of goals scored in a period (over/under), and if both teams will score in the period.

In addition, to add to the betting excitement, there are wagers for a goal to be scored in the first 5 minutes or the first 10 minutes of the period.

To wrap up the action, if an NHL game does go to overtime, some sportsbooks offer a live option for a prop bet on who will score the game-winning goal during the 3-on-3 action. This can be an exciting way to wrap up a full slate of NHL prop bets.

NHL PROP BETTING TIPS

Betting on NHL games is just like betting on sports like the NFL, NBA or MLB. It is important to have information you can use to place NHL prop bets wisely but it is not too difficult to give yourself a good foundation to base it off of.

The best strategy for using the NHL prop betting market is to stick with the best players. NHL stars can be counted on to perform consistently and can even exceed expectations once they get on a roll. It also is very important to know who the goal-scorers are and who the better playmakers might be and bet accordingly (a player to score a goal or to get an assist, for example). Take the time to find out who is used the most on the power play, as well, to take advantage of that particular prop bet.

For goalie prop bets, a contrarian play can be a good strategy, meaning to play a goalie facing a very good offensive team and with the best chance of him facing a lot of shots on goal and therefore make a large number of saves. Even if he allows multiple goals, that won’t matter as far as your prop bet is concerned as long as the volume of shots is there.

Team prop bets may be harder to handicap but can be worth the effort. As with the goalie items mentioned above, find a team that generates offense at a high rate, or suppresses an opponent when on defense, and search out prop bets that satisfy those situations accordingly.

when on defense, and search out prop bets that satisfy those situations accordingly.

PLACE NHL PLAYER PROPS: BEST SPORTSBOOK TO BET ON NHL PLAYER PROPS

Choosing the correct sportsbook can be as important as handicapping and making a winning bet. There are many standout online sites and apps providing the options and selections that any sports bettor could make use of.

Here are some of the better sites for those interested in making hockey and the NHL part of their betting interests.

FanDuel Sportsbook

One of the more popular betting sites around, FanDuel has a wide range of hockey wagers available presented in an easy-to-navigate format. Their Same Game Parlay option also allows for prop bet combinations that can really pay off.

DraftKings Sportsbook

Offering a bonus for new customers, DraftKings has many ways to get you into the NHL action. A nice touch is the way the website presents its goal scorer options, with all individual player offerings presented in one place and access to their individual player pages.

Bet365

Another standout website with multiple NHL options, it may be harder to navigate than some others but its parlay boost component can provide lucrative payouts for winning prop bettors.

HOCKEY PROJECTIONS: TOP FUTURE BETS

Like football, basketball and baseball, the NHL has a bevy of future bets you can make to heighten your interest throughout the entire season. These are most often based on team accomplishments or individual awards.

The most popular, of course, would be a future bet on which team could unseat the 2023 winner Vegas Golden Knights and win the 2024 Stanley Cup championship. There also is a future wager for which teams will participate in the 2024 Stanley Cup Final by winning either the Eastern Conference or Western Conference championship.

In leading up to that, there are future wagers on which teams will win any of the NHL’s four divisions – Atlantic, Metropolitan, Central, Pacific – or if a team will be one of the 16 that make the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs (eight in each conference). 

In addition, teams accumulate standings points during the season (two points for a win, one point for an overtime loss or shootout loss), and you can place a future bet on how many points any team will garner, and who will win the President’s Trophy, given to the team with the most standings points for the 2023-24 NHL season.

On the flip side, some of the best sportsbooks will allow bettors to wager on who will be the worst team in the NHL, meaning they have the fewest standings points of anyone during the campaign.

For individual players, those most popular future bets are based on finding the best NHL player who may win any of the many individual awards, primarily the Hart Trophy for league MVP. Other future bets for awards are for the Calder Trophy (rookie of the year), Vezina Trophy (best goalie), Norris Trophy (best defenseman) and Jack Adams Award (coach of the year).

A future bet on who will lead the NHL in goals scored (known as the Rocket Richard Trophy) or in points scored (the Art Ross Trophy) also are very popular options. Once the playoffs start, you likely can find odds on who will win the Conn Smythe Trophy (playoff MVP)

You also can find online sportsbooks or betting apps offering future bets for individual players. For example, FanDuel Sportsbook has a menu of future bets for Chicago Blackhawks rookie sensation Connor Bedard based on his goals and points for the 2023-24 campaign and other accomplishments (to score a hat trick this season, for one). There also is a slate of goals scored and points scored NHL futures for a handful of marquee players.

FAQs

How to research NHL player props?

The simplest way to research and bet on NHL player props today is to look at the league statistics and standings daily to see who are the top scorers and most successful goalies and teams. The best hockey players usually run hot or cold, so it is also important to follow the trends or who may be on an active points streak or a goalie who may be on a losing skid.

For bettors looking for a more analytics-based reference point for projections, there are many hockey-based sites to choose from, including moneypuck.com, naturalstattrick.com and evolving-hockey.com. They will provide a background and tutorials on how to use their information to find out who is playing above or under expectations during the 2023-24 NHL season to take advantage of the prop bet odds. 

When do NHL player props come out?

Most sports betting sites put out their NHL prop betting options the day of the game once it becomes clear who will be available to play. NHL lineups can vary greatly from game to game based on the plethora of injuries the players can suffer during the course of the season. As a bettor, it is important to know who is at full strength and who might be ailing a bit when searching out prop bets. Fortunately, most sportsbooks won’t post a player if he looks like he will be unable to suit up.

Dailyfaceoff.com is a trustworthy place to find the latest NHL player news, injury updates and lineup possibilities.

How to bet NHL player props?

The way to cash in on the best NHL player props is to concentrate on 2-3 players you may like and focus on the offerings available for them at the sportsbook you use. Once you get a feel for the top offensive players and the ones who control the action, as well as the standout goalies who are stingy or the lesser goalies who might contribute to a high-scoring game, you will be able to scout out the best player wagers and highest-paying betting odds each night.

Where can I find the best NHL player props for today?

Sportsbooks offer a full card for the type of prop bets for NHL games throughout the season. Use your favorite, or always shop around a variety of online sources to get the best offerings and odds for your desired selections.

And remember that Lines.com will be here for you all season to help guide you along with NHL prop betting tips.