Join Daily Faceoff’s Nick Martin as he handicaps the best NHL player props available on Tuesday night.

Mika Zibanejad Under 0.5 Points: -125 Sports Interaction

The New York Rangers earned a surprising 3-1 victory over the Dallas Stars on December 20th, as they took advantage of a Stars team which was playing its fourth game in six days while dealing with a team-wide illness.

At the time of that loss the Stars were shockingly close to being outside of a playoff spot altogether, but have since rattled off a 5-0-1 tear in which they have allowed just 2.00 goals against per game and 2.35 xGA/60.

Zibanejad’s horrible form this season is one of the many reasons New York appears likely to author a shocking playoff absence. He enters this matchup with points in three straight and is likely feeling a little more confident as a result. Two of those games came in matchups in which the Washington Capitals and Chicago Blackhawks were visibly terrible defensively though, and it seems unlikely we see that type of showing from the red-hot Stars tonight.

Zibanejad lined up with Jonny Brodzinski and Reilly Smith at today’s morning skate, a unit which likely won’t be overly productive over a larger sample of play.

When at his best, Zibanejad has produced at an elite rate on the Rangers’ top power play and he is currently on the top unit. However the Stars have the best penalty kill in the league based upon their 85.4% success rate.

Will Smith Anytime Goalscorer: +480 Sports Interaction

It’s been an up and down rookie season for former fourth overall pick Will Smith, who put up 25 goals and 71 points in 41 games last year with Boston College. After a slow start to the season, Smith put up seven points in six games, before landing on the IR with an upper-body injury.

He has spent time playing all over the San Jose Sharks lineup, and has averaged only 14:17 of time on ice this season. He is currently playing alongside Macklin Celebrini at even strength and on the Sharks’ top power-play unit, however, and has averaged 17 minutes per game over the last five matchups.

Celebrini has already proven to be an elite playmaker and has consistently created plenty of offensive chances regardless of who his linemates have been this season. If Smith remains in his current roles, his offensive production should start to improve, and the highly-talented rookie seems to be flying a little under the radar entering this matchup with the Vegas Golden Knights.

While Vegas is one of the league’s best defensive teams, Smith was able to put up a goal and an assist versus the Knights the last time these teams faced off on December 27th.

At +480, we are getting a good price to buy-low on a player with plenty of offensive upside who is skating in some highly favourable roles.

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