Join Daily Faceoff’s Nick Martin as he handicaps the best NHL player props available at Sports Interaction on Monday night.
Luke Hughes Over 1.5 Shots on Goal: -128 Sports Interaction
Since Dougie Hamilton suffered a season-ending injury, Hughes’s ice time has increased significantly. Hughes leads all New Jersey Devils skaters with an average time-on-ice of 23:01 in 11 games since Hamilton’s injury, recording 11 points in 11 games.
Hughes has overtaken Hamilton’s role on the top power-play unit and has done a great job in his new role. The Devils power play has succeeded on 29% of opportunities since Hamilton’s injury.
Backing Hughes to record a point at -110 is another strong option, but laying the extra juice to back Hughes recording two or more shots on goal actually looks to hold more value in a matchup versus the Minnesota Wild.
The Wild have allowed 31.09 shots against per 60 over the last 10 games. These teams faced off on Saturday in Minnesota and Hughes managed three shots on goal from seven attempts.
Hughes has averaged 12.69 shot attempts per 60 over the last 10 matchups. Considering the amount of ice time he is playing and tonight’s opponent, that’s a lofty output with his shot prop set at just 1.5.
Jared McCann Anytime Goalscorer: +310 Sports Interaction
The Dallas Stars went 4-0-0 last week, but it was an entirely unconvincing 4-0-0 run that featured some downright incredible puck luck. Yes, the Stars have more high-end offensive talent and two high-quality goaltenders, and are likely to win games while being outchanced than the majority of teams.
Still, it was quite clear watching all four matchups that their defensive play was far from good, and allowing only six goals throughout their four matchups last week was a minor miracle.
The Stars have allowed 4.40 xGA/60 over the last four games, which is the worst mark in the NHL. They didn’t exactly play offensive powerhouses, either, as they faced off against the scuffling Wild, the Edmonton Oilers without Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, the Calgary Flames, and the Seattle Kraken.
The Stars defensive core looks pretty suspect right now, as Thomas Harley and Esa Lindell are the only blue-liners providing above-average play, while Cody Ceci and Matt Dumba have been downright horrible.
The Stars will rematch versus the Kraken on Monday, and this looks like a solid opportunity to back a decent offensive night from the Kraken considering the prices.
The Kraken generated 3.45 expected goals in Saturday’s matchup, 36 shots on goal, and 14 high-danger scoring chances.
Seven of Seattle’s 36 shots on goal came from McCann, who has proven to be a far better than average finisher over the last four seasons. The Kraken’s third-line of McCann, Andre Burakovsky, and Eeli Tolvanen held a 84.6% expected goal share and combined for four high-danger scoring chances.
McCann holds a shooting percentage of just 9.9% this season, after shooting no lower 13.4% or higher in each of the past four seasons.
McCann’s output of 18 goals in 74 games undersells his shooting abilities, and this looks like a good matchup to buy on a talented goalscorer in an underrated matchup versus a Stars team due for plenty of negative regression in terms of goals against.
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