Best NHL Prop Bets Today | NHL Player Props, April 18

Tampa Bay Lightning vs Toronto Maple Leafs

Steven Stamkos O 2.5 Shots on Goal -120 (BetMGM)

Our first prop bet of the day will take us to Toronto, Ontario. This matchup between the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Toronto Maple Leafs will be an exciting one. I expect the Lightning to win the series, but this game is up for grabs. We will look at the Lightning’s Steven Stamkos for this prop. Stamkos is in the back half of his career at 33 years old but is still a threat with the puck in his hands. His numbers dipped slightly from last season, but Stamkos should not be taken lightly. The center will finish with three or more shots today. Bet on the over.

Stamkos finished the season with 84 points (34 goals, 50 assists). He averaged 2.96 shots per game this season. Surprisingly, he shot a touch more on the road. The veteran did not shoot much against the Maple Leafs this year, but this is a Playoff game. Not only is it a Playoff game, but it is Lightning’s first Playoff game. Stamkos will want to set the tone early and will look to shoot more than usual. He will bring a little more energy and finish with at least three shots. Bet on the over.

New York Rangers vs New Jersey Devils

Vladimir Tarasenko U 0.5 Points -130 (BetMGM)

Our second prop bet will come from what may be the best Playoff series in this round. The New York Rangers and New Jersey Devils play within one hour of each other. Their close distance has created a bit of a rivalry between these teams. This rivalry will make these games quite intense and worth watching. This prop will involve the Rangers’ Vladimir Tarasenko. Tarasenko began the season with the St. Louis Blues but was traded to the Rangers before the Trade Deadline. This was a solid move for the Rangers and one that helped their offense. With that being said, Tarasenko’s numbers have dropped from last season. The 31-year-old had 82 points in 75 games last but only 50 points in 69 games this year. Tarasenko will finish this game without a point. Bet on the under.

Tarasenko faced the Devils once this season and finished without a goal or assist. He also performs worse when his team loses. I only say this because I expect the Rangers to lose. However, Tarasenko will not score mainly because he is the fifth or sixth offensive option on the Rangers. Tarasenko plays on the Rangers’ second line and is not playing as well as Artemi Panarin, Mika Zibanejad, Vincent Trochek, Chris Kreider, and Patrick Kane. Tarasenko will not have the puck enough to get a point. Bet on the under.

Winnipeg Jets vs Vegas Golden Knights

Kyle Connor U 0.5 Assists -145 (BetMGM)

Our third prop bet of the day will come from the Jets-Golden Knights game. Both of these teams failed to make the playoffs last year, so it is safe to say they have exceeded expectations this season. The Jets’ Kyle Connor will be the subject of this prop. Connor has become a dangerous player after putting up a 93-point season last year and an 80-point season this year. With that being said, it is not reasonable to expect him to have an assist tonight. Connor is facing a Golden Knights team he has had limited success against, and he has only had one assist in his last five games. Bet on the under.

Connor faced the Golden Knights three times this season and finished with zero goals and one assist. For whatever reason, he did not perform well against Vegas. It is also worth noting that Connor only had ten assists in 36 losses but 39 assists in 46 wins. The 26-year-old has a significantly smaller impact when Winnipeg loses. I say this because Winnipeg is on the road and will likely lose this game. Bet on the under.

Seattle Kraken vs Colorado Avalanche

Cale Makar U 2.5 Shots on Goal +100 (DraftKings)

Our fourth prop bet of the day will take us to Denver, Colorado. This matchup between the Kraken and Avalanche should be an exciting one. The Kraken have an exciting new squad, and the Avalanche are attempting to defend their Stanley Cup title. This prop will involve the Avalanche’s Cale Makar. Makar is an excellent defenseman and produces on the offensive end as well. However, the over/under is set too high for this game. If it was set at 1.5, I would recommend the over, but 2.5 makes things a little more interesting. Makar will finish with two shots. Bet on the under.

Makar faced the Kraken twice this season and only had two combined shots. This is not all too surprising, as the Kraken only allow 27 shots per game. While Seattle’s goaltending is not great, their defense is much better and does not a very good job of limiting shots. The Kraken will limit Makar to two shots. Bet on the under.

Tampa Bay Lightning vs Toronto Maple Leafs

Alex Killorn O 0.5 Points -125 (DraftKings)

We will return to Toronto for our final prop of the day. This prop will involve the Lightning’s Alex Killorn. Killorn is no Steven Stamkos or Nikita Kucherov, but he is a solid second-line winger having the best season of his career. He will finish with a point today. Bet on the over.

Killorn had three points in his final two games of the season. One of those points (a goal) was against the Maple Leafs. The winger averaged 0.78 points per game this season. That is not an excellent statistic, but it is better than most. Regardless, he has stepped up his play this month and has six points in six games. His recent strong play points to having at least a goal or an assist. Bet on the over.