Best NHL Prop Bets Today | NHL Player Props, Feb. 23

Los Angeles Kings vs New Jersey Devils

Vitek Vanecek O 26.5 Saves -112 (FanDuel)

Our first prop bet is a goalie prop. It involves New Jersey Devil’s goaltender Vitek Vanecek. Vanecek will save plenty of shots today. Bet on the over.

Vitek Vanecek is coming off a poor performance against the Montreal Canadiens. He played the whole game and gave up four goals on 17 shots. However, I would not let that deter you from betting on the over. Vanecek is a reliable netminder and rarely has two bad games in a row. In his two performances previous to the one against the Canadiens, the 27-year-old saved 29-31 shots and 31-33 shots, respectively. He will return to form this game and put on a show.

Some might be worried about betting on the over because it is a little high. However, the Los Angeles Kings shoot quite a bit. Los Angeles averages 32.5 shots per game and shot 34 times in their previous matchup. Vanecek will have plenty of opportunities to save shots and will likely finish with 28, 29, or 30 saves. Bet on the over.

Anaheim Ducks vs Charlie Lindgren

Charlie Lindgren O 23.5 Saves -118 (FanDuel)

Our second prop bet of the day is also a goalie prop. However, this will be the final one. This bet involves Washington Capitals’ backup goaltender Charlie Lindgren. Lindgren is not having an impressive season by any metric, but he will save at least 24 shots today. Bet on the over.

Charlie Lindgren has not seen much playing time over the last month. He has only played in three games (two starts) over the previous 30 days but has performed well each time. In his previous two starts, Lindgren saved 60-66 combined shots. He will face an Anaheim Ducks team with the slowest offense in the NHL today. The Ducks average 2.45 goals per game on 29.5 shots. If you look at that statistic alone, it is easy to see why you should bet on the over. The Ducks simply struggle to score.

In case my first argument was not convincing enough, I will add this. Lindgren has had 25 or more saves in 14 of his 20 starts this season. He will have at least 25 this time around as well. Bet on the over.

New York Rangers vs Detroit Red Wings

Artemi Panarin U 2.5 Shots on Goal -130 (DraftKings)

We have finished the goalie props and are on to the player props. Our first player prop involves the New York Rangers’ Artemi Panarin. Panarin does not lead the Rangers in shots, and will not have three or more shots. Bet on the under.

Panarin is fifth on the Rangers with 145 shots. He averages 2.54 shots per game, but his output is slightly lower on the road. The winger averages 2.33 shots per game away from Madison Square Garden. He also has one combined shot in his previous two away games.

My first argument was convincing, but I have more to say. Panarin has faced the Red Wings twice this year and has four shots in those two games. He has not scored a goal against the Red Wings, and his shot output against them is not high. This bet could go either way, but the numbers point toward the under, so I recommend betting on it.

Anaheim Ducks vs Washington Capitals

Alex Ovechkin Anytime Scorer -120 (DraftKings)

I rarely advise betting either way for an anytime scorer prop, but I am confident today. Alex Ovechkin will return to the Capitals’ lineup after missing some time to grieve the death of his father and will put at least one puck in the back of the net. Bet on him to score.

Ovechkin last played on February 12 against the San Jose Sharks. He missed a few games after his father's death and will return tonight to face a horrible Anaheim Ducks team tonight. This is the perfect game to help him return to form. The Ducks are the worst team in the Western Conference, allowing over four goals a game. Anaheim allows 39.6 shots per game and needs a complete defensive overhaul. However, this all works in Ovechkin’s favor since he takes every opportunity to shoot and averages 4.2 shots per game.

Some may think that Ovechkin may struggle a little in his first game back, but I have the opposite feeling. I expect him to be aggressive and hungry on the ice. He may be 37 years old but he still plays over 20 minutes a game and has 32 goals. Bet on him to score.

Minnesota Wild vs Columbus Blue Jackets

Johnny Gaudreau U 0.5 Assists -114 (FanDuel)

Our final prop bet of the day takes us to Columbus, Ohio. This bet involves Columbus Blue Jackets winger Johnny Gaudreau. Gaudreau may be on one of the worst teams in the NHL, but he is having a solid season. With that being said, he will be going up against a tough Minnesota Wild team, so I would not bet on him to finish with an assist. Bet on the under.

Johnny Gaudreau is a fantastic player. The man affectionately known as “Johnny Hockey” is the best player on the Blue Jackets and would make any team significantly better. However, he is not so consistent when it comes to getting assists. In his previous game against the Winnipeg Jets, he finished with one assist but failed to secure an assist in his game before that. 

Gaudreau will be battling with a Wild squad that prides itself on defense. The Wild only give up 2.79 goals per game. That is very few and will make it hard for Gaudreau to set up his teammates. The 29-year-old may score, but he will not finish with an assist. Bet on the under.