The Puck Props show was profitable again for a second straight day to open the season, and today features the biggest slate to comb over yet, with some line combos to get ahead of and schedule spots to back.
Kent Johnson is playing a top-six role and PP1 but isn't priced properly, and the New York Rangers offense will fail them yet again at home.
These are my favorite NHL predictions for Thursday, Oct. 1.
Today's top NHL predictions
For help understanding probabilities, see our odds calculator.
Kent Johnson Over 0.5 points
Rangers team total Under 2.5Percentages courtesy of Novig, one of the best prediction market apps.
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Pick #1: Kent Johnson Over 0.5 points
Kent Johnson plays on the Columbus Blue Jackets' top line and top power-play unit. This should be priced at 55% at the worst. The top line might not play as much out of the gate, but Johnson is at home, and the matchup is better than it looks.
The Buffalo Sabres are without Connor Timmins and Mattias Samuelsson on the blue line, while Olen Zellweger is a game-time decision and goalie Alex Lyon is also out. That's a cluster of injuries that will be more exposed in the opening game.
Johnson is safe to pair with newcomer Matthew Knies at 3.3x if you're looking for more with your NHL picks.
- Matchup: Sabres vs. Blue Jackets
- Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
- Location: Nationwide Arena, Columbus, Ohio.
- TV: ESPN+
Pick #2: Rangers team total Under 2.5
To nobody's surprise, the New York Rangers were blanked in their opener by the Bruins, 3-0. This is a worse version of last year's team that got shut out in three straight home games to open the season and lost its first seven games at Madison Square Garden.
There isn't a lot of talent on this roster when you have Gabe Perreault, Alexis Lafreniere, Oliver Bjorkstrand, and Pavel Dorofeyev in the top six. The Rangers have to win tight games, while the Tampa Bay Lightning will come out prepared as a well-coached veteran team, and Andrei Vasilevskiy is still an elite goaltender.
It's sloppy hockey to begin with because of the lack of preseason, and I project the Rangers as one of the NHL's worst offenses.
For more on this game, Neil Parker has his full Lightning vs. Rangers predictions.
- Matchup: Lightning vs. Rangers
- Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
- Location: Madison Square Garden, New York, N.Y.
- TV: MSG Network
- Top picks: 2-4, -0.65 units
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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