We have a solid nine-game NHL slate on Saturday with an abundance of NHL odds to choose from, so I’ve compiled my three best NHL player props for tonight’s action. As always, make sure you shop around and look for the best prices, as these are rapidly-changing markets that see a lot of action throughout the day.
Here are my free NHL picks in the player prop markets for Saturday, December 30.
NHL prop picks and best bets for December 30
- Trevor Moore Under 0.5 Points (+105 at Bet99)
- Evan Bouchard Under 0.5 Points (+100 at Bet99)
- John Carlson Under 0.5 Points (+100 at Bet99)
Picks made on December 30 at 12:40 p.m. ET.
Read full analysis of each pick.
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Today’s NHL prop picks and best bets
Prop bet #1: Moore not merry
The Los Angeles Kings host the Edmonton Oilers in Saturday’s NHL nightcap. While I already wrote an article for the Under in that Kings vs. Oilers contest, I am dipping back into the same bucket to fade a pair of specific players to go Under their point props, starting with Los Angeles forward Trevor Moore.
Moore is an excellent two-way forward with a knack for finding the back of the net. However, his offense is more limited to his finishing, as he is not the best facilitator or playmaker.
He has not collected an assist in any of his past 10 games, while he has been held off the scoresheet entirely in five of those outings. So, at +105, I’m taking a shot on the Trevor Moore odds to not record a point in a matchup against a very underrated blue line.
Edmonton ranks seventh in the league in expected goals against per 60 minutes (xGA/60) at 5-on-5. Inconsistent goaltending has been an issue for the Oilers but Stuart Skinner, who is expected to draw the start on Saturday, has turned his season around since Thanksgiving.
Over his past 11 starts, Skinner is 9-2 with a .919 SV% and 2.10 GAA.
Trevor Moore prop: Under 0.5 Points (+105 at Bet99)
Prop bet #2: Bearish on Bouchard
Sticking with the same game, we are also going to fade Edmonton defenseman Evan Bouchard. While the Oilers’ strong defensive metrics may be surprising to some, Los Angeles’ should not be.
It has always been a terrific two-way team under head coach Todd McLellan, but it has taken another leap forward this season as the Kings rank second in xGA/60 at 5-on-5.
Furthermore, they have gotten a Vezina-worthy season out of goaltender Cam Talbot, who is expected to guard the cage on Saturday. Through 23 appearances between the pipes, Talbot is 14-7-2 with a dominating .924 SV% and 2.11 GAA.
With this combination of elite two-way play and goaltending, Los Angeles ranks first in the league in goals allowed per game and penalty kill percentage. That second variable bodes particularly well in fading the Evan Bouchard odds, considering that nearly 50% of his points this season have come on special teams.
If you take away his power play production, Bouchard owns just five goals and 13 assists through 32 games. He has also failed to record a point in five of his eight career regular season games against the Kings.
Evan Bouchard prop: Under 0.5 Points (+100 at Bet99)
Prop bet #3: Carlson comes up short
We are going to fade another defenseman on Saturday as the Washington Capitals host the Nashville Predators. There is no denying that John Carlson is a terrific facilitator, but there is only so much he can do when nobody he passes to can score.
Washington’s offense is one of the worst in the league, both statistically and analytically. That is why, despite his best efforts, Carlson has been held off the scoresheet in three straight games and in nine of his past 12.
This offense may particularly struggle against Nashville, a team that ranks in the top half of the league in xGA/60 at 5-on-5. The reason we are catching plus-money on the John Carlson odds to go Under in this spot is because goaltender Juuse Saros is expected to get the night off while rookie Yaroslav Askarov is projected to take his spot.
With that said, Askarov is one of the biggest goaltending prospects in the sport and is looking to make his mark. He has fared well down in the AHL each of the past two years, posting a cumulative .910 SV% and 2.64 GAA over that stretch.
He was an 11th overall pick in 2020 and figures to be the next great Preds netminder once they move on from Saros, and his first start of the season comes in a favorable spot against a lowly Capitals offense.
John Carlson prop: Under 0.5 Points (+100 at Bet99)
Not intended for use in MA.
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