Overdue: Trust Bedard to snap scoring slump vs. Predators
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We have a five-game slate ahead of us on Friday. Let's look at a few of my favorite props as we aim to rebound from a tough night on the ice.
Connor Bedard: Over 0.5 goalsBedard has scored just one goal over his past 10 games. Friday night offers him a good opportunity to get back on track.
The Predators sit in the bottom five in shots against over the last 10 games. They've also given up more volume to opposing centers than any other team during that stretch, which should help raise Bedard's shooting floor and ceiling.
And there's the good old-fashioned due factor. Bedard has generated 33 scoring chances and 35 shots on goal over his past 10 games. His outputs translate to 3.39 expected goals, but he's only found the back of the net once.
Bedard is a high-end finisher who's converted on nearly 11% of his shots this season. It's abnormal for him to run this dry. Given the volume we've seen from him of late - and how much the Predators have conceded - this is a good spot for him to find the back of the net.
Odds: +190 (playable to +175)
Evan Bouchard: Over 0.5 assistsBouchard is an assist machine. He's registered 62 helpers through 77 games and has done his best work on home soil - where he finds himself on Friday night.
He's assisted on at least one goal in nine of his past 10, 12 of the past 15, and 21 of the last 30 in Edmonton. Those remarkably high success rates show he's in good form and can sustain these numbers over the long haul.
The blue-liner is in an elite matchup to continue his hot streak. The Coyotes have struggled to keep the puck out of the net all season and show no signs of improvement. Only four teams have conceded more goals than the Yotes (35) over the last 10 games.
Arizona gives up a lot of quality chances, and discipline is an issue. Edmonton is lethal on the power play (Bouchard runs point on the top unit) and might be the last team you want to run into penalty trouble against.
Whether Connor McDavid plays or not, the Oilers are primed to make some noise offensively. Look for Bouchard's puck-distributing skills to lead to at least one marker.
Odds: -140 (playable to -155)
Noah Hanifin: Over 0.5 pointsHanifin is in the best role imaginable with the Golden Knights. He's getting a ton of the ice time at even strength behind Jack Eichel and the team's lethal top line, which raises his offensive ceiling.
Rightly or wrongly, Hanifin also unseated Shea Theodore as the quarterback of the top power-play unit. He's getting optimal deployment to create offense. It's clearly paying off: Hanifin has four points over his past four games despite the Golden Knights losing three of them.
Vegas is in a good spot to rebound Friday night at home versus a Wild team playing for nothing. I expect the Golden Knights to put their best foot forward in a winning effort and Hanifin to find the scoresheet along the way.
Odds: +110 (playable to -120)
Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X at @ToddCordell.
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