If Vancouver Canucks fans want a quick hit of dopamine, all they need to do these days is refresh the standings and stats pages and admire the current NHL leaders.
Not only will they see their team atop the Pacific Division and tied with Vegas for the best record in the Western Conference, but the team’s star players are at or near the top of most major categories.
The names of the Canucks core stars were scattered all over the scoresheet in Wednesday’s 4-3 overtime win at home versus the Islanders to spoil Bo Horvat’s return to Vancouver, and by the end of the night there was a three-way tie for the NHL lead in points – and all three happen to be teammates.
Elias Pettersson, J.T. Miller and Quinn Hughes each have 26 points through 16 games. Hughes and Pettersson are one-two, respectively, in assists, while Miller already has five multi-point outings in November alone.
It’s not just that trio thriving for the Canucks either.
Brock Boeser opened the 2023-24 campaign with a four-goal outing but only scored twice in the following eight games. Well, the winger has since gotten hot with seven goals in his past seven games, including one in a three-point effort Wednesday. He’s co-leading the “Rocket” Richard Trophy race alongside Toronto’s Auston Matthews and Winnipeg’s Kyle Connor who also have 13 goals but neither of whom are in action Thursday.
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Filip Hronek scored his first goal as a Canuck with a third-period howitzer on the power-play against the Isles to extend his current point streak to 11 games, tying a franchise record for longest point streak by a Canucks defenceman.
Will the Czech blueliner break that record and will the red-hot Canucks continue rolling when they meet the Calgary Flames Thursday in the night’s lone all-Canadian matchup? Or, does travelling on no rest after a dramatic OT win at home put them at a slight disadvantage against a division rival?
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Here are some notable player prop betting lines ahead of the Canucks-Flames game, plus some other key matchups to keep an eye on during Thursday’s nine-game slate.
Pettersson vs. CGY: Anytime goal +165 | Over 0.5 points (-220) | Under 0.5 points (+160)
Hughes vs. CGY: Over 0.5 assists (-160) | Under 0.5 assists (+120)
Miller vs. CGY: Anytime goal +165 | Over 0.5 points (-200) | Under 0.5 points (+150)
Boeser vs. CGY: Anytime goal +165 | Over 2.5 shots (-110) | Under 2.5 shots (-130)
Hronek vs. VAN: Over 0.5 points (+100) | Under 0.5 points (-140)
On the other side of the ice, Calgary is returning home after a three-game road trip during which Connor Zary contributed a pair of goals. The 2020 first-round pick of the Flames is coming off his first two-point game at the NHL level and scored his first game-winning goal Tuesday in Montreal.
Zary vs. VAN: Over 0.5 points (+120) | Under 0.5 points (-160)
CONNOR BEDARD
The 2023 first-overall pick leads all Chicago players and all rookies with nine goals, 13 points and 43 shots on goal, his 19:22 average ice-time is first among all rookie forwards and second-most on the Blackhawks behind Seth Jones who logs the third-most ice-time in the entire league.
Chicago has only scored 34 total goals, which means Bedard has scored 26.5 per cent of Blackhawks goals, the highest percentage of a team’s goals currently in the NHL.
Bedard has scored in five of his past six games and his coming off back-to-back two-goal performances.
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Bedard vs. TB: Anytime goal +160
Over 3.5 shots (+100) | Under 3.5 shots (-140)
Over 0.5 points (-150) | Under 0.5 points (+110)
SIDNEY CROSBY
Crosby recorded his 16th career hat trick earlier this week to extend his current point streak to nine consecutive games during which he has seven goals, seven assists, averaging four shots on goal per game. He has scored in back-to-back games three times this season and has failed to register a point only once this season.
Crosby vs. NJ: Anytime goal +165 | Over 0.5 points (-200) | Under 0.5 points (+150)
OVERSEAS GAMES BEGIN
The NHL begins its Global Series in Sweden this week with action beginning Thursday afternoon when Ottawa faces Detroit in Stockholm.
The Minnesota Wild and Toronto Maple Leafs are the other teams participating in games in Sweden this week and weekend. Keep an eye out for these Sweden games from now until Sunday. They take place earlier than games in North America due to the time change so be mindful of puck drop times and when sportsbooks post lines for these games.
One intriguing storyline from Thursday’s Senators-Red Wings contest is Alex DeBrincat facing his former team for the second time. Detroit. Won 5-2 but DeBrincat was held pointless and to one shot on goal when these team met on Oct. 21.
DeBrincat has the shortest anytime goals odds of any player involved in this game at +130. And his shots total is listed at 2.5 with a -175 lean on the over and +125 odds on the forward recording two or fewer shots. DeBrincat has three or more shots in nine of his 15 games this season and scored his 10th of the season this past Saturday to snap a seven-game goalless stretch during which he had just one assist.
CAN ANDERSON AND RAKELL GET OFF THE SCHNEID?
There are only four forwards in the NHL this season with more than 30 shots on goal yet to score their first of the season. Jordan Martinook of the has 39 shots and Philadelphia’s Tyson Foerster has 31 but the Hurricanes and Flyers are off Thursday.
The other two 30-plus shot goalless players are a surprising duo.
Canadiens forward Josh Anderson and Penguins winger Rickard Rakell combined for 49 goals in 2022-23 – Anderson had 21 with Montreal and Rakell had 28 with Pittsburgh – and somehow both are still seeking their first goal this season.
In his five most recent outings, Anderson is averaging more than three shots per game and 18:13 in ice-time but only has one assist to show for it. Rakell has similar numbers on Pittsburgh’s current five-game winning streak during which he averaged three shots per game and 15:29 in average ice-time. Considering both are in similar territory it makes sense both have identical prop odds Thursday in their respective games.
Anderson vs. VGK: Anytime goal +260 | Over 2.5 shots (-110) | Under 2.5 shots (-130)
Rakell vs. NJD: Anytime goal +260 | Over 2.5 shots (-110) | Under 2.5 shots (-130)
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(Betting odds above via Bet365 as of Thursday and subject to change)
