Best NHL player prop bets (Oct. 7): Parlay these two players on the Rangers’ top line to each record a point
Join Daily Faceoff’s Nick Martin as he handicaps the best NHL player prop bets available from Tuesday’s opening night slate.
Mackie Samoskevich Over 2.5 Shots on Goal: +190 (bet365, play to +180)
With Aleksander Barkov and Matthew Tkachuk both sidelined due to injury, the Florida Panthers will need some depth forwards to step up this season, and Samoskevich appears to be a likely candidate to benefit from their absences. The former first-round pick showed well during the 2024-25 regular season, recording 31 points in 74 games played and a 6.7 expected goals above replacement rating in just 959 minutes of play.
The Panthers owned much of the play with Samoskevich on the ice last season, and he generated 17.33 shot attempts per 60, as well as 8.07 shots on goal per 60. Samoskevich generated 10 shots on goal in just over 43 minutes of play this preseason and racked up five points in that span.
His likely placement in Tuesday’s lineup won’t be overly appealing to prop bettors, as he is set to skate on the third line alongside Evan Rodrigues and Jesper Boqvist, as well as on the second power play. However, in a matchup versus the Chicago Blackhawks, we can live with Samoskevich’s likely usage given the +190 price tag for three shots on goal.
Chicago allowed 31.82 shots against per 60 in the second half of last season. Its defensive core should be somewhat improved, but it still offers one of the league’s worst forward corps. Florida’s third trio should skate in some very winnable matchups in tonight’s game, and this could be a spot where Panthers head coach Paul Maurice rolls his lines relatively evenly.
J.T. Miller/William Cuylle Over 0.5 Points: +220 (bet365, play to +210)
Miller’s tenure as captain of the New York Rangers will begin Tuesday evening, and his side is heavily favored to get off to a 1-0 start versus a Pittsburgh Penguins outfit that allowed 3.50 goals against per game last season, as well as 3.28 xGA/60.
Miller and Cuylle will play together on the top line alongside Mika Zibanejad, a unit that was quite effective at the end of last season. In 129 minutes together, the trio generated 3.72 goals per 60 and held an expected goal share of 53.5%.
Cuylle was the only player in the NHL last season to register 20 goals and 300 hits. He’s a true power forward with good touch around the net and could emerge as a quality top-six winger in his third NHL season, as he fully overtakes the role vacated by Chris Kreider’s departure.
The Rangers’ top unit should be able to create plenty of quality looks in this soft matchup, and I’m high on a parlay price of +220 for Miller and Cuylle each to record a point given the strong correlation. Backing just Cuylle to record a point at +128 is also an option for bettors who do not have the option to parlay Miller and Cuylle together.
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