Best NHL player prop bets (Oct. 14): Cowan a good bet to get a point if he remains on Maple Leafs’ top line

Join Daily Faceoff’s Nick Martin as he handicaps the best NHL player prop bets available from Tuesday’s eight-game NHL slate.

Best Bet: Easton Cowan Over 0.5 Points +120 (bet365, play to +105)

Since being drafted 28th overall in 2023, Cowan’s stock has continued to rise, and he is by a wide margin considered the top prospect in the Maple Leafs organization. The hype reached a fever point entering this season after Cowan racked up 39 points in 17 OHL playoff games last year, after tallying 69 points in 46 games in the regular season.

There is obviously a big jump between the OHL and hockey’s top level, but Cowan looked the part in his NHL debut Monday despite being held off of the scoresheet. His high-end hockey IQ was on full display as he consistently made simple passes to keep plays alive and set up many of Auston Matthews’s 12 shot attempts in even-strength play. 

Toronto’s top line of Cowan, Matthews, and Matthew Knies generated 4.74 xGF/60 Tuesday versus the Red Wings. 

Red Wings goaltender Cam Talbot was fantastic in Monday’s matchup, stopping 38 of the 40 shots he faced in the team’s 3-2 victory. Talbot’s dominant performance was a key reason why Cowan was held off the scoresheet in his NHL debut, but the Leafs’ top line should have a much better chance of racking up some points in a matchup versus Justus Annunen and the Nashville Predators on Tuesday. 

Annunen held a -9.1 GSAx rating last season and held a save percentage of just .883 during his 34 appearances. 

It could be worth waiting to confirm Cowan will remain on Toronto’s top line based on pre-game line rushes, but if he is to remain in the same role, there is plenty of value in backing the highly talented 20-year-old to tally his first NHL point in Tuesday’s matchup. 

Best Bet: Nikolaj Ehlers Anytime Goalscorer +190 (bet365, Play to +180)

Ehlers has not yet registered his first point with the Carolina Hurricanes despite skating on what has been a highly productive top line alongside Sebastian Aho and Seth Jarvis, as well as the team’s top power play during the team’s 2-0 start. 

The Hurricanes’ top unit has played to a 66.7% expected goal share during their season-opening matchups versus the New Jersey Devils and Philadelphia Flyers, who were both better than average defensive teams last season. Ehlers had eight shots on goal in those two matchups, as well as 10 shot attempts. 

Based on what we have seen so far, Ehlers should get plenty of looks to record his first goal as a Hurricane Tuesday evening in a soft matchup versus the Sharks, who have 5.50 goals against per game this season after allowing the most goals against in the NHL last season. 

The Sharks have allowed 3.96 xGA/60 in the first two matchups of the season, and goaltending has once again remained a concern as they hold a team save percentage of just .850. While the optimism surrounding the Sharks’ young talents is rightfully high, none of the team’s offseason acquisitions are likely to offer above-average results, and their defensive core is, on paper, still the worst in the NHL.

The Hurricanes’ highly talented top line should generate plenty of chances off of the rush and be able to sustain long spells of offensive zone time in Tuesday’s matchup, and considering the price, I’m happy to take a shot on backing Ehlers to record his first goal as a Hurricane in this matchup. 

You can follow all of Nick’s hockey bets on the Action Network app!