The Stanley Cup Playoff is officially beginning, with four more first-round series starting on April 21.
Sunday’s schedule starts at 12:30 p.m. ET with a match between rivals from Florida as the Tampa Bay Lightning visit the Florida Panthers. Meanwhile in the East, the Conference champion New York Rangers will host the Washington Capitals at 3 p.m. ET. Later, the first Western Conference series will begin at 7 p.m. ET when the Winnipeg Jets visit the Colorado Avalanche. Finally, the Vancouver Canucks will host the Nashville Predators to end the games at 10 p.m. ET.
Our AI-powered dfsPro model predicts a number of individual performances worth watching during Sunday’s games. Let’s explore some of our favorite NHL player props for Day 2 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs!
Hottest Props: Eastern Conference
Mika Zibanejad: Over 0.5 Assists (+105, DraftKings)
Our model predicts Rangers winger Mika Zibanejad to exceed his averages across the board on offense against the Capitals. He ended the regular season with a six-game point streak, recording one assist in each game, and our model expects him to continue this trend in Game 1 of the first round.
Brandon Montour: Over 0.5 Points (+105, DraftKings)
Panthers defenseman Brandon Montour averaged exactly 0.5 points per game during the regular season, but our model forecasts a 61% increase over that average in Game 1 against the Lightning. Montour was a key contributor in Florida’s run to the Stanley Cup Final last season, recording 13 points (8 goals, 5 assists) and a +2 rating in 21 playoff games.
Steven Stamkos: Over 3.5 Shots on Goal (+135, DraftKings)
Before his final game of the regular season on April 17, Lightning captain Steven Stamkos put four or more shots on goal in five consecutive games. He averaged 3.32 shots per game all season, but our model anticipates a 22% increase over that average in Game 1 against the Panthers, putting him over the betting line at 4.04.
Hottest Props: Western Conference
Nathan MacKinnon: Under 4.5 Shots on Goal (+110, DraftKings)
Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon averaged nearly five shots per game during the regular season, but our model forecasts a 19% decline in his shot potential in Game 1 against Winnipeg, down to 3.98. MacKinnon totaled four points (1 goal, 3 assists) against Winnipeg during the 2023-24 season but exceeded four shots on goal in just one of three regular-season meetings with the Jets.
Ryan O’Reilly: Over 0.5 Assists (+140, DraftKings)
Nashville Predators center Ryan O’Reilly finished the regular season with a four-game point streak, making assists in three of those games. He is a skilled playmaker who finds opportunities to pass the puck to the NHL’s sixth-leading goalscorer, Filip Forsberg . O’Reilly has 65 points (20 goals, 45 assists) in 75 career playoff games, and Nashville will be counting on his postseason experience and offensive production during the first playoff round against the Canucks.
Devon Toews: Over 0.5 Points (+120, DraftKings)
Avalanche defenseman Devon Toews had an average of 0.61 points per game in the regular season, and our prediction suggests a 35% increase from that average in Game 1 against the Jets. Toews has been an important contributor in the playoffs for the Avalanche in the last four seasons, scoring 40 points (9 goals, 31 assists) in 59 playoff games with Colorado.
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