NHL Thursday player props: 3 shot totals to attack
Shot totals continue to be a success for us. We've posted a 65-47 record thus far for +17.32 units.
Let's get into our best bets for Thursday night's 10-game slate.
Mike Hoffman over 2.5 shots (-120)
Canadiens forwards are dropping like flies. Tyler Toffoli, Brendan Gallagher, and Josh Anderson, among others, have suffered injuries over the last couple of weeks. That's led to more opportunities for Mike Hoffman.
In six of the last seven games, he's logged over 18 minutes. He's averaged 5.4 shots in games he's seen that type of workload while recording at least three shots on goal.
The lone contest Hoffman's usage wasn't as high was Tuesday's game against the Tampa Bay Lightning, where Montreal was protecting a lead and relying more on defensive players.
Hoffman should get plenty of reps on the top line and top power-play unit on Thursday in a good spot versus the Blackhawks.
Chicago is a below-average shot suppression team at five-on-five - only five teams allow scoring chances at a higher clip while killing penalties. As the go-to shooter on the man advantage, Hoffman should benefit.
Steven Stamkos over 2.5 shots (-115)
Stamkos let us down last time but we're going right back to the well in this game. He's recorded three shots on goal in seven of 11 road dates this season, including his previous encounter with the Maple Leafs on Nov. 4.
He's consistently generating shots away from home. I don't see that changing despite the Maple Leafs defending well this season. Toronto is 26th in attempts against per 60 minutes at five-on-five over the last 10 games. The injured Rasmus Sandin, who's been terrific this season, will be missed.
With so many key players out for Tampa Bay, a lot is falling on Stamkos' shoulders. Back him to come through for us in this key divisional matchup.
Bonus round: Darnell Nurse over 2.5 shots (-130). Nurse has piled up 31 shot attempts - of which 18 have been on target - in four games since returning to the Oilers' lineup. The Bruins are a strong defensive team, but they give up significantly more shot volume on the road and they're in the latter half of a back-to-back.
Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.