NHL Friday player props: Tarasenko to make noise in Rangers debut
We're in for a quiet start to the weekend with just four games on Friday night.
Thankfully, there still appears to be plenty of value on the board in the prop market. Let's take a closer look at three players to prioritize.
William Nylander over 3.5 shots (-130)
Nylander is normally a player I prefer to back on home soil, but I'm happy to make an exception on Friday night.
The ultra-talented winger has come through in three straight road games and leads the Maple Leafs in shot attempts and scoring chances since Auston Matthews departed the lineup. With No. 34 sidelined, the Leafs don't have as much pop up front, and more weight falls on players like Nylander.
More important than anything else, though, is the matchup against the Blue Jackets. Only the Ducks have allowed five-on-five shots at a higher clip this season. With so many players sidelined against a high-class opponent, I don't see things getting any better for the Blue Jackets this time around.
Vladimir Tarasenko over 2.5 shots (-120)
Tarasenko is expected to make his Rangers debut alongside Artemi Panarin and Mika Zibanejad on the top line. While Tarasenko isn't quite as dynamic as a couple of years ago, he remains a threatening offensive player who won't be shy about shooting the puck when it comes his way.
I think playing with Panarin will be especially beneficial. Panarin is a pass-first winger in every sense, has played with Tarasenko plenty on the international stage, and they are good friends off the ice.
Panarin will no doubt be looking to find Tarasenko early and often and give him every chance to shine in front of the MSG crowd.
Although the Kraken are a strong shot suppression team, I still like Tarasenko in this spot. Seattle is in the latter half of a road back-to-back, and Tarasenko has hit in three of four games versus the Kraken - including three straight - since their inception.
Seth Jones over 2.5 shots (-140)
Jones is a Coyotes killer. There are a lot of them, I know, but Jones is absolutely among the group.
He has faced the Coyotes five times over the last season and a half. He averaged 3.8 shots per game while going over the total in four of those meetings.
All the data points toward another successful night for Jones this time around. The Coyotes rank 30th in shots against per game versus defensemen, allowing more than all but the Ducks and Jackets.
Jones is also a much more efficient shot-generator on home soil. He has gone over his total 61% of the time in Chicago, a far cry from the 35% hit rate he's managed on the road.
With a mouthwatering matchup to look forward to on home ice, there's every reason to believe Jones is in line for a productive evening.
Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @ToddCordell.