Best NHL player prop bets (Oct. 8): Take a flier at 80-1 on an Ovechkin hat trick to reach 900-goal milestone

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

Matias Maccelli Over 0.5 Assists: +195 (bet365, play to +185):

In an effort to try and replace Mitch Marner’s playmaking ability for cheap, Leafs GM Brad Treliving bought low on Matias Maccelli this offseason, hoping the 24-year-old can bounce back after what was a largely unexpected drop off in production last season. Maccelli racked up 40 assists in 146 games, playing mainly on the Arizona Coyotes’ third line during the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons, before falling out of favor with Andre Tourigny early in the last year.

Maccelli won’t touch Marner’s total of 75 assists in his debut season with the Leafs, but his strong playmaking could complement Auston Matthews and Matthew Knies well on the team’s top line, where he is slated to play in tonight’s matchup.

As outlined in my Atlantic Division preview, I’m high on the probability that a healthy Matthews will be able to finish scoring chances off at his more typical level this season, while Knies may also continue to progress offensively. Maccelli racked up four assists in four games this preseason, and has an excellent opportunity to show off his strong playmaking tonight considering his role.

Alex Ovechkin to Record a Hat Trick: +8000 (bet365, play to +7000)

Ovechkin was oh-so-close to breaking Wayne Gretzky’s all-time scoring record with a hat trick on home ice last season, as Spencer Knight made numerous tough saves in the final moments of the game with Ovechkin already sitting on two goals. Ovechkin recorded two hat tricks in 65 games played last season, including one on opening night in 2017. 

Throughout his career, Ovechkin has had a knack for wrapping up his pursuit of his next goal milestone in short order, as we saw last season after he tied Gretzky’s total.

While Ovechkin may not be able to replicate last year’s special record-chasing campaign, at 80-1 versus a fairly shaky Bruins side, I’m happy to punt on the possibility of him hitting the 900-goal mark like a true showman, though would recommend a small stake on this wager.

Backing Ovechkin to be the last goalscorer and score a hat trick at 140-1 is another option, as I doubt we would see him pass on hitting 900 with an empty-netter like we saw for the record-breaking goal, and if he’s sitting on two, Spencer Carbery would likely try to give Ovechkin the opportunity to hit 900 with a hat trick on home ice.

It’s also worth nothing that most online sportsbooks have this prop set at closer to +3300 odds, so be sure to place your bet with bet365, which stands alone in offering long +8000 odds on an Ovechkin hat trick.

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