Best NHL player prop bets (April 1): Good value on this college hockey stud to score in his NHL debut
Join Daily Faceoff’s Nick Martin as he handicaps the best NHL player props available at Sports Interaction on Tuesday night.
Ryan Leonard Anytime Goalscorer: +475 Sports Interaction
Washington Capitals top prospect and presumptive Hobey Baker Award winner Ryan Leonard will make his long-awaited NHL debut on Tuesday. Things worked out perfectly for Leonard’s debut, as the Boston College product will play his first game at TD Garden versus the Boston Bruins.
There is a big jump between NCAA Division 1 and the NHL, but we have seen collegiate stars of Leonard’s ilk immediately become difference-makers at the NHL level in recent years. Leonard scored 30 goals in 37 games with Boston College this season and was named tournament MVP at the 2025 World Junior Championships.
Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery has immediately slotted Leonard onto the top offensive line alongside Dylan Strome and Aliaksei Protas, who have combined for 82 assists this season and are tremendous playmakers. Leonard also appears to be getting a spot on the Capitals’ second power-play unit.
The Bruins have been awful defensively all season long, so it’s no surprise to see that they have allowed 4.00 goals against per game since the trade deadline, when they traded away several notable veterans.
It’s obviously far from a guarantee that Leonard will immediately produce at the NHL level, but he has a great opportunity in this matchup playing alongside two excellent playmakers versus a weak defensive team. At a long number of +475, we are getting a great price to if the highly touted offensive star can break through in his first game.
Fabian Zetterlund Anytime Goalscorer: +280 Sports Interaction
Dylan Cozens’ play has rightfully garnered plenty of coverage since the trade deadline, as the former seventh overall pick has put up nine points in 12 games since being acquired by the Ottawa Senators. As Cozens takes on his former side, the Buffalo Sabres, on Tuesday, he will be a popular pick in the prop market.
It’s the Senators’ other trade deadline acquisition that looks appealing to me in this matchup, though, as Zetterlund is set to skate on the top line due to Brady Tkachuk’s injury.
Zetterlund put up 17 goals in 64 games with the San Jose Sharks this season but has been snake-bitten since arriving in Ottawa, scoring zero goals despite recording 20 shots on goal.
He looks likely to break through soon though, particularly considering his newfound role alongside Tim Stutzle and Claude Giroux on the top line. Zetterlund has generated 1.47 expected goals over the last four games, and poured in 18 attempts on goal.
While he’s struggled to finish in Ottawa, Zetterlund possesses better-than-average shooting talent, scoring on 11.9% of shots taken over the last two seasons with the Sharks.
The Sabres have allowed 4.20 goals against per game over the last 15 matchups, which is the worst mark in the NHL.
Stutzle is one of the better playmakers in the game and has already hit the 50-assist plateau this season. In a soft matchup versus the Sabres, this looks like a good time to back a quality goalscorer in Zetterlund finally getting his first as a Senator.
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