Best NHL player prop bets (Dec. 23): Bedard thriving since coaching change

Join Daily Faceoff’s Nick Martin as he handicaps the best NHL player props available on Monday night.

Connor Bedard to Record A Point: -139 Sports Interaction

It’s been eight games since Anders Sorensen took over Luke Richardson’s role as head coach of the Chicago Blackhawks, and they have looked far better offensively in those matchups, earning a record of 4-4-0. Under Sorensen, the Blackhawks have employed more aggressive forechecking tactics and are getting defenders far more involved in the offensive attack.

Chicago has generated 2.98 xGF/60 and 3.0 actual goals per game under Sorensen, which are both considerable improvements upon the marks it achieved under Richardson this season.

It was thought the coaching change could help inspire better results from their franchise player, Connor Bedard, and to this point that looks to be the case. Bedard has nine points in eight games under Sorensen.

While Bedard and the Blackhawks look to be trending in the right direction offensively right now, the Minnesota Wild have not been nearly as dominant from a goal suppression standpoint entering this matchup.

Over the last eight games, the Wild have allowed 2.76 xGA/60 and 4.00 goals against per game. Star netminder Filip Gustavsson is likely to return from injury in this matchup which certainly should help alleviate the Wild’s concerning recent results.

Still, a matchup versus the Wild doesn’t look to be as brutal for Bedard to remain productive as it did earlier on in the campaign. This prop was -155 when Bedard played the Flames on Saturday, and I do believe today’s price is enough of an adjustment to make backing a Bedard point worth a play despite the Wild offering a tougher matchup.

Roope Hintz to Record A Point: -133 Sports Interaction, Mavrik Bourque Anytime Goalscorer: +490

The Dallas Stars enter Monday’s matchup versus the Utah Hockey Club off a pair of regulation losses to the New York Rangers and Toronto Maple Leafs, which came without some key skaters in the lineup due to an illness which has been making its way through the team.

Suddenly the Stars do not hold a playoff spot out West, which seems pretty hard to believe for a team that is widely viewed as a Stanley Cup contender. Utah will be playing the second leg of a back-to-back in this matchup, and I’m expecting the Stars to bounce back with a statement performance in this spot.

Arguably the greatest reason for the Stars’ modest start to campaign has been the disappointing play of Hintz and Jason Robertson on the top line. Hintz has put up just 20 points and 31 games this season, and averaged only 2.5 shots on goal per game.

Hintz and Robertson have looked better of late, though, and could be poised for another productive night in this critical matchup. Hintz and Robertson have combined for 14 points over the last six games, and the Stars have heavily outchanced the opposition in each of the last two games with them on the ice.

Mavrik Bourque has put up just six points in 27 games this season, but that mark undersells the offensive upside of the 2020 first-round pick. Bourque put up 71 points in 76 games in the AHL last season, but has struggled to produce thus far in the NHL while spending most nights on the Stars’ fourth line.

Bourque has averaged just 11:03 of ice time this season, but has currently been elevated to the top line alongside Hintz and Robertson. In a small sample of 18.3 minutes together, that unit has generated 3.85 xGF/60 and three goals.

At -133, I see value backing Hintz to record a point in this matchup, and also see value with a smaller wager on Bourque to record a goal at the long number of +490.

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