Best NHL player prop bets (March 26): Back Nugent-Hopkins in this betting market with Oilers’ superstars sidelined

Join Daily Faceoff’s Nick Martin as he handicaps the best NHL player props available at Sports Interaction on Wednesday night.

Trevor Zegras Over 0.5 points: -110 Sports Interaction

As has been the case for all of the Anaheim Ducks’ talented young forwards, Zegras has had a highly disappointing campaign under head coach Greg Cronin, with just 24 points in 45 games. It feels like ages ago that Zegras put up 61 points in 75 games as a rookie, as he has spent most of the last two seasons floundering in the middle-six of a horrible offensive team.

While he’s always had his faults defensively, Zegras has elite vision and the ability to buy time to help find threatening passes. It’s almost indisputable that Cronin’s coaching has negatively impacted Zegras’ offensive game, and he could easily prove to be a savvy pickup for an organization with a more nuanced coaching staff this summer.

Zegras may only be elevating his trade stock ahead of a potential offseason move, but it’s been clear that his offensive game is coming around right now. He’s generated eight points over the last 11 games, and has started to look much more like an offensive star once again.

Zegras and Mason McTavish have been a tough duo to keep in check recently, both on the top power play unit and at even strength. They have only spent two games playing alongside Nikita Nesterenko at even strength, but the results have been good, as they have outscored opponents 2-0 and hold a 53% expected goal share.

Zegras gets a good matchup to remain productive Wednesday, as Anaheim will host the struggling Boston Bruins. The Bruins are just 3-9-3 since the break, and have allowed 3.60 goals against per game. Their lineup was gutted at the trade deadline, and even prior to that their defensive play had been awful this season.

McTavish leads all Ducks skaters with 12 points in 12 games this month, and betting him to record a point at -139 is another suitable option in this matchup. At a price of -110, though, there looks to be more value backing Zegras, who holds comparable offensive upside and is in an identical role.

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins Over 2.5 shots on goal: +140 Sports Interaction

The Edmonton Oilers will be in tough Wednesday, as they will be attempting to beat an elite Dallas Stars side with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl both missing from the lineup. As Trent Frederic and Evander Kane also still remain sidelined, the Oilers’ offensive core is quite thin to say the least.

Nugent-Hopkins has had a very disappointing campaign thus far, but his game seems to be coming around at the right time, just as his side desperately needs him to step up. Over the last four games, “RNH” has recorded four goals and nine points, as well as 12 shots on goal.

Nugent-Hopkins stepped up in the Oilers’ first matchup with both of McDavid and Draisaitl sidelined, recording a hat trick while playing a whopping 23:02. He had eight shot attempts in the game, and got more touches than usual on the man advantage.

While it’s only a one-game sample which suggests Nugent-Hopkins’ shot volume will rise considerably with McDavid and Draisaitl sidelined, at +140, we are getting a great number to gamble on the idea that Saturday’s performance was not simply an outlier.

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