Getty Leon Draisaitl, Edmonton Oilers
Two crucial games headline Thursday’s action in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs as the Carolina Hurricanes have their sights set on staving off elimination for the third straight contest to force a Game 7 against the New York Rangers while the second-round series between the Edmonton Oilers and Vancouver Canucks shifts back to Vancouver for Game 5.
Our AI-powered dfsPro model projects a number of individual performances worth keeping an eye on during Thursday’s matchups. Let’s dive into some of our favorite NHL player props for May 16!
Hottest Player Props: New York Rangers vs. Carolina Hurricanes, Game 6
Frederik Andersen: Over 2.5 Goals Against (+114, DraftKings)
Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen has a 2.46 goals against average and a .902 save percentage through nine playoff starts, and he is coming off his best performance of the second round in Game 5, in which he allowed just one goal on 21 shots against. However, Andersen has allowed three or more goals in six of his nine postseason starts, and our model projects the Rangers to score three goals on him tonight in Game 6.
Vincent Trocheck: Over 0.5 Assists (+105, DraftKings)
Rangers center Vincent Trocheck started the postseason on a tear with points in seven straight games, including a five-game goal streak from April 23 to May 7. The Hurricanes not only snapped his point streak in Game 4; they have managed to keep him off the scoresheet in two straight contests. Some of his daily fantasy projections have taken a hit as a result, but our model still likes him to hover just around his average of 0.63 assists per game tonight in Game 6.
Chris Kreider: Over 2.5 Shots on Goal (+130, DraftKings)
Like Trocheck, Rangers winger Chris Kreider has also been held off the scoresheet in Games 4 and 5 against the Hurricanes. He is still averaging 2.6 shots per game during the second round, however, and our model likes him to outperform his average with three shots on goal tonight in Game 6.
Hottest Player Props: Edmonton Oilers vs. Vancouver Canucks, Game 5
Connor McDavid: Under 1.5 Points (+124, DraftKings)
Oilers star Connor McDavid has been held to one point or fewer in five of his nine playoff games, and an assist in Game 4 against the Canucks accounted for his only point his last two contests. McDavid averaged 1.74 points per game during the regular season, but our model projects a 24% decline below that average in today’s contest, putting him below the betting line at 1.31 points in Game 5.
Leon Draisaitl: Over 3.5 Shots on Goal (+105, DraftKings)
Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl has more points than any other player in the postseason with 20 in nine games, and he is averaging 4.3 shots per game during the playoffs. He has put four or more shots on goal in each of his last three games against the Canucks, and our model likes him to continue that trend tonight with 4.48.
J.T. Miller: Over 2.5 Shots on Goal (+100, DraftKings)
Canucks center J.T. Miller is averaging just over two shots per game through 10 playoff contests, though his average drops to just one shot per game in Vancouver’s second-round series against the Oilers. Our model, however, projects Miller to finish above the betting line tonight in Game 5 at 2.68.
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NHL Player Props: AI-Powered Picks for May 16 Playoff Games