Getty Sebastian Aho, Carolina Hurricanes
The 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs continue Tuesday with the Carolina Hurricanes looking to even their second-round series against the Presidents’ Trophy-winning New York Rangers, who have yet to lose a game this postseason.
Then, the Western Conference gets into the act when the Colorado Avalanche visit the Dallas Stars for Game 1 of a second-round series between two high-octane offenses. Colorado led all teams in the regular season with 304 goals for (including shootout-deciding goals), while Dallas led all teams in the 2023-24 season with eight different 20-goal scorers.
Our AI-powered dfsPro model projects a number of individual performances worth keeping an eye on during Tuesday’s second-round matchups. Let’s dive into some of our favorite NHL player props for May 7!
Hottest Props: Carolina Hurricanes vs. New York Rangers, Game 2
Sebastian Aho: Over 0.5 Assists (+135, DraftKings)
Hurricanes winger Sebastian Aho averaged 0.68 assists per game during the regular season, but he has dished out just three helpers through six playoff games – including two in Game 1 of Carolina’s first-round series against New York. As a result, our model projects a 19% decline below his average in Game 2 against the Rangers that still keeps him just above the betting line at 0.55.
Vincent Trocheck: Over 2.5 Shots on Goal (+100, DraftKings)
Rangers center Vincent Trocheck averaged 2.62 shots per game during the regular season. He has exceeded that average in three of five postseason games, including Game 1 against the Hurricanes on Sunday. Our model projects Trocheck’s shot potential to increase by more than 30% against his former team in Game 2, up to 3.42 shots on goal.
Brent Burns: Over 0.5 Points (+145, DraftKings)
Carolina defenseman Brent Burns hovered just around 0.5 points per game during the regular season, and he has maintained that average during the playoffs with three points (1 goal, 2 assists) through six postseason games. He recorded an assist in Game 1 against the Rangers on Sunday, and our model likes his chances to find the scoresheet again in Game 2, projecting a 37% uptick over his average point potential.
Hottest Props: Colorado Avalanche vs. Dallas Stars, Game 1
Mikko Rantanen: Over 3.5 Shots on Goal (+124, DraftKings)
Avalanche winger Mikko Rantanen averaged 3.39 shots per game during the regular season, but he put four shots on goal in each of his last two postseason games during Colorado’s first-round series against the Winnipeg Jets. Our model likes him to continue that trend in Game 1 against the Stars, projecting a 7% increase over his average to 3.63 shots on goal.
Matt Duchene: Over 0.5 Points (+100, DraftKings)
Stars forward Matt Duchene put up just two points (1 goal, 1 assist) in seven games during Dallas’ first-round series against the Vegas Golden Knights, but his regular-season numbers suggest that his point production is bound to increase during these playoffs. Our model projects Duchene to have 0.77 points in Game 1 against Colorado, just below his regular-season average of 0.81.
Casey Mittelstadt: Over 0.5 Points (+124, DraftKings)
Casey Mittelstadt has proven to be a big trade deadline pickup for the Avalanche early in the postseason, averaging more than a point per game in Colorado’s first-round playoff series against the Jets. Our model projects Mittelstadt to hover just below his regular-season average of 0.76 points tonight in Game 1 against the Stars.
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NHL Player Props: AI-Powered Picks for May 7 Playoff Games