Best NHL Prop Bets and Anytime Goal Scorer Picks Today (Target Aliaksei Protas, Tage Thompson, Macklin Celebrini)

Breaking down the best NHL player props for the 11-game slate on Monday, December 29.

Macklin Celebrini has an assist in 24 of 38 games this season. / Bob Frid-Imagn Images

The NHL opens the week with a big 11-game slate on Monday night, giving us more than enough options for some player props.

My best NHL prop bets for Monday night are looking at Aliaksei Protas, Tage Thompson, and Macklin Celebrini.

Let’s start the week right and get into my favorite NHL player props and anytime goalscorer picks – and their odds at the best betting sites – for Monday, Dec. 29.

Best NHL Prop Bets for Monday, Dec. 29

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook

• Aliaksei Protas OVER 0.5 Points (+135) at Panthers
• Tage Thompson Anytime Goalscorer (+180) at Senators
• Macklin Celebrini OVER 0.5 Assists (-142) at Ducks

Aliaksei Protas OVER 0.5 Points (+135) at Panthers

Aliaksei Protas broke out last season in Washington with 30 goals and 66 points in 76 games during his age-24 season. The big winger is on pace for another strong season, putting up 14 goals and 27 points through 38 games. 

Protas is playing on the second line alongside center Dylan Strome and another power forward in Tom Wilson. They’ve been doing some damage, too, with Protas recording two straight multi-point games against the Rangers and Devils.

Overall, Protas has points in four of his last five games and nine of his last 14. He’s now up to a point recorded in 21 of 38 games, and we’re getting a nice price on him to stay hot in Florida.

Tage Thompson Anytime Goalscorer (+180) at Senators

I’m going back to the Tage Thompson well after he failed us last week. He hasn’t scored in three games on the heels of a six-game goal streak, but tonight presents a good opportunity for him to get back on the board.

Buffalo is still the hottest team in the league after its eighth-straight win out of the break, and the Sabres are getting respect as slight road favorites in St. Louis. 

Thompson has still contributed offensively in recent games, though, with two assists in that win over Boston and another one before the break. A safer play would be him to record a point (-145), but it’s not too often you get close to two-to-one for Thompson to find twine.

Macklin Celebrini OVER 0.5 Assists (-142) at Ducks

We knew that Macklin Celebrini would be a superstar someday, we just didn’t know it would be this quickly. The 2024 first overall pick is behind only Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon with 57 points on the season. The majority of those points have been assists, with 37 in 38 contests this year.

Celebrini comes into Anaheim riding a seven-game point streak, with 14 points in that span. He’s scored five times, but the majority of those points have been assists with nine.

The young phenom has recorded an assist in 24 of 38 games this season, including a three-assist performance against Anaheim back in October.

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Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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