If you're looking to get your weekend of ice action started, we have you covered. As we approach the trade deadline, it can be a bit more difficult to trust teams depending on if they're looking to be buyers or sellers. However, that's what the player prop market is for. Rather than worrying about whether those in the rumor mill are even going to play or not, we've found skaters we can trust. In fact, one matchup in particular caught our eye. It's not often we give out 2 plays in the same game, so it should demonstrate how much we love this spot.
Along with our player props, be sure to check out all of our NHL picks for today's action.
Aleksander Barkov over 1.5 points (+165)
The game on our radar is the Florida Panthers hosting the Buffalo Sabres. First and foremost, the Panthers offense has been one to fear with guys like Barkov and Matthew Tkachuk leading the way. Tkachuk just came through for us with this exact same prop in their most recent game, and now it's Barkov's turn. The Sabres goaltending has been on a downward spiral, allowing the 4th-most goals per game since the start of the new year.'
Now they'll be entering this game after having just been in Tampa Bay facing the Lightning just 24 hours earlier. That should allow Barkov to continue his success against the Sabres. He's recorded multiple points against them in 4 of his last 5 games against Buffalo. It certainly helps that Tkachuk is now on the team, which gives him another elite point-scorer to link up with. In terms of expected goals per 60 minutes, the line of Tkachuk-Barkov-Carter Verhaeghe lead the entire NHL. Now facing the declining Sabres goaltending, that should prove true tonight.