NHL Best Bet 12/16/2025

Published: Tue Dec 16, 2025, 4:15 pm ET

Read Time: 6 minutes

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Another Betting News NHL Best Bets piece in the green, going 2-1 last Thursday and with some plus money value. That's 7-2 over the last three pieces. Let's keep rolling and finding discounts on NHL player props to keep boosting our 23-25 record on the articles. Let's see if we can avoid the naughty NHL players and get some extra presents from the nice ones.

We will be breaking down NHL best bets here at Betting News all playoffs long! Each article will look for VALUE, as in straights you can take to build up your bankroll or pieces you can use to beef up your parlays. All bets will be -135 or better odds. And while we will focus on NHL player props, there are times we will take sides and totals. So keep your eyes peeled here as we will drop these throughout the week.

And if you haven't already be sure to check out some of my favorite futures and awards. So time to lace them up and get ready to ride with Betzky for my favorite NHL best bets of the day.

1. JJ Peterka o2.5 SOG +105 on Lucky Rebel:

JJ Peterka is ripping rubber, making his SOG prop a tasty bet

With Logan Cooley out, Utah Mammoth forward JJ Peterka got a huge boost in the lineup. The impressive winger is now on the top forward line and power play unit, and it's showing in his recent production. Over his last 10 games, Peterka has 29 total shots — that's 2.9 SOG per game, basically matching the 3-shot threshold you need but not an overly confident shot volume. However, that game log includes spike in his last two games when he was promoted to the top line and PP unit.

Peterka put up 12 SOG off of 17 shot attempts in his last two games, and we will continue to chase this value. Especially because this matchup is fantastic for shot props. Boston has been one of the more shot-generous teams this season, sitting around 30.7 shots against per game and allowing the 2nd most shots against over the last 10 games. That matters because Peterka doesn't need an outlier night—he just needs a normal game where Utah generates its usual volume and his share of attempts holds.

Peterka has 28 career shots on goal vs. the Bruins, showing he's been involved enough in this matchup type to generate attempts. And it's not just empty volume—he's had true ceiling games against Boston (including the Jan. 29, 2025 blow-up where he posted a hat trick vs. the Bruins). Add it all up and it's easy to see why JJ Peterka o2.5 SOG is an NHL best bet.

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2. Sidney Crosby 2+ Points +240 on Lucky Rebel:

Sidney Crosby could make history tonight, making his points a great bet

Oh baby, the narratives all align in this game. First off NHL legend Sidney Crosby could tie even bigger NHL legend Mario Lemieux with 1,723 career points if he can put up two points tonight. Second, he has a chance to do it playing against another younger NHL legend Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers who will be starting former Pittsburgh Penguin Tristan Jarry in net. I mean talk about all the stars aligning. But not only do the narratives make this bet at nearly 2.5x your wager make this look like an NHL best bet, Crosby's recent performance makes it even sweeter.

Crosby enters this matchup in excellent form, producing at well over a point-per-game pace over his last 10–15 contests. During that span, he's averaging roughly 1.1–1.3 points per game, while continuing to drive play at even strength and quarterback the Penguins' top power-play unit. His time on ice remains north of 20 minutes per night, with heavy offensive-zone starts, ensuring ample opportunity to pile up points. That includes 4 multi-point games over the last 10 games.

Edmonton games consistently play fast and open. While the Oilers can score with anyone, they also allow elevated high-danger chances off the rush, especially against top-six centers who can exploit defensive gaps. Pittsburgh's attack is heavily Crosby-centric, meaning most controlled entries, half-wall touches, and high-leverage puck decisions funnel through No. 87. If this game trends toward a track meet, Crosby is almost always at the center of the scoring.

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3. Jacob Chychrun o2.5 SOG -115 on Lucky Rebel:

Jakob Chychrun of the Washington Capitals SOG has a ton of value!

Jakob Chychrun's o2.5 shots on goal is the type of prop that cashes when a defenseman has (1) steady volume, (2) power-play runway, and (3) a matchup that doesn't choke off shot attempts. Tonight vs. Minnesota, he checks all three.

Chychrun is averaging 3.31 shots per game this season—meaning the "median" type of night for him is already above 2.5. And he's not limping into this spot: he has 33 shots over his last 10 games (3.3 per game) and 73 shots over his last 20 (3.65 per game). That kind of volume is exactly what you want for a 2.5 threshold—you're not praying for an outlier.

The Wild allow about 29.9 shots against per game this season—respectable, but not the kind of suppression profile that scares you off a volume shooter. More importantly, in the first meeting of this series (10/17), Washington generated 45 shots against Minnesota. That's a strong signal that the Caps can create enough total volume for Chychrun to get his usual share—making this an NHL best bet. Chychrun has also hit his 2.5 SOG prop in 5 of the last 7 games against the Wild, averaging a whopping 8.6 shot attempts per game.

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