NHL Thirsty Thursday Best Bets and Props 10/15/2026
Written by: Brad Blakemore
Published: Thu Oct 15, 2026, 5:07 pm ET
Read Time: 7 minutes
nhl
We have a theme for today's NHL best bets piece here at Betting News. And that theme is ALL defensemen. NHL defensemen make for great NHL player props as they often are slightly undervalued, as they don't produce quite as much as forwards produce. However, they play tons of minutes and can be on the ice for large chunks of the game, or quarterbacking a team's top power play. So today we will find three top defensemen I love who are in great spots to get a point today. And don't forget, it's not too late to lock in NHL awards. So make sure to check out some of my favorite award picks, covering the Norris Trophy, the top goalie in the league and the Calder for the top rookie.
The blueliners are running the show tonight. Gretzky Betzky's October 15 card is a full defenseman special — three puck-moving, point-producing d-men who each have a very specific reason to get on the scoresheet tonight, making them bonafide NHL best bets. A red-hot Jones, a disciplined Carlson collecting apples against a road-weary Kraken, and a Theodore regression play that the market hasn't fully priced in. 4-6 record to start the season. Let's improve that tonight with some NHL best bets!
We will be breaking down NHL best bets here at Betting News all season 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. Seth Jones Point: -110 on Lucky Rebel
Jones has nine points for the Panthers this postseason
Six points in his last two games. Read that again. Seth Jones has turned into an absolute force at both ends of the ice this season, and right now he is playing some of the best hockey of his career. The Panthers' top defenseman is quarterbacking the power play, jumping into the rush, and generating offense in every situation — and tonight he gets one of the most favorable defensive matchups on the board. And Jones is especially being leaned on more offensively with top center Barkov and forward Marchand out.
The Vancouver Canucks are currently allowing the second-most goals against per game in the NHL. Their structure in their own zone has been porous, their goaltending has been under siege, and opposing defensemen with active offensive games have found consistent success against them. Jones doesn't just benefit from soft opposition — he creates offense on his own terms, through his skating and his ability to quarterback the breakout — but a leaky Vancouver team amplifies everything he is already doing well.
At -110 on a point prop for a man with six points in his last two games, this is as close to a gift as you will find on tonight's slate and why it's an NHL best bet. The Vancouver Canucks are also allowing the 11th most power play opportunities to opponents, making this NHL best bet even sweeter. Jones is at his best when the game is played in the offensive zone, and tonight he should be able to do that pleanty. Ride the hot hand.
Get 50% up to $750 Deposit on BetOnline for this pick
2. John Carlson Assist: -110 on Lucky Rebel
Tampa Bay Lightning winger Brandon Hagel celebrates with center Anthony Cirelli and winger Nikita Kucherov after he scored a goal.
John Carlson has built his career on one thing above all else: finding the soft pass, the quiet angle, the assist that nobody else saw coming. He is one of the most reliable distributors from the blue line in the entire league, and tonight he gets a matchup that is tailor-made for a secondary-point specialist.
The Seattle Kraken arrive in Tampa on the back of a grueling road trip, fatigued and sloppy. Road-weary teams struggle to maintain discipline, and a tired Seattle squad is exactly the kind of opponent that gives up penalties in bunches. The Lightning's power play is one of the most dangerous in the league, and when Tampa gets on the man advantage, Carlson is right in the middle of everything — distributing from the point, triggering one-timers, and collecting assists on the shots that beat the goaltender. And if you wanted to make this NHL best bet even tastier you could take Carlson's power play point at BIG plus money.
The -110 price on an assist prop for a defenseman of Carlson's caliber in this specific spot is a number worth jumping on. Tampa is a massive 72.6% home favorite tonight, meaning the game environment should be heavily tilted in the Lightning's favor from the jump. More puck possession, more offensive zone time, more power play opportunities — and Carlson will be central to cashing in on all of it. Back the veteran to pick up a helper tonight.
Get 50% up to $750 Deposit on BetOnline for this pick
3. Shea Theordore Point: -120 on Lucky Rebel
Knights defensemen Shea Theodore and Brayden McNabb celebrate after Theodore's game winning goal in Game 4.
Six straight games without a point for Shea Theodore. Go ahead and say that out loud, because it barely makes sense. Theodore is one of the premier offensive defensemen in the Western Conference — a smooth-skating, puck-moving blue liner who generates offense at an elite pace over any meaningful sample — and yet the market has not fully adjusted to the fact that a correction is overdue.
Think about what a 50% career point rate actually means for a player of Theodore's caliber. He gets on the scoresheet in every other game he plays, on average, over the course of his career. Six straight scoreless games is a cold streak that defies his underlying production numbers, his shot generation, and his role on Vegas's power play unit. This cold streak will snap, and I'm willing to bet that it does against the leakiest team in the league. This misprice is exactly why we are treating this like and NHL best bet tonight.
The Calgary Flames arrive at T-Mobile Arena allowing the most goals against in the entire NHL. This is a Golden Knights team playing at home, full of confidence, facing a team that cannot stop the bleeding defensively. Theodore will be in his element — quarterbacking the power play, joining the rush, controlling the game from the blue line. The -120 price is a reasonable ask for a cold-streak regression play of this magnitude in this matchup. Snap him up before the market catches on.
Get 50% up to $750 Deposit on BetOnline for this pick
Interested in More Content?
More NHL Content on Betting News:
Get FREE Picks and Props Weekly
Sign up for
THE WEEKENDER NEWSLETTER
Follow me on X @gretzkybetzkys for daily plays and find me every Tuesday on the Puck It show 6:00 pm Eastern from the Betting News Twitch.
Make sure you are following Betting News on X and Twitch to keep up with everything we have going on! Notifications ON to stay on top of all the action.
Also tune in to one of our many streams during the week! Comes for the vibes, stay for the winners!
In need of a sportsbook? Check out one of our best online sportsbooks below and sign-up for a bonus!
Brad Blakemore, better known as Betzky, is a desert rat who was born and raised in Tempe Arizona. Shockingly this didn't stop Betzky from becoming a hockey fanatic. He specializes in NHL capping, and is (unfortunately) a diehard Coyotes fan, through all the highs and (mostly) lows. When not consuming NHL action Betzky collects records of all genres, attends tons of concerts and spends time with the Mrs, their cat Brain and doggo Ned. Follow Betzky on Twitter/X @gretzkybetzkys or on the Parlay Science discord.
This site contains commercial content. We may be compensated for the links provided on this page. The content on this page is for informational purposes only. Betting News makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the information given or the outcome of any game or event.
More NHL News
NHL Betting News
NHL Frozen Frenzy Best Bets and Props 10/13/2026
Brad Blakemore
NHL Betting News
Back in Tune: Saturday Expert Picks in the NHL
TonesTakes
NHL Betting News
Red Light Special: Friday Expert Picks in the NHL
TonesTakes
