Three Thirsty Thursday NHL Best Bets and Props 10/22/2026
Written by: Brad Blakemore
Published: Thu Oct 22, 2026, 6:12 pm ET
Read Time: 7 minutes
nhl
Alright, it's starting to feel like we are cooking. We had another profittable day on Tuesday going 2-1 on our NHL Best Bets. And tonight we have three more tasty plays to get your in the green this Thursday night. We offically have an even record at 8-8 to start the season, but are in the net positive due to plus money plays cashing. How about we make it 11-8 tonight?
The defensemen have been kind to us, so we will lean into one of the top ones in the league. One of the leauges best snipers will get our NHL best SOG bet of the night, and a play maker who is absoltuely due will round us out.
So let's weave through the slate to find value on these NHL best bets. 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.
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. Jake Sanderson Assist: -105 on Lucky Rebel
Wings forward Dylan Larking tries to get the puck passed the Senators goalie with defenseman Jake Sanderson in the way.
Ottawa's best defenseman is back, and if last night was any indication, he didn't miss a beat. Sanderson picked up an assist in his very first game back from injury as the Senators dismantled the Florida Panthers 5-1 — a dominant performance that showed this Ottawa team has some real teeth when healthy. Now he comes home and gets to face the San Jose Sharks, which at this point in the season is about as favorable a matchup as you can draw up for an offensive-minded blueliner.
The Sharks have been a sieve through the early part of the season, surrendering offense at an alarming rate and offering little resistance to opposing defensemen who like to jump into the play. Sanderson is exactly the type of player who takes advantage — he's a true puck-mover, someone who quarterbacks the power play and consistently puts himself in positions to generate secondary points. He doesn't need to score here, he just needs to be involved, and against this Sharks team there will be plenty of zone time and opportunity to make plays. Sanderson also has three points against the Sharks in his last four games against them, which only helps the narrative of this NHL best bet.
The momentum piece matters too. Coming back from any injury, players often feel a burst of motivation to prove they're right where they left off. Sanderson already demonstrated that last night. Now he's home, he's healthy, he's confident, and he's looking at a San Jose team that can't keep anyone off the scoresheet. The -105 price feels like a gift. Back it.
Get 50% up to $750 Deposit on BetOnline for this pick
2. David Pastrnak o3.5: -110 on Lucky Rebel
Bruins forward David Pastrnak moves the puck into the offensive zone with Canadiens forward Cole Caufield right behind him.
There's a version of this bet that writes itself on the matchup alone, but layering in the absence narrative makes it even more compelling. Pastrnak has missed Boston's last two games, and elite scorers who return from brief absences tend to come out of the gate with something to prove. There's an urgency to shake off the rust, to remind yourself and the team that you're still the guy — and for Pastrnak, that typically means going to the net early and often.
Against Nashville specifically, he has been a volume-shooting machine. In his last eight games against the Predators he has cleared the 3.5 shots line in seven of them, and he's averaging a staggering 9.1 shot attempts per game in those matchups. Pasta either wishes he was a cowboy in Nashville, or has some found memories of cowgirls in Radio City. Or maybe it just reflects how Pastrnak attacks this particular team's defensive structure. Nashville sits seventh in the league in shots against allowed, meaning they're not some defensive fortress that shuts down perimeter shooting. They invite the volume, and Pastrnak is one of the best in the world at generating it.
The setup tonight is about as clean as it gets: a premier shooter returning from time off, playing at home, against a team he's historically torched for shot attempts, at a price of -110. Boston will be motivated to get their star right back into a rhythm, he'll see ice time and power play time, and if the first two periods go anything like his last eight games against Nashville, he'll have the four shots he needs before you've finished your first beer. This one is a hammer.
Get 50% up to $750 Deposit on BetOnline for this pick
3. Jesper Bratt Assist: -115 on Lucky Rebel
Hurricanes forward Jordan Martinook and Devils forward Jesper Bratt fight for possession of the puck.
Bratt has been underwhelming through the first stretch of the season by his own lofty standards, and that's precisely what makes tonight interesting. Quiet starts have a way of building into explosive stretches, especially for a player of his caliber, and if you're going to pick the spot where Bratt snaps out of it, you want it to be against a team like Anaheim in a game where the Devils are expected to dominate.
The historical case is strong. In his last eight games against the Ducks, Bratt has registered a point in five of them for a total of seven points — and the breakdown of those points tells you everything you need to know about how to bet him. All but two of those seven points are assists. That's not a coincidence or a rounding error; that's just who Jesper Bratt is. He's a playmaker by nature, someone who works the puck in the offensive zone, draws defenders, and finds the open man. Goals happen, but assists are his natural currency, and against Anaheim they flow.
New Jersey opens tonight as a 65.8% favorite, which tells you the market expects the Devils to spend a lot of time with the puck and generate sustained offensive pressure. In those kinds of games — when the Devils are rolling in transition and controlling zone time — Bratt is the engine of the offense. He's the one threading passes through traffic, setting up tap-ins, and finding linemates in space. The Devils should be generating a lot of offense tonight, and when that happens, Bratt's name tends to show up on the scoresheet right behind whoever scores the goal. The -115 is fair value on a player who is historically locked in against this opponent. Get involved.
Get 50% up to $750 Deposit on BetOnline for this pick
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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.
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