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Top Goal Picks: Brandon Hagel , Michael Brandsegg-Nygard & Zach Hyman
Anytime Goal Prop Predictions & Odds: NHL Best Bets for Thursday, October 15th
With twenty two teams set to drop puck on Thursday night, there are a wide range of Anytime Goal Scorer props to groom through, including Brandon Hagel who is poised to bounce back after being held to just one Shot on Goal in his previous outing against the New York Rangers.
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Joining Hagel is Michael Brandsegg-Nygard and Zach Hyman, two aggressive forwards who will have a great opportunity to find the back of the net by taking advantage of a pair of back lines who struggle in coverage. If you have not already, check out our NHL betting trends page for the latest daily game odds, insight, and data.
Brandon Hagel
With continuity at every line, the Tampa Bay Lightning have been efficient on offense while ranking fourth overall in Expected Goals For in All Situations. Brandon Hagel has played a major role in the Lightning’s success this season, generating 0.82 Expected Goals per game.
Heading into Thursday night’s contest against the Seattle Kraken, Hagel will be able to get back on the stat sheet by relentlessly attacking a back line that resides near the bottom of the board in Expected Goals Against in 5-on-5 Play. Even with Joey Daccord playing at a high level, Tampa Bay’s versatility on offense will force the Kraken goalie to scramble between the pipes, making it difficult to match the Lightning’s output for the full duration of the contest.
When in the Power Play, Hagel is joined by Nikita Kucherov, last year’s Hart Trophy winner who is a productive two-way facilitator, allowing Hagel to play away from the puck. While on the opposite side of the ice, Hagel will be able to blitz through a lane when it opens up, improving the quality of his Shots on Goal when isolated in front of the net.
Michael Brandsegg-Nygard
In just the second year of his career, Michael Brandsegg-Nygard has been a reliable source of offense for the Detroit Red Wings to lean on, generating 0.53 Expected Goals while averaging 3.17 Shots on Goal per game.
In a favorable matchup against the Philadelphia Flyers, Brandsegg-Nygard will be able to build on his momentum while weaving the puck through a back line who currently ranks dead last in Expected Goals Against in All Situations. Especially with Dan Vlader struggling to mask the Flyers regression on defense with his individual production in net, giving up 4.21 Goals Against per game.
In 5-on-4 Situations, Brandsegg-Nygard is the focal point of the Red Wings second Power Play unit, leading to a heavier workload. Even if Brandsegg-Nygard moves up to the first unit, he will trade shot attempts for higher quality Shots on Goal, keeping himself in a favorable position to score.
Zach Hyman
Before going down with an injury, Zach Hyman was able to make an impact on the ice, generating 0.28 Expected Goals in the Edmonton Oilers season opener against the Vancouver Canucks.
With Hyman back at full health, the Oilers forward will be able to pick up from where he left off against Utah while Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl pull defensive attention away from, making it easier to generate Shots on Goal in front of Utah’s net. The star duo will also force Karel Vejmelka to stretch away from the net, leaving the Mammoth goalie vulnerable to getting beat by a rebound or one timer when he is unable to quickly cut back across the crease.
While it remains to be seen if Hyman will go right back into the Oilers first Power Play unit or lead the second group, his usage rate will remain high, leading to a heavy volume of shot attempts which increases his chances of scoring.
Photo Credit: REUTERS
