NHL Anytime Goal Scorer Picks, Odds, Predictions for Thursday, April 9

By Kody Malstrom | Apr 09, 2026, 7:41am

With Thursday bringing us a full helping of games to groom through, there are plenty of Anytime Goal Scorer props to wager on, including Brayden Point and Sebastian Aho with a breakdown of their games below. Be sure to check out our daily NHL betting trends page too for insights and data on each game.

Thursday’s Anytime Goal Scorer Picks

Brayden Point
Sebastian Aho
Nathan MacKinnon
Macklin Celebrini

Brayden Point Anytime Goal Scorer

When Nikita Kucherov was out with an injury, Brayden Point was able to keep the Tampa Bay Lightning competitive in their contests, averaging 0.33 Expected Goals per game. With Point giving their offense some versatility with his production, the Lightning front line have been one of the more explosive units in the league, ranking third in Expected Goals For in All Situations.

Heading into Thursday night’s matchup against the Montreal Canadiens, Point will be able to continue to light the lamp by attacking a back line who ranks in the bottom ten in Expected Goals Against in All Situations and in 5-on-5 Play. Especially with Kucherov back on the ice to help pull defensive attention away from him, widening the width of Point’s shooting lanes which will improve the quality of his Shots on Goal.

Sebastian Aho Anytime Goal Scorer

Even with the emergence of Seth Jarvis chipping away at Sebastian Aho’s usage rate, the Hurricanes center has still been able to effectively pressure the net, averaging 0.34 Expected Goals and 2.44 Shots on Goal per game. Aho’s production has helped turn the Hurricanes into a formidable contender, running an offense who leads the league in Expected Goals For.

In a favorable matchup against the Chicago Blackhawks, Aho will be able to build on his momentum by exploiting a back line who ranks well below league average in Expected Goals Against in All Situations. With the Blackhawks incapable of keeping a defender near the vicinity of Aho’s shot attempts, he will be able to convert them into Shots on Goal at a higher rate, increasing his chances of scoring.

Nathan MacKinnon Anytime Goal Scorer

Since the start of the regular season, Nathan MacKinnon has been one of the most productive players in the league, averaging over 1.5 Points and 0.49 Expected Goals per game. With the Colorado Avalanche front line running through MacKinnon, they have rivaled the Hurricanes and Lightning in regard to Expected Goals, ranking second in Expected Goals For in All Situations.

With the Calgary Flames struggling to stay in front of the puck per their below league average mark in Expected Goals Against in 5-on-5 Play, MacKinnon will be able to continue to stuff the stat sheet by pressuring the net at a higher rate when he blitzes through their back line. For some more exposure, escalator bet MacKinnon’s Anytime Goal Scorer prop by placing smaller wagers on his alternate totals.

Macklin Celebrini Anytime Goal Scorer

After nearly winning the Calder Trophy in 2025, Macklin Celebrini has been able to take a leap forward with his play on the ice, averaging 0.39 Expected Goals and 3.53 Shots on Goal per game. Even with his supporting cast struggling on offense, Celebrini has been able to keep the San Jose Sharks afloat, sitting just three points back for the last wildcard spot in the West.

Fortunately for Celebrini, he will be able to keep the Sharks hopes of making the playoffs alive against the Anaheim Ducks by taking advantage of a back line who ranks near dead last in Expected Goals Against in All Situations. Especially with Lukas Dostal falling hard back down to reality over the past few weeks of play, averaging 3.13 Goals Against per game.

Photo Credit: AP/Chris O’Meara

Kody Malstrom

Kody is a professional sports bettor and sports betting journalist with eight years of experience in the industry. He covers a wide range of sports, including NFL, NCAAF, NBA, NCAAB, NHL, MLB, and UFC. What started as a side gig has turned into a full time job, spending a majority of his time staring at odds screens and market movement. When away from the computer, Kody enjoys spending his time outdoors relaxing at the beach or golfing with friends.