Check out our Stars vs. Golden Knights Game 1 best bets from our crew of hockey experts for Friday, May 19.
The 2022-23 NHL postseason rolls on with tonight's Dallas Stars vs. Vegas Golden Knights game (8 p.m., TNT).
Below, check out our hockey crew's top picks, including a pair of picks geared around Roope Hintz, for the Western Conference Finals game.
Roope Hintz to Win Conn Smythe Trophy (+1000)
Nicholas Martin: Oddsmakers are giving Dallas a 25% chance of winning it all, which seems to be a fair number. A 25% chance also works in favor of this play, given my confidence in Roope Hintz being the winner of the Conn Smythe Trophy if Dallas does win the Stanley Cup.
The Stars have displayed a well-balanced team game, and the only concern to this point has been some worse-than-expected play from goaltender Jake Oettinger. Oettinger's middling start to the playoffs opens the door for our bet here, though. Although he will surely be a key factor in the next two rounds if the Stars do win it all, the gap is already quite wide in this race.
Miro Heiskanen is the only Dallas player who currently deserves to be priced close to Hintz, and who could potentially steal this award.
Hint paces all remaining players with 19 points and nine goals entering this series, and his play in all areas of the ice has been dominant. He has clearly been the primary offensive driver on the top line this postseason, but on top of that, he has played elite defensive and is even used on Dallas' top penalty-kill unit.
There is little chance that Joe Pavelski or Jason Robertson closes in on Hintz production-wise, but even if they do get close, that shouldn't matter because of how valuable Hintz's two-way play from the center position is.
Getting more than three times the return on Dallas' current Cup outright price on Hintz to win the Conn Smythe is an excellent proposition, and there is some strong value at +1000.
The Pick: Roope Hintz to win Conn Smythe Trophy (+1000 at Bet365)
Roope Hintz to Record 2+ Points (+290)
Greg Liodice: I’m all aboard the Roope Hintz train. The Finnish forward is playing like the best player in these playoffs, second behind Connor McDavid with 19 points. Just by looking at him, you can see there’s an extra gear in his game. Hintz was dominant during the regular season with 75 points, but he’s on another level now.
He currently leads the Stars in expected goals with an astronomical 73.32 xGF%, and he leads all forwards in high-danger chances. Whenever he’s on the ice, there’s a significant chance he’ll generate something.
Grouped on a line with sleeping giant Jason Robertson and red-hot Joe Pavelski, I wouldn’t be surprised if Hintz finds himself on the scoresheet multiple times. He’s more than capable of taking over games, including breaking the scoreless drought in Game 7 against Seattle.
Their opponents, the Vegas Golden Knights, are pretty strong defensively, and Adin Hill’s game is on another level right now. They did an incredible job stifling the best offensive team in the Oilers at five-on-five play in the semifinals. The kicker, however, is their penalty kill. During these playoffs, they’re at a horrible 60% while the Stars have the best power play out of the remaining teams at 31%.
It’s the perfect storm for Hintz to get plenty of opportunities, and at +290, I see it as great value to record at least two points.
Pick: Roope Hintz to record 2+ points (+290) |
