NHL Player Props & Bets: Wednesday (9/30)
The 2026-27 National Hockey League (NHL) regular season heads into Day 2, and the Toronto Maple Leafs are already playing their second game of the new campaign. We have a doubleheader on TNT/truTV, as the Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers renew their acquaintance at 7:30 p.m. ET, while the Los Angeles Kings and Colorado Avalanche meet at 10:00 p.m. ET in the second half of the nationally televised double dip. Below are our top NHL player props for Wednesday, September 30th.
Wednesday's Best NHL Player Props
(Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook)
Sidney Crosby 3+ Shots on Goal (+150)
In the early part of the schedule, let’s take it easy and let trends develop before we start getting a little more carried away. In an 84-game schedule, it’s literally a marathon, not a sprint. Don’t throw around money just because you get caught up in the fact it’s a new season, and you really love hockey.
However, there are still plenty of values to be found in the early going. The last time we saw the Flyers and Penguins battling, it was an entertaining six-game first-round playoff series.
Sidney Crosby recorded three or more shots on goal (SOG) in five of those six games, and he had 12 SOG in three regular-season games, going for at least three SOG in each of those contests. For the chance to multiply up by 1.5X, this is a strong play.
Porter Martone Anytime Goal Scorer (+190)
In that same Philadelphia-Pittsburgh game, the Flyers right winger is a strong play. Porter Martone burst onto the scene with four goals and 10 points in nine regular-season games, and he scored two goals in his first two playoff games against the Penguins last season.
Martone has very short odds to score in the opener, but it’s still a pretty strong value for the chance to nearly double up. The 19-year-old Peterborough, Ontario native, who was the No. 6 overall pick in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft, is just getting started.
Matthew Schaefer 3+ Shots on Goal (-152) & 1+ Points (-146)
As with Sidney Crosby above, we’ll take the best player on the New York Islanders to simply record three SOG. Matthew Schaefer squeezed off 222 SOG in 82 games in his rookie campaign, finishing with 23 goals, 59 points and a +13 rating, while scoring eight goals with 18 points on the power play. He logs plenty of ice time, and he takes plenty of shots.
Against Toronto last season, the 19-year-old rearguard had a goal and three SOG in their final regular-season meeting. Overall, Schaefer had three goals and four points with eight SOG in three matchups against the Leafs. As such, in addition to his SOG prop, we’ll bet on him to score at least 1 point.
Artemi Panarin Anytime Goal Scorer (+250)
Artemi Panarin notched 28 goals and 84 points last season, starting with the New York Rangers before finishing with the Los Angeles Kings.
Panarin scored a goal in both playoff games in Denver during the team’s first-round series against the Avalanche, and this prop offers great value with the chance to multiply our wager by up to 2.5 times.