Top NHL GIFT & Anytime Goal Scorer Prop Bet Picks: Saturday (2/17)

by Luke Monaldo |
Feb 17, 2024

Betting the GIFT (Goal In First Ten) is simple. Pick whether or not a game will have a goal scored in the first 10 minutes of play (00:00-09:59). It's that easy and all you have to do is root for anyone to score and you win. It is one area of hockey betting that has a nearly league-wide positive success rate with 93.75% of the league currently cashing at 50% or better this season. I have been able to use this season’s GIFT numbers to pick winners with extreme accuracy.

Anytime Goal Scorer props are even easier. Pick a player to score and if they light the lamp at any point, you win!

Tail me for cash, fade me for trash!

For additional prop bets check out our brand new daily NHL Prop Bet Cheat Sheet. Additionally, I will post my favorite bets in the BettingPros Discord, which is free to join and filled with info from some of the sharpest analysts in the field, including myself.

Our NHL Prop Bet Cheat Sheet assists bettors by comparing lines from leading sportsbooks with62 our daily projections >>

Saturday’s Best GIFT & Anytime Goal Scorer Prop Bets

2023-24 Season: 93-27 (.775) | Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook

Edmonton Oilers at Dallas Stars

Edmonton’s season GIFT rate of 62% (31-of-50) is tied for 8th best in the NHL and that number remains above league average at 57% when they are away from Rogers Place. The Oilers have cashed this prop in five of their last ten games overall so their side of the deal is a coin toss. This pick is more about their opponent tonight.

Dallas has also cashed GIFTs at a 62% (34-of-54) rate overall, also tied for 8th in the league. Their home GIFT strike rate remains an identical 62%. American Airlines Center GIFTs account for 17 (50%) of their 34 GIFTs overall, while playing exactly 27 each on the road and at home so far this season. The Stars have cashed in four of the last five and nine of their last ten overall, including four straight at home.

When these two teams last met on November 2 in Edmonton, the GIFT cashed on Matt Duchene’s goal at the 8:08 mark.

Pick: Goal In First Ten (-175)

Detroit Red Wings at Calgary Flames

Detroit’s season GIFT rate of 67% (36-of-53) is 2nd in the NHL behind only Ottawa (72%). That number even sees a slight uptick to 68% when they are away from Little Caesars Arena. In fact, 17 of their 36 GIFTs have come on the road this season. The Red Wings have cashed this prop in five straight and eight of the last ten games overall.

Calgary has cashed GIFTs at a 61% (33-of-54) rate overall, tied for 11th in the NHL. Their home GIFT strike rate dips slightly but still remains at a league-average 56%. Scotiabank Saddledome GIFTS account for 14 of their 33 GIFTs overall. The Flames have cashed in three of their last five including two of their last three at home.

Pick: Goal In First Ten (-160)

Ottawa Senators at Chicago Blackhawks

Ottawa’s season GIFT rate of 72% (36-of-50) paces the NHL and that number grows to an even more incredible 90% (also leads NHL) away from Canadian Tire Centre. In fact, 18 (50%) of their 36 GIFTs have come on the road this season despite having played 60% of their games at home, accounting for ten fewer road games, The Senators have cashed this prop in four of their last five on the road and five straight overall.

Chicago has cashed GIFTs at a 61% (33-of-54) rate overall, tied for 11th in the NHL. Their home GIFT strike rate remains the same at 61%. United Center GIFTS account for 16 (48.5%) of their 33 GIFTs overall despite home games only accounting for 48.1% of their total games. The Blackhawks have cashed in three of their last five at home with one of the NGIFTs involving a goal that was scored at the 10:05 mark, just six seconds outside the GIFT window.

Pick: Goal In First Ten (-150)

Carolina Hurricanes at Vegas Golden Knights

Carolina’s season GIFT rate of 64% (34-of-53) is already 7th best in the NHL but that number balloons to 80% when they are away from PNC Arena. If not for the aforementioned Senators’ otherworldly 90% road GIFT strike rate, the Canes would easily pace the NHL in that department as no other team is higher than 68%. The Hurricanes have cashed this prop in 12 of their last 13 on the road and four of their last five games overall.

Vegas has cashed this prop just one more time than not this season (27-of-53) and they rank 30th out of 32 teams in terms of GIFT strike rate. However, they have cashed this prop in five straight contests making them currently one of the hotter GIFT-cashing teams in the NHL. T-Mobile Arena GIFTs account for 13 of their 27 GIFTs overall. The Golden Knights have cashed in two straight home games as well.

The last time these two teams faced off back on December 19, the GIFT did not cash, but Andrei Svechnikov did score at the 10:27 mark, That was at a time when Vegas was much stingier on GIFTs so the fact the GIFT was so close gives me confidence here.

Pick: Goal In First Ten (-150)

GIFT Parlay Odds: +609

Anytime Goal Scorer Picks

Sam Reinhart (+110) – G+ in 17 of L23, 39G – 2nd in NHL, 2G vs. TB this season, hasn’t gone three straight games w/out G since Dec. 12-16, 2023
Brady Tkachuk (+115) – 6G in L6, 9G in L14 Saturday games
Jonathan Marchessault (+155) – G in L2, 10G in L10 games, G in 4 of L5 home games
Alex Ovechkin (+130) – G in L6, G in L3 road games, G & A vs. Habs this season,

AGS Parlay Odds: +2548

Make sure to check out our other best bets for Saturday:

Luke Monaldo is a featured writer at BettingPros. Follow him on Twitter @MoKnowsSports and Discord @alydar1227 AKA The GIFTing Crooner. For more from Luke, check out his archive.

Navigate