4 Best NHL Bets and Player Props for Tuesday 10/14/25

Whether it's moneylines, goal props, or who lights the lamp, there are plenty of ways to bet on NHL action all season. It's a long 82-game campaign, meaning that the best selections of each night can be very different based on backup goalies coming into play, injuries that add up, and if teams are due for positive or negative swings.

For additional NHL insights, check out FanDuel Research's daily NHL player prop projections, which are powered by numberFire.

Let's dive into the best bets for tonight.

Note: Lines are subject to change throughout the day after this article is published. All NHL betting odds and totals are from the NHL odds at FanDuel Sportsbook. All advanced statistics are used from MoneyPuck.com and NaturalStatTrick.com. Lineup notes come from Daily Faceoff.

Today's Best NHL Bets and Player Props

Edmonton Oilers at New York Rangers

Leon Draisaitl Anytime Goal (+110)

Igor Shesterkin might not quite ace this step up in competition.

The star goaltender has shined to allowed just a 0.67 GAA in three starts, but they all came against the Buffalo Sabres and Pittsburgh Penguins. A clean sheet against the Western Conference champion Edmonton Oilers, who rank fifth in expected goals (xG) per 60 minutes on the young season (4.16), are an entirely different story. The New York Rangers rank 17th in xG allowed per 60 (3.15) as a team-level defense.

That includes Leon Draisaitl. Draisaitl has a goal in both of Edmonton's tilts thus far behind eight shots on goal. He might be trying to make a run at the Rocket Richard Trophy, per a hefty time-on-ice average (24:55 TOI) in his usual sniper role on the Oil's top powerplay.

FanDuel Research's NHL player prop projections expect 0.70 median goals from Draisaitl tonight, implying closer to -101 odds for one. If he extends his scoring streak to three and beyond, we might not find the All-Star at plus odds very often this season.

Tampa Bay Lightning at Washington Capitals

Capitals Moneyline (-115)

Momentum is a real thing in hockey, and the Washington Capitals have zoomed out of the gate with it.

They blanked the aforementioned Rangers on Sunday to move to 2-1 on the year, and they outplayed the Boston Bruins in their opener short of a Jeremy Swayman masterclass. Overall, Washington ranks fifth in expected-goals-for rate (58.1 xGF%) despite stiff Atlantic Division competition in all three games.

Meanwhile, the Tampa Bay Lightning haven't woken up yet in their three games. They're in the league's bottom five with a 44.5 xGF%, and former Vezina-winning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy has struggled with the skaters to post -1.40 goals saved above expectation per 60 (GSAx/60). Washington's Logan Thompson (0.86 GSAx/60) has fared much, much better.

Tampa Bay won 4-3 during a sloppy affair in Boston on Monday between backup netminders, but on the back-to-back, Vasilevskiy's struggles return to the net when the Caps have a rest edge, having not playing since Sunday. The price should be wider than a near pick 'em.

Vegas Golden Knights at Calgary Flames

Under 5.5 Goals (+104)

Handicapping this total is a bit ambiguous, but I tend to trust these offenses to be poor more than two solid goaltenders from last season continuing to struggle.

The Calgary Flames are a bottom-eight team in xG per 60 (2.84) again after an offseason of adding minimal help to its scoring unit. The same can't be said for the Vegas Golden Knights, who exchanged Nicolas Roy for Mitchell Marner in a mega deal, but the pass-first winger and Jack Eichel haven't found perfect chemistry yet when Vegas joins Calgary in the bottom eight at 2.54 xG per 60 thus far.

In terms of GSAx per 60, both Vegas' Adin Hill (0.30) and Calgary's Dustin Wolf (0.22) were top-25 netminders last year. They've struggled in terms of actual results -- GAAs north of 3.20 -- in 2025-26, but can one stand on their head against a weak offense? Definitely. I wouldn't rule out Wolf, who had a stellar .921 save rate (SV%) at home last year, being that guy.

These teams are a combined 5-1 to the over with such poor offensive play. This line seems like an overreaction to those early results.

Carolina Hurricanes at San Jose Sharks

Logan Stankoven Over 2.5 Shots on Goal (+116)

The Bay Area's infamous hamster wheel to nowhere means the San Jose Sharks' defense hasn't improved. We can live here for props again.

San Jose once again sits second-worst in the NHL in Corsi allowed per 60 minutes (72.2), allowing a staggering 36.3 shots on goal per game that also ranks 31st across the league. By and large, this defense hasn't improved quite literally an ounce.

At 77.0 Corsi per 60 this year (second in the NHL) after leading the league last season, we know the Carolina Hurricanes' offense peppers the net. They might have underperformed to "only" post 57 shots on goal in two games with San Jose last year in two games. Either way, I like Logan Stankoven's shots prop when Stankoven, 22, enters with a quality TOI average (16:44) that might be primed to increase if the Canes, as -260 moneyline favorites, are in control of this one late.

He's been right on the hook in two games this season at exactly two shots on goal in each game. Those matchups with Philadelphia and New Jersey weren't nearly this friendly, though.

Our projections expect exactly 3.00 median shots on net from the winger tonight, implying closer to -136 odds on at least three. The fact a blowout would help the youngster's role might not be factored into this line quite enough.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.