Wednesday Wagers: Should you target a Crosby-McDavid parlay?

Gene Principe sits down with Connor McDavid to discuss matching up against fellow superstar Sidney Crosby. The two square-off on Wednesday as the Pittsburgh Penguins visit the Edmonton Oilers.

Scotiabank Wednesday Night Hockey this week has four Canadian NHL teams in action, including one matchup between two of the hottest teams in the league and another featuring Canada’s top two hockey superstars.

The Toronto Maple Leafs, winners in nine of their past 10, host the streaking Colorado Avalanche; the Vancouver Canucks visit the Ottawa Senators in the night’s only all-Canadian matchup; and the first of two late game sees Sidney Crosby’s Pittsburgh Penguins visit Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers.

All games involving Canadian teams are available to watch on various Sportsnet channels, while Flyers-Rangers, Kraken-Red Wings and Golden Knights-Ducks are all available on SN NOW Premium.

Here are a few player prop bets to consider for Wednesday’s slate of games:

Several superstar parlay options with Sid and Connor

The “superstar parlay” from last week’s Wednesday Wagers hit when McDavid and Auston Matthews both notched goals, so we’ll try another one. With the anticipated McDavid-Crosby head-to-head battle, we’ve got a great same-game superstar parlay opportunity to ponder.

McDavid’s anytime point odds are incredibly chalky at -500, nearly twice as long as Crosby’s -225 odds to record at least one point. Even on a parlay, you’re not getting plus-odds, however if you’re unconcerned McDavid might go scoreless then, essentially, you’re just lowering the odds on a Crosby-anytime point bet.

The value on a Crosby-McDavid parlay starts appearing when you target a specific scoring method. For example, an anytime assist parlay could net you around +167 with McDavid’s anytime assist odds -250 and Crosby’s floating around -110.

McDavid has seven assists in eight career games facing Pittsburgh and Crosby has 15 assists in 17 games against Edmonton, so the assist parlay should be in play Wednesday night.

If you think both superstars can light the lamp, then there’s additional value to be had on the goal markets. McDavid’s goal odds are +110 despite only having three career goals against Pittsburgh. Meanwhile, the Penguins captain has just four goals and a career 7.4 per cent shooting percentage against the Oilers (his second-worst shooting percentage against any team). Crosby’s goal odds are +160 and a parlay with McDavid also scoring would net you better than a +445 payout. McDavid and Crosby have scored in the same game once: in 2018 in a 6-5 Penguins OT win when Crosby notched the game-winner.

Kadri returns to Toronto a leading scorer

Nazem Kadri has burned the Maple Leafs in the past thanks to undisciplined playoff hits resulting in costly suspensions, but on Wednesday he’ll aim to burn his former team on the scoresheet.

The centre, drafted seventh overall by Toronto in 2009, has 23 points in his past 12 games and sits fourth in league scoring behind Edmonton’s dynamic duo and Alex Ovechkin of the Capitals.

The Maple Leafs, 14-2-0 in their past 16, allowed more than two goals against in just two games in November, so points might not be easy to come by for the Avs on Wednesday.

Kadri played Toronto twice in 2019-20, recording two assists in a home loss and then going pointless in a road win. Oddsmakers are siding with Kadri adding to his point total with -145 anytime point odds while taking under 0.5 points is listed as a +110 underdog.

BARGAIN HUNTING

Here are a few players in tonight’s action laying promising goal odds to keep an eye on:

Dylan Larkin to score vs. Kraken +200: The Red Wings forward is on pace for his first point-per-game season and had a seven-game point streak snapped Tuesday, so he’ll be eager to begin a new one. Seattle has won four of five but they’ve allowed the fourth-most goals against this season, so Larkin’s multi-point game odds of +350 are also a tempting price.

J.T. Miller to score vs. Senators +250: The talented centre hasn’t scored in eight games and this feels like a good spot for him to end his slump at favourable odds. Historically, Miller is a slightly more efficient goal scorer on the road, so that provides a slight boost in confidence for this pick.

Artemi Panarin multiple goals vs. Flyers +900: Panarin has five points in his past three games, and after his fiery exchange with Brad Marchand earlier this week, look for the Russian star to have an extra pep in his step. His anytime goal odds are +180. If you’re considering tossing a small wager on Panarin to earn his first multi-goal game of the season at +900, a Panarin hat trick carries +4900 odds. Mind you, Panarin hasn’t scored a hat trick in almost two full years, so the overwhelming odds are justified.

All listed betting odds via Bodog as of Wednesday afternoon.

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