3 NHL Goal Scorer Props to Back on October 9

The NHL season is barely two weeks old and three veteran snipers are already carrying their teams on their sticks. Anytime goal scorer props are one of the most consistently beatable markets in hockey betting when you know which players are actually getting the puck on net at an elevated rate, and right now there’s no shortage of red-hot options to build around.

These three names have combined for nine goals across their first several games, and the underlying shot volume and matchup data suggest the hot starts are more than just puck luck. Here’s the breakdown on three anytime goal scorer plays worth a look tonight, with the numbers to back each one up.

Evgeni Malkin Anytime Goal Scorer (+320)

At 39 years old, Evgeni Malkin is somehow playing some of the best hockey of the back half of his career. He enters tonight with 2 goals and 2 assists through his first four games, and that follows a 2025-26 campaign in which he posted 19 goals and 61 points across 55 games — his first point-per-game season since 2022-23. The chemistry with Pittsburgh’s revamped top-six has been immediate, and he’s still logging nearly 18 minutes a night, including heavy power-play time where he’s already found the scoresheet.

Malkin’s shot volume has been there even in games where the goal hasn’t come — he’s been a reliable source of high-danger looks from the slot and the left circle, his two favorite release points for over two decades. At +320, the market is still pricing him like a complementary piece rather than the engine he’s become again for Pittsburgh’s power play.

The appeal here is pure value. A player averaging a goal every other game or better over his last several outings, and still logging first-unit power-play minutes, shouldn’t be sitting at plus-money this large. Books tend to lag on aging stars who are performing like it’s five years ago, and Malkin’s start says exactly that.

Alex DeBrincat Anytime Goal Scorer Over 0.5 (+140)

Alex DeBrincat just reminded everyone why Detroit extended him after a career year. He scored twice and added an assist in Tuesday’s 5-3 win over Ottawa, bookending the Red Wings’ scoring with his first goals of the new campaign, and he now sits at 4 points on 8 shots on net through three games with a plus-2 rating. That follows a 2025-26 season where he set new career highs across the board with 41 goals and 85 points in 82 games.

The model has DeBrincat’s true probability of finding the net tonight at 46.8%, which makes the +140 price on the board a clear mispriced number — implied probability on that line sits closer to 42%, leaving real edge on the table. He’s scored 2 goals in his last 3 games, a pace that would have him threatening 40-plus again if it holds across a full slate.

What stands out in Detroit’s attack right now is how often DeBrincat is finishing plays set up by Dylan Larkin and the Red Wings’ deeper middle-six — he’s not just feeding off volume, he’s converting on real looks. Four hits, three blocked shots, and nearly 21 minutes a night also show he’s being trusted in all situations, not just sheltered minutes, which only raises his floor for shot volume on any given night.

Kyle Connor Anytime Goal Scorer Over 0.5 (+120 to +140)

No forward in the league has been hotter out of the gate than Kyle Connor. The Winnipeg winger has 5 goals and 2 assists through his first four games, including a two-goal effort in Wednesday’s 3-2 win over Colorado and another multi-point night Sunday against Detroit. He’s racked up 24 shots on net already this season — nearly 6 a game — and he’s converting at a blistering 20.8% clip, well above his career norm.

The model pegs Connor’s anytime goal scorer probability at 45.6%, and he’s found the back of the net in 5 of his first 4 games played (two multi-goal nights already), good for goals in 5-of-4 scoring instances across the sample. That kind of shot volume paired with finishing touch is exactly the profile that beats plus-money goal scorer lines over a full season, not just a hot week. Connor is coming off back-to-back 39-goal seasons, and this start suggests a serious run at 40-plus is squarely in play.

Winnipeg’s power play has also leaned on Connor heavily early, and three of his five goals have come with the man advantage — a role that isn’t going anywhere as the Jets lean on their top unit. At +120 to +140 depending on the book, this is squarely the kind of number sharp bettors jump on before the market corrects.

Today’s Edge

All three of these forwards are doing more than riding puck luck — the shot volume, ice time, and power-play roles all back up the hot starts. Shop around for the best number on each before locking anything in through your DraftKings promo code or preferred book.

• Evgeni Malkin Anytime Goal Scorer OVER 0.5 (+320)
• Alex DeBrincat Anytime Goal Scorer OVER 0.5 (+140)
• Kyle Connor Anytime Goal Scorer OVER 0.5 (+120 to +140)

If forced to single out one, DeBrincat’s modeled 46.8% hit rate against a +140 price offers the cleanest math on the board tonight.