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Welcome back to another edition of the Betway Bets of the Day. All bets are for one unit unless otherwise noted.
It’s draft day! One of the NHL’s most exciting days of the year is here and over the next 24-odd hours, the lives of 224 young men will be forever changed and the fates of 32 franchises could change, too.
Utilizing the latest mock draft done by Daily Faceoff’s Steven Ellis, we’re going to put down a few wagers on players’ draft positions. We have two bets that are favourites and two that are paying well as underdogs.
Our first bet of the day will be taking Gabe Perreault to be taken over 11.5. These odds sit at -118.
Ellis has Perreault mocked to the Detroit Red Wings at 17th overall, so there’s a nice little gap here we can take advantage of.
The Red Wings scouted Perreault significantly in Plymouth this year and would give them one heck of a scoring piece. He’s one of the most offensively gifted players in the draft class, but lacks size and the defensive play of some of his USNTDP teammates. That being said, you don’t score more than 130 points by accident, and I could easily see a team taking a chance on him in the top 10 – including Detroit with their first selection.
Our second bet of the day will be taking Oliver Moore to be taken under 14.5. These odds sit at -118.
Ellis also has Moore mocked to the Red Wings, but has them taking him with their ninth-overall draft pick. Getting Moore at 14.5 allows for some wiggle room in where he’s picked, too.
This just feels like a Stevie Y pick. Moore has a high ceiling, and there isn’t a faster skater in this draft class. He’s an incredible playmaker that plays a nice defensive game, too. There’s no shortage of scouts who think Moore could be the best player on the USNTDP this year. I like Smith’s long-term potential more, but I could see him overtaking Leonard.
Our third bet of the day will be taking Matthew Wood to be taken over 14.5. These odds sit at +220.
Wood is an exceptionally talented player who was one point short of a point per game as a freshman at the University of Connecticut last season. That being said, Ellis has him mocked to the Nashville Predators at 15th overall — the right spot for us to cash this prop.
While the odds makers are favouring him to go earlier, this could be a tight one. Here’s what Ellis wrote of Wood:
A point-per-game average as a freshman on one of the best teams in Hockey East is a solid way to kick off your college career. All he has done at every level is produce points and excel on the power play. Wood has everything it takes to be a highly impactful forward with the Predators.
Our fourth bet of the day will be taking Nate Danielson to be taken under 10.5. These odds sit at +140.
Danielson is considered to be a safe pick in this draft, Ellis wrote, and the odds makers think he’ll be taken right around the 10th or 11th overall spot. But in Ellis’ eyes, Danielson is a great selection for the St. Louis Blues at 10th overall:
Many in the industry seem to think the Blues will target Danielson, a strong two-way center that just can do a ton of things really well. He’s a skilled, play-driving center that with good strength and defensive play. The best word to describe Danielson, though, is “safe,” and that might scare some fans away. I have absolutely no doubt he’ll be an effective NHLer, but there’s definitely guys with higher ceilings – but far less predictability.
Zach Laing is the Nation Network’s news director and senior columnist. He can be followed on Twitter at @zjlaing, or reached by email at zach@oilersnation.com.
