Over the next few hours, legions of fans will pile into the Lenovo Center in Raleigh as teams make their final preparations and players get warmed up for the biggest game of the season thus far. The Carolina Hurricanes host the Vegas Golden Knights for Game 1 of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final tonight, with puck drop scheduled for 8 p.m. ET.
Below, we’ll take a look at the best NHL player prop bets on DraftKings Sportsbook for the playoff action on Tuesday night.
For up-to-date NHL betting information and data, check out the DraftKings Sportsbook betting splits and player props pages!
Best NHL player prop bets for Stanley Cup Final Game 1
Logan Stankoven over 2.5 shots on goal (-120)
If it feels like we’ve run this prop bet over and over during the Stanley Cup Playoffs, well, it’s because we have! The over on shots on goal for Logan Stankoven is the gift that keeps on giving, especially since he seems to have once again recaptured some momentum after a brief lull in production. The Hurricanes’ young center has seen heavy minutes on the second line alongside Jackson Blake and Taylor Hall, a grouping that’s become the team’s most productive in the postseason. Stankoven himself has a grand total of nine goals, second most of any skater in the postseason field. He’s accomplished that thanks to an aggressive style of play that has him leading Carolina in shots on goal with 46 during this playoff run, good for an average of 3.54 per game. The 23-year-old has surpassed all expectations with his 5-foot-8 frame and plays way above his size. After logging over 2.5 shots on goal in eight of his 13 appearances so far, I love getting him to do it again at -120 odds. For added value, consider a ladder play of 4+ shots on goal at +195 value, which he’s hit in seven appearances.
Mark Stone 1+ assists (+130)
Golden Knights captain Mark Stone missed five games during the Stanley Cup Playoffs but has seemed just fine since coming back in Game 3 of the Western Conference Final. He notched a goal and an assist in two games, bringing his total to 10 points on five goals and five assists across 11 postseason games. The veteran likely remains on the third forward line barring an unforeseen change, but he’s been productive all year when healthy with 73 points — including 45 assists — in 60 games across the regular season. Stone makes things happen when he’s on the ice and remains a standout contributor, so with nearly 19 minutes of TOI per night in the playoffs, he should be able to notch at least one assist tonight. The plus odds here are nice, but if you want an even more reliable prop for him, consider 1+ points at -130 instead.
