Check out our NHL anytime goalscorer picks for the stacked 12-game hockey slate on Thursday night.
Our hockey experts have identified five players from four different games who have big potential for to score a goal tonight. You can tail their best bets and watch all of the action on ESPN+ beginning at 7 p.m. ET (4 p.m. PT).
For newer NHL bettors, a bet on an anytime goal is pretty simple: If your player scores a goal at any point during the game, you win. Because these bets often come with juicy odds, they're a favorite among NHL bettors.
Hockey fans can also bet on which player will score the first and the last goal of a game. However, for this feature, we're focused solely on anytime goals.
Check out all of the anytime goalscorer picks for tonight's NHL lineup below.
(Bet on all of tonight's anytime goalscorer picks with our FanDuel promo code!)
NHL Best Bets – Anytime Goalscorers
The team logos in the table below represent each of the matchups that our NHL betting staff is targeting from today's slate of games. Click on the team logos for any of the matchups below to navigate to a specific bet discussed in this article.
| Game | Time (ET) | Goalscorer Pick |
|---|---|---|
  | 7 p.m. | |
  | 7 p.m. | |
| 7 p.m. | |
  | 7 p.m. | |
  | 10 p.m. | |
Specific betting recommendations come from the sportsbook offering preferred odds as of writing. Always shop for the best price using our NHL Odds page, which automatically surfaces the best lines for every game. | ||
Lightning vs. Blue Jackets
By Grant White
The Columbus Blue Jackets are looking to pump the breaks on a four-game losing skid Thursday night against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
The Jackets have been let down by limited offensive output, but it hasn't been from a lack of effort. One player in particular who is due for a breakout is center Jack Roslovic.
Roslovic has some of the best analytics on the team. The former first-round pick ranks second on the Blue Jackets in expected goals-for rating, creating the fifth-most scoring and third-most high-danger chances at 5-on-5. Factoring in his time on the power play, Roslovic's production metrics look even better.
Despite the analytics success, Roslovic is still operating below his normal shooting percentage. His 10.0% benchmark is below his career mark of 12.4%, dragging his PDO down to .958.
Altogether, Roslovic is an ideal progression candidate and worth backing at +300 or better in the anytime goalscorers market.
Anytime Goalscorer Pick: Jack Roslovic (+370)
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Panthers vs. Red Wings
Despite their strong record, the Red Wings have actually defended quite poorly this season. They have allowed 3.72 expected goals against per 60, which is not necessarily surprising as their back end does not grade out overly well on paper.
Now the Wings will face a potent Panthers offense, and they have decided to start to backup netminder James Reimer. That makes this a great spot to pick some Panthers goalscorers since the Panthers hold one of the highest projected team totals on the slate.
Florida's second line of Matthew Tkachuk, Carter Verhaeghe and Anton Lundell could do some serious damage at even strength tonight. If you are going to call it a second line, they could prove to be one of the more productive units in the league this season.
Anton Lundell has struggled to produce thus far and is most known for his strong two-way play down the middle. Even still, he has some meaningful offensive upside as we saw when he produced 18 goals in 65 games as a rookie.
At +47O I'm happy to take a shot on buying low with Lundell breaking through in a great matchup for productivity.
Anytime Goalscorer Pick: Anton Lundell (+500)
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Panthers vs. Red Wings
By Tony Sartori
Goaltender James Reimer is slated to take the crease for Detroit and should be a good fade candidate. Simply put, Reimer is not an elite goaltender, and his .939 SV% and 1.38 GAA are going to come back to reality sooner rather than later.
This expected regression likely comes against Florida, a fast-paced team that can light the lamp against anyone. It certainly won't help Reimer's case that the Wings rank 20th in the league in expected goals against per 60 minutes (xGA/60) at 5-on-5.
If we're going to back a member of the Panthers, then Eetu Luostarinen is a good candidate to take a shot on at +440 via FanDuel. He's been snakebitten thus far in terms of scoring, with just one assist and zero goals through eight games.
However, the opportunities have been there, especially over the past four games. Luostarinen has now generated 1.2 expected goals, which leads the team in terms of differential between expected and actual.
Skating alongside Anton Lundell and Nick Cousins on the third line while also working with the second power-play unit, Luostarinen will have opportunities.
Detroit also takes more than 10 penalty minutes per game and owns an 81.1% penalty kill. Those are fine stats, but not great by any means.
Anytime Goalscorer Pick: Eetu Luostarinen (+410)
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Islanders vs. Capitals
By Ryan Dadoun
Mathew Barzal has never been much of a goalscorer with his career-high still being 22 markers, set in his 2017-18 rookie campaign. This season, though, something’s changed.
He’s always had a pass-first mentality, but this year Barzal has been averaging 3.88 shots per game. Not only would that be a career-high if maintained for the rest of the campaign, but it would completely shatter his previous personal best of 2.51 while also being leagues above his career average of 2.30.
They’ve been good shots too with six of them being high-danger unblocked shot attempts, per Moneypuck. For context, he had just 11 in the entirety of 2022-23. At the same time, his shot has gotten harder, from an average speed of 36.8 mph in 2021-22 to 51.6 last season and now 58.0 this year.
You probably wouldn’t have guessed all that just by looking at the end result. Through eight contests, he has only one goal, but if he keeps playing like this, then the goals will come. That’s why I can see him breaking through tonight against Washington.
Anytime Goalscorer Pick: Mathew Barzal (+270)
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Jets vs. Golden Knights
By Greg Liodice
Ever since coming to Winnipeg at the trade deadline, Nino Niederreiter has been a big part of what the Jets are trying to accomplish.
Not only does he serve as a critical net-front presence, but he finds himself in the right position at all times to create scoring opportunities. It seems like Niederreiter has carved out an important role with this team, and Winnipeg fans are taking kindly to him.
Currently, he sits on the third line with captain Adam Lowry and Mason Appleton. That line has been dynamic so far as both Lowry and Niederreiter have six points, and Appleton has seven.
Not only that, Niederreiter is on the second power-play line with Vladislav Namestnikov and Nikolaj Ehlers. I personally love Ehlers’ game, and his speed creates a ton of opportunities, especially for net-front guys like Nino.
Analytically, Niederreiter is near the top of all the important metrics. He’s second on the team in expected goals (60.81 xGF%), fourth in scoring chances for (65.31 SCF%), and has generated the most high-danger chances out of all forwards (3 per game).
Granted, the opponent at hand isn’t an easy task; the Vegas Golden Knights have yet to lose in regulation. However, their expected goals against per 60 minutes is underwhelming, standing at 2.78.
I’m not saying Winnipeg will win this game, but there’s a strong chance that Niederreiter can pot a goal tonight, and at +290, I’m taking that chance.
Anytime Goalscorer Pick: Nino Niederreiter (+290)
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