NHL player props for Stanley Cup Playoffs: Evan Bouchard among Thursday’s best bets

The Edmonton Oilers attempt to set up another rematch from last year’s postseason when they visit the Dallas Stars on Thursday for Game 5 of the 2025 Western Conference Final. Edmonton, which defeated Dallas in six games in the 2024 conference final, own a 3-1 lead over the Stars this time around after posting a 4-1 victory at home in Game 4. The Oilers, who also beat the Los Angeles Kings in the first round for the fourth consecutive postseason, are one win away from having the opportunity to avenge their seven-game loss to the Florida Panthers in the 2024 Stanley Cup Final.

Leon Draisaitl and Corey Perry each recorded a goal and an assist in Tuesday’s triumph, with the latter’s tally at 9:20 of the second period snapping a 1-1 tie. The 40-year-old Perry is hoping to reach the Stanley Cup Final for the sixth time in his career and fifth in the last six years. Perry has lost in the Final four of the last five postseasons with four different teams.

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and superstar Connor McDavid, who were first-overall draft picks of the Oilers in 2011 and 2015, respectively, both registered a pair of assists in Game 4. McDavid leads the NHL with eight multi-point performances this postseason, one more than teammates Draisaitl and Evan Bouchard, while Nugent-Hopkins notched at least two points in each of the first four games of the conference final.

Dallas’ lone goal on Tuesday was scored by Jason Robertson, who has netted both of the team’s tallies over the last three games of the series. The Stars are looking to avoid losing in the conference final for the third consecutive postseason.

Edmonton will be without Zach Hyman, who exited Game 4 with an upper-body injury. The 32-year-old left wing, who has registered five goals and six assists in these playoffs, underwent surgery Wednesday and likely will miss the rest of the postseason.

Here are some players with value to consider when making NHL player prop bets for Game 5 of the Western Conference Final.

Evan Bouchard, Oilers: 1+ assist (+100, DraftKings)

Bouchard leads all defensemen with 11 assists this postseason and has notched three in the conference final thus far. Including the regular season, the 25-year-old has registered six assists in seven games against the Stars in 2024-25. Bouchard was kept off the scoresheet in Game 4, but he’s helped set up six goals over his last seven contests.

Connor McDavid, Oilers: 2+ points (+114, FanDuel)

Dallas has been unable to contain McDavid, as the 2024 Conn Smythe Trophy winner has recorded multi-point performances in three of the first four games of the series. The 28-year-old is first in the league with 24 points, one more than Draisaitl, and has been kept off the scoresheet just twice in 15 contests this postseason. McDavid has yet to register three straight multi-point efforts in these playoffs, but I like him to post his eighth in 11 career postseason games against the Stars.

Miro Heiskanen, Stars: 1+ point (+110, DraftKings)

Heiskanen has gone three straight playoff games without a point for just the fourth time in his career and first since a three-game drought that bridged the 2020 and 2022 postseasons. The 25-year-old Finnish defenseman was kept off the scoresheet in four consecutive contests only three times this past regular season. Prior to his current drought, during which Dallas has scored a total of two goals, Heiskanen landed on the scoresheet in six of nine playoff games. Since the Stars’ backs are against the wall, I expect them to be firing the puck at Stuart Skinner quite often, and I like Heiskanen to be involved in the offensive charge.

Evander Kane, Oilers: Anytime goal scorer (+375, bet365)

After missing the entire regular season due to numerous injuries, Kane scored twice in each of the Oilers’ first two playoff series. The 33-year-old left wing has gone five straight games without a goal, however, and failed to tally in Edmonton’s six-game triumph over Dallas in last year’s conference final. But Kane has scored 11 goals in 25 career regular-season contests against the Stars, and with Hyman out of the lineup, the Oilers will be looking for someone to step up and fill the void. I think that someone could be Kane.

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