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NHL Draft: Best Bet to Go No. 1 Overall

Montreal Canadiens on the Clock for Top Pick

The NHL Draft is coming up on Thursday and there are all sorts of props up in the sportsbook. There’s no consensus No. 1 pick in the draft, so nobody knows who the Montreal Canadiens are going to take at the top of the board. There are a few options on the board, though, so let’s take a look at the NHL betting odds and see who is the best bet online to go first.

Also check on these NHL betting lines.

NHL Draft: Best Bet to Go No. 1 Overall
Tom Pennington/Getty Images/AFP

Wright Stuff

Odds: -300

At this point in the offseason, it’s hard to imagine the Montreal Canadiens passing up on Shane Wright with the top overall selection. Wright is expected to go first overall and his stats are a wonderful reason as to why.

He scored 94 points, including 32 goals and 62 assists this past season for the Kingston Frontenacs in the Ontario Hockey League. The forward also showed that he can get the job done when playing the center position as well.

Montreal is one of those teams that badly needs playmaking and Wright could bring exactly that to its roster.

In terms of his odds, he looks like a great bet to make. After all, you don’t see a player get labeled as a generational prospect for no reason.

Slafkovsky No. 2?

Odds: +140

If for some random reason the Montreal Canadiens decide to pass up on Wright, Juraj Slafkovsky would be next in line for the top pick. Slafkovsky spent his last season in Liiga, a professional hockey league in Finland.

His regular season wasn’t very eventful, when he scored just 10 total points. However, he really got his name on the map after he participated in the Winter Olympics in 2022.

That competition saw him notch seven goals to spark Slovakia to the bronze medal. He was the No. 1-ranked European skater and could have enough momentum behind him to sway the Canadiens to bypass Wright.

The numbers may not all be there, but his size, speed and skill are what’s pushing him toward the top of the draft boards.

Take action and check amazing Finland Liiga odds!

Cooley Rising

Odds: +2000

Logan Cooley wasn’t even thought of as being in the conversation for the top overall selection a few weeks ago. However, Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes suggested that Montreal was considering drafting Cooley.

Cooley is rated by some as the best two-way center in this upcoming draft class and he was phenomenal during his time in the USA Hockey National Team Development Program. He posted 75 points, including 27 goals and 48 assists, in 51 games.

The downside would be that he isn’t ready to play with Montreal right away. He’s currently slated to play for the University of Minnesota next season. That’s a big reason why he’s a long shot on the NHL odds.

While he has a genuine shot at going first overall, it’s not the best choice for your NHL picks. Wright seems ahead of both Cooley and Slafkovsky.

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