Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski should continue breakout into this season with red hot offense getting healthier.

As the NHL season approaches, we are once again turning our attention to regular season player props, just like we did last year when we uncovered tremendous value across the board. From Mitch Marner, Mark Scheifele, Wyatt Johnston, Rasmus Dahlin, Teuvo Teravainen and Connor Hellebuyck, who not only hit the over on wins but also won the Vezina, our picks consistently delivered strong results.

Why Mitch Marner Could Hit New Heights with the Golden Knights Superstar winger Mitch Marner sees a similar situation in Vegas with star linemates and a top-five offense, which should help him hit the over on his season point total.

One of our biggest wins came with Connor McDavid. Despite being the league’s most electric player, sportsbooks curiously priced him as a pure goal scorer, setting his total at a staggering 51.5 goals. However, with only one season above 44 goals in his previous nine, we confidently took the under and it paid off. This kind of edge came from digging deeper than surface-level stats and recognizing long-term trends and context that the sportsbooks often overlook.

One team that almost no one expected to do well last season was the Columbus Blue Jackets and with their success came the breakout season of defenseman Zach Werenski. The 28-year-old Michigan native recorded 23 goals and 59 assists for 82 points along with a +12 rating through 81 games played and has an over/under set at 68.5 points for next season. 

The biggest contributor to Werenski's breakout was the offense as they saw their numbers hit new heights with a 3.26 goals per game average compared to their 2.85 average the season prior. Their offensive numbers had them tied with teams like the Toronto Maple Leafs and ahead of Stanley Cup contenders like the Carolina Hurricanes, Edmonton Oilers and the Florida Panthers. 

The scariest part for the rest of the league is they could get better heading into next season as they added more depth pieces like Charlie Coyle and Miles Wood from the Colorado Avalanche. They will also get back more help on offense with Sean Mohanan, Boone Jenner, Yegor Chinakhov and Cole Sillinger all returning to the lineup after missing time with injuries. 

Even without the increase in the Blue Jackets lineup, Werenski was on pace to hit 66 points the season prior to the offense's breakout last season and should signal that he has entered into the upper echelon of NHL defensemen and could become a regular 75-80 point blueliner with the Blue Jackets stock rising as their young players on offense continue to mature. As long as he doesn't get injuried, Werenski should be able to easily surpass his point total.

Expect Jesper Bratt and Returning Star Center to Elevate Devils’ Offense Devils winger Jesper Bratt offers strong value again this season, having surpassed the 82.5-point line in each of the past two years.