Top Shelf Picks: Best NHL Bets and Props Today (Panthers Will Even Series vs. Maple Leafs)

Iain MacMillan | May 11, 2025

The Panthers are favored to tie the series against the Maple Leafs on Sunday night. / Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Sunday's NHL Playoff action will feature a couple of pivotal matchups.

The Toronto Maple Leafs had a chance to extend their series lead to 3-0 against the Florida Panthers, but fell short in overtime. Now, the Panthers can even up the series at 2-2 on their home ice tonight. In the Western Conference, the Jets and Stars find themselves tied at 1-1, meaning the winner of tonight's Game 3 will take a 2-1 lead.

Let's dive into my best bets for tonight's slate of games.

Best NHL Bets Today

• Stars (-154) vs. Jets via FanDuel
• Panthers -184 vs. Maple Leafs via FanDuel
• Carter Vergaeghe Anytime Goal (+225) via DraftKings

Jets vs. Stars Game 3 Prediction

The Stars have been the better team during 5-on-5 play in this series, sporting a CORSI% of 55.52% and an expected goal differential of +0.87 per 60 minutes of 5-on-5 play. Jake Oettinger will need to step up for them to take over this series, but they're in a good spot with this series heading to Dallas for Game 4.

Even with Connor Hellebuyck recording a shutout in Game 2, I'm not sold on him being treated as his regular-season self in the playoffs. His playoff woes have gone on for too long for me to look past them after a single game. Road games have been where his worst performances have occurred in playoff games over the past three years, so I wouldn't be surprised if those demons haunt him in Game 3. I'll back the Stars as home favorites.

Pick: Stars -154

Maple Leafs vs. Panthers Game 4 Prediction

I couldn't get behind the Panthers as favorites of around -250 in Game 3, but now with the odds settling down at -184 after the Maple Leafs took them to overtime, now is the time to invest in Florida.

Despite being down in the series, the Panthers have been the better team from a metrics perspective. They have an expected goal differential of +0.77 per 60 minutes through the first three games. Additionally, I have little faith in Joseph Woll, who has looked shaky at times between the pipes. He has stopped fewer than 90% of shots in all three games and was caught out of position more than once in Game 3.

This series will be all tied at 2-2 on Sunday night.

Pick: Panthers -184

Maple Leafs vs. Panthers Game 4 Prop Bet

Carter Vergaeghe ranks seventh in the NHL Playoffs and first on the Panthers in expected goals at 4.2. He scored his third goal of the postseason on Friday night, and now he gets to continue to face Woll, who, as I wrote above, has shown flashes of being uncomfortable in the net.

Despite all that, he's just fourth on the odds list for the Panthers to score a goal on Sunday at +225. There's plenty of value at that price point.

Pick: Carter Verhaeghe Anytime Goal +225

---

Create a new FanDuel Sportsbook account, and you can get $200 in bonus bets if you win your first $5 wager. Download the FanDuel app and deposit a minimum of $5 to claim your new-user bonus today.

If you’re located in AZ, CO, KS, NC, or TN, you can bet $5 and get a $200 bonus regardless of the outcome of your initial wager.

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

You can check out all of Iain's bets here!