3 Best NHL Bets and Player Props for Tuesday 5/6/25

Even with the Stanley Cup Playoffs now underway, we still have plenty of betting options for the NHL.

On top of your typical moneylines and totals, we can also dabble in the player prop market for things such as shots and goal-scorers.

Which bets stand out across today's playoff action?

Let's dig in and lay out the best bets based on FanDuel Sportsbook's NHL betting odds.

Note: Lines are subject to change throughout the day after this article is published. All NHL betting odds and totals are from the NHL odds at FanDuel Sportsbook. All advanced statistics are used from MoneyPuck.com and NaturalStatTrick.com. Lineup notes come from Daily Faceoff.

Today's Best Stanley Cup Playoff Bets

Carolina Hurricanes vs. Washington Capitals

Hurricanes Moneyline (-137)

Getting to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs has been nothing more than a formality for the Carolina Hurricanes. Carolina advanced to Round 2 for the fifth straight season. However, the Canes have made the Eastern Conference Final just once over that stretch. They are looking to buck that trend against the Washington Capitals.

Both teams employ a similarly stout defensive system. In the opening round, the Hurricanes gave up an average of 9.8 high-danger chances per game, getting trumped by the Caps’ 8.0 quality opportunities per game. With chances being at a premium, the winner of this series will be determined by which team can make the most of its five-on-five chances.

In that regard, we defer to the Hurricanes’ balanced scoring in Game 1. Carolina features a bevy of scoring options throughout its lineup. Eight players lit the lamp in Round 1, highlighting their lineup's unrelenting production from top to bottom. While several unsuspecting Capitals found success early in the postseason, Washington outscored the Montreal Canadiens at five-on-five just once over the series' final three games.

As reflected in the betting price, the Canes are the superior analytics team. Wielding their five-on-five scoring advantage could be the difference in the series opener. At the current price, we see an edge for the visitors in this one.

Edmonton Oilers vs. Vegas Golden Knights

Oilers Moneyline (+110)

The Edmonton Oilers stormed back to vanquish the Los Angeles Kings in Round 1. They will be hoping to avoid the perils of a second-round deficit, coming out of the gates swinging versus the Vegas Golden Knights. The Pacific Division winners struggled to contain a Minnesota Wild attack and face a whole new challenge trying to slow down the Oilers.

Vegas’ defensive structure and goaltending were lacking in the opening round. They gave up a combined 30 high-danger chances over the series' final three games, allowing the Wild to eclipse double-digits in three of the six games throughout the series. More concerningly, the Knights gave up a concerning number of goals at five-on-five, outscoring their Central Division counterparts just once across the six games.

It’s no secret that the Oilers’ playoff hopes lie in their offensive attack. Their Stanley Cup aspirations rise when they get the type of balanced scoring they saw against the Kings. In a decisive Game 6, all six goals came from different players not named Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. Further, this is a team that averaged 13.2 high-danger chances per game, while going north of 10 in all but one of those contests.

The over in this matchup is tantalizing, but we can’t overlook the value on the Oilers. At plus-money, we see an edge in backing the Oilers to prevail in Game 1.

Evander Kane Any Time Goal Scorer (+310)

One player who didn’t find his way onto the scoresheet in the Oilers’ six-goal outburst in Game 6 was Evander Kane. Still, his performance in Round 1 supports that he’s in mid-season form. The analytics suggest that Kane is a prime progression candidate heading into the second round.

Edmonton slowly took the blinders off Kane versus the Kings. In Game 2, his first outing of the season, Kane played a little over 13 minutes, following that up with 14 more in the third contest. Then, over the series' final three games, the Oilers winger averaged 19:20 minutes per game. More importantly, we saw a corresponding increase in his production as the series progressed.

After recording just one shot on goal in Game 2, Kane would go on to tally 14 shots across the final four contests. By the end of the series, he was up to 10.4 scoring and 6.0 high-danger chances per game. Despite this surge in production, Kane remains below his expected goals-for total with a diminished shooting percentage. Moreover, he starts 73.9% of his shifts in the attacking zone.

All signs point toward increased output from Kane versus the Golden Knights. The former 30-goal scorer found his scoring touch over the latter part of the first-round series and should see a surge in scoring in Round 2. Kane is one of the top value candidates in the anytime goal scorer market on Tuesday.

You can also check out our latest 2025 NHL Playoffs printable bracket, which includes the seeding and matchups for each conference.

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