3 NHL Best Bets and Player Props for Friday 4/3/26

Whether it's moneylines, goal props, or who lights the lamp, there are plenty of ways to bet on NHL action all season. It's a long 82-game campaign, meaning that the best selections of each night can be very different based on backup goalies coming into play, injuries that add up, and if teams are due for positive or negative swings.

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Let's dive into the best bets for tonight.

NHL odds come from FanDuel Sportsbook and may change after this article is published.

Today's Best NHL Betting Picks and Props

Friday’s NHL slate is just two games — Flyers at Islanders and Blues at Ducks — which makes it a good night to be selective.

The strongest betting angles come from three places: playoff urgency, current team form and goalie reliability. The Flyers and Islanders are separated by only three points in the Metro race, while the Ducks have a much stronger season record than the Blues even though St. Louis handled Anaheim recently.

Islanders Moneyline vs. Flyers

This is my favorite side on the early game. The Islanders are 42-29-5, the Flyers are 37-26-12, and FanDuel lists New York at -146 for Friday’s matchup. Philadelphia has lost back-to-back games entering this one, while New York is still clinging to a playoff spot despite a rough week.

The biggest reason to back New York is still Ilya Sorokin. He already blanked Philadelphia in the most recent meeting, a 4-0 Islanders win on January 26, making 21 saves for his NHL-leading sixth shutout at the time. Even with the Islanders’ defensive coverage slipping recently, Sorokin has remained central to their playoff push and has been mentioned as a legitimate Vezina-level performer this season.

Philadelphia has some quality offensive pieces, but the overall profile is less convincing than the standings race might suggest. The Flyers average only 2.84 goals per game, rank 32nd on the power play at 15.3%, and are heavily dependent on Travis Konecny, who leads them with 27 goals, 39 assists, and 66 points. New York’s defensive issues are real, but against a team with a bottom-tier power play and one main offensive driver, I’m more comfortable siding with the home goalie edge.

Flyers-Islanders Under 5.5 Goals

This is the best total on the board. The Islanders just beat the Flyers 4-0 in the last meeting, and this game has all the markings of another low-event playoff-style matchup. New York’s biggest current issue is defensive structure in front of Sorokin, but Philadelphia is not built to punish mistakes efficiently enough, especially with that weak power play.

The Flyers’ own team profile supports the under as well. They score 2.84 per game and allow 3.00, numbers that point more toward 3-2 hockey than a shootout. New York also just played consecutive high-stress games against Pittsburgh and Buffalo, so there is a strong chance this one tightens up early instead of opening into a track meet.

If this game follows the expected script, it should be decided by goaltending and one or two finishing chances from top-six forwards rather than pure volume. The playoff implications only strengthen that case.

Ducks Moneyline vs. Blues

This is the trickier side because St. Louis has been playing better lately, but I still lean Anaheim. The Ducks are 41-29-5 and 1st in the Pacific, while the Blues are 31-31-12. Anaheim has the better season-long résumé, the home ice, and the more dangerous top-end scoring profile.

Anaheim’s offensive leaders are easier to trust in this matchup. Cutter Gauthier leads the Ducks with 38 goals and 65 points, while Leo Carlsson has 24 goals and 61 points. As a team, Anaheim is scoring 3.25 goals per game, comfortably ahead of Philadelphia’s output and strong enough to pressure a Blues team that has been more middle-of-the-pack all season.

The obvious concern is head-to-head history. St. Louis beat Anaheim 4-0 on March 8, and the Blues had been on a strong post-break run entering this West Coast stretch. But I’m willing to treat that as a useful caution sign rather than a reason to fully fade the better overall team. Over a larger sample, Anaheim’s record and offensive ceiling still make them the more trustworthy side at Honda Center.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.