3 Best NHL Bets Today 4/28/26: Playoff Picks, Predictions and Bets for Every Game

Top NHL Picks at a Glance

• Sabres Moneyline
• Stars Moneyline
• Oilers-Ducks Under 6.5

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.

For additional NHL insights, check out FanDuel Research's daily NHL player prop projections, which are powered by numberFire.

Let's dive into the best bets for tonight.

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

NHL Best Bets, Picks and Predictions

Boston Bruins at Buffalo Sabres -- Sabres Moneyline

The Buffalo Sabres are one win from completing one of the most emotionally significant series victories in recent franchise history. These Sabres — back in the playoffs for the first time in 15 years — have won three of four games, including a dominant 6-1 demolition of the Boston Bruins at TD Garden in Game 4 that left no doubt about which team is playing the better hockey. In Game 4, Buffalo drove a 61.9 percent Corsi For percentage at five-on-five and generated an eye-popping 68.4 percent of the expected goals when adjusted for score and venue. They did not just beat Boston. They dominated them structurally.

The star power in this series has been firmly on Buffalo's side. Tage Thompson — who has 13 points in 10 career games against the Bruins — has been the series' most impactful forward, and defenseman Rasmus Dahlin has been everything asked of a Norris Trophy candidate captain in his team's first postseason in a decade and a half. Goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen has been sharp throughout, and his counterpart Jeremy Swayman — while one of the better goalies in the league this season — was beaten six times in Game 4 on a night when Boston's defensive structure completely broke down.

The situational factors favor Buffalo heavily for Tuesday. KeyBank Center has been a fortress throughout this playoff run. The Sabres are 4-1 in their last five home games heading into Game 5, and an atmosphere playing for a series-clinching win in front of a city that has waited 15 years for this moment will be unlike anything this building has produced in the modern era. Buffalo was 26-10-4 at home during the regular season. Boston, meanwhile, went 16-16-9 on the road and has been particularly poor away from TD Garden down the stretch of the regular season.

The Bruins, to their credit, won Game 2 convincingly and have shown they can compete in this series. Morgan Geekie ended a 17-game scoring drought with a hat trick against Carolina in early April and has five goals in his last four games. David Pastrnak remains capable of changing a game by himself. But Boston's power play, which ranked 28th in the NHL since the Olympic break, has been neutralized by Buffalo's fourth-ranked penalty kill — and special teams has been the decisive factor in two of the four games.

This game has all the hallmarks of a closing-out environment: home team, emotional crowd, dominant five-on-five play, and a visiting team that has been structurally outplayed in three of four games.

Minnesota Wild at Dallas Stars -- Stars Moneyline

This series has been a tactical chess match unlike anything else in the first round. The pattern is striking: Game 1 was a Minnesota Wild blowout (6-1). Game 2 went decisively to the Dallas Stars (4-2). Game 3 was decided in double overtime after Dallas came back from 2-0 down. Game 4 was decided in overtime after Minnesota rallied from down 2-0. Every game has gone to the home team, and every swing game has produced dramatic late-game momentum shifts. Now the series returns to American Airlines Center for a decisive Game 5 with the home team holding a 4-0 record in this matchup.

The Dallas advantage heading into Tuesday centers on two things: special teams and goaltending. Jake Oettinger has been outstanding throughout this series, posting a .909 save percentage while allowing opponents an average of 3.1 scoring chances per game. His ability to make elite saves in high-danger situations has been the single biggest reason Dallas has remained competitive against one of the best offensive teams in the NHL. On the other side of the ice, Filip Gustavsson has been even better at .941 — but the pattern in this series is that offense eventually breaks through against both goalies, and the more lethal power play has been decisive.

Dallas has the superior power play in this series. Wyatt Johnston has scored in four of his last five home games following two days of rest, leads all players in scoring chances this series, and has been the most consistent performer in a Stars lineup that also features Jason Robertson, Mikko Rantanen, and Miro Heiskanen. Robertson was held scoreless in Game 4 and has just one goal in the last three games — a player of his caliber is due for a breakout performance in a swing game at home.

Minnesota's concern is Kirill Kaprizov. The Wild's franchise centerpiece has just one goal and zero assists through four series games, held in check by Dallas's aggressive defensive shadowing scheme. He has managed only six shots across the four games — far below his 3.9 per-game regular-season average. A Kaprizov who cannot generate his normal volume of offense is a significantly diminished Wild team. Matt Boldy has been the one Minnesota bright spot with consistent shot generation, but he needs Kaprizov to open lanes. Until the Russian breaks through, Minnesota is fighting uphill at both ends of the ice.

The home-team pattern in this series is the dominant handicapping factor for Game 5. Dallas at home has been a completely different team than the Stars on the road, and with Robertson due for a big performance and Oettinger's consistent playoff form, the Stars are defensible.

Anaheim Ducks at Edmonton Oilers -- Under 6.5

The most stunning series in the Western Conference first round has the Anaheim Ducks — who finished 43-33-6 in the regular season and were large series underdogs before the puck dropped — standing one win from eliminating the two-time defending Stanley Cup finalists. Anaheim won back-to-back road games in Edmonton and then won Game 4 on home ice in overtime to complete a stunning three-game run that has put this franchise within reach of one of the all-time playoff upsets.

The series has been defined by high-scoring, defensively chaotic hockey. The over has hit in all four games, with the series averaging 8.75 combined goals per game. Cutter Gauthier has been the story of the series, scoring twice in Game 2 including the series-turning go-ahead goal, and Mikael Granlund posted four points in Game 3. Lukas Dostal — Anaheim's goaltender making his playoff debut — posted an .874 save percentage through the first three games and has been asked to simply stop enough to give his team a chance, which he has done. The Ducks have averaged 5.25 goals per game across their three victories and their offense has been relentlessly effective against an Edmonton defensive structure that has been porous throughout.

The Edmonton Oilers enter Game 5 in a situation the franchise has experienced before: a must-win home game to avoid elimination, backed by the two-time scoring champion Connor McDavid and the most dangerous power play in the league at 30.6 percent. McDavid has been quiet in this series with just two points through four games and is a minus-six — the version of McDavid that shows up in elimination games at Rogers Place is considerably different from what Anaheim has faced on the road. Leon Draisaitl, who leads all NHL players with 42 playoff goals since 2021-22, has 17 goals in his last 19 games against the Ducks specifically, including a goal in Game 2.

The critical variable for Edmonton is their penalty kill, which has been exposed at 75.9 percent in this series. Anaheim's power play, while not elite during the regular season, has been sharp in this matchup, scoring six times in 17 chances. If the Oilers take undisciplined penalties in a desperate home game, the Ducks' ability to convert on the man advantage could be decisive.

The Under at 6.5 is the structural bet in a game that the Oilers need to win by playing tighter, more disciplined hockey. Edmonton at home in an elimination game typically produces a more controlled defensive performance from a team that has been here before. The first three games all went over 7 goals, but the Oilers have strong motivation to change that game script.

NHL Betting -- Frequently Asked Questions

What is the moneyline in NHL betting?

The moneyline is a straight-up bet on which team will win the game — no spread involved. Favorites are listed with a negative number (e.g., -160), meaning you'd need to wager $160 to win $100. Underdogs carry a positive number (e.g., +140), meaning a $100 bet returns $140 in profit.

What is the puck line?

The puck line is hockey's version of a point spread. It is almost always set at 1.5 goals. The favorite must win by two or more goals to cover, while the underdog can lose by one goal and still cover.

How does the over/under (total) work in hockey?

FanDuel sets a total number of goals for the game (including overtime and shootout goals). You bet whether the actual combined score will go Over or Under that number. NHL totals typically range from 5.5 to 6.5 goals. The shootout winner will have a goal added to their total. For example, if the score is 2-2 after regulation, and one team wins the shootout, the final score for settlement purposes is 3-2. However, some prop bets are settled on regulation time only — always check the specific rules for each bet at your sportsbook.

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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.