2025 Stanley Cup Second Round Betting Guide: Picks, Props, and Futures

Best bets:

Toronto successfully navigated some challenges in Round 1 to advance. Florida won the regular-season series 3-1, but this playoff series is expected to be tightly contested, with the outcome likely determined by the margins.

While both teams have strong top-two scoring lines, the depth of the forward group could be the deciding factor. Florida`s third line of Anton Lundell, Brad Marchand, and Eetu Luostarinen proved unstoppable for Tampa Bay in the first round. Can Toronto`s bottom six forwards handle the assignment?

Given the Panthers are favored despite starting on the road in Game 1, there`s a strategic betting opportunity. Betting on The Maple Leafs to win Game 1 and lose the series (+300) offers significantly better odds than simply picking the Panthers to win the series (-175). If you believe Florida will win, betting on the Panthers -1.5 series spread (+110) to win in six games or fewer is another option.

However, if you`re confident this is the Maple Leafs` year, betting on The Maple Leafs to win Game 1 and win the series (+230) is a compelling choice, especially with the momentum Toronto gained in Round 1.

Looking at player performance bets, Carter Verhaeghe has a history of performing well against Toronto, including three goals in five games during the 2023 playoffs. In the recent regular season, he recorded two goals and four points in four games, alongside high shot volume (25 total attempts). This history makes his odds for categories like most goals in series (+1000), most shots on goal in series (+1000), and score a hat trick in any game (+1100) quite attractive given the payout.

If the Maple Leafs win the Stanley Cup, who wins the Conn Smythe? Auston Matthews has the best odds at 18-1. Mitch Marner`s odds improved from 50-1 to 25-1. William Nylander (60-1) leads the team in playoff goals and points so far. However, goaltender Anthony Stolarz (20-1) deserves consideration, as his timely saves were key to Toronto`s first-round victory.

If the Panthers win the Stanley Cup, who wins the Conn Smythe? Four Panthers are among the top 20 Conn Smythe favorites. While Sergei Bobrovsky (16-1), Aleksander Barkov (18-1), and Matthew Tkachuk (18-1) are prominent names, consider Sam Reinhart (25-1). He leads the team in points and receives significantly more ice time per game than other forwards, positioning him well to impact the series and potentially win the award.

Best bets:

Similar to the Panthers-Leafs series, the oddsmakers favor the lower-seeded team (Carolina). This makes combinations of Game 1 winner and series winner particularly interesting. One approach is to bet on the Capitals to win Game 1 and lose the series (+320) as a way to boost the odds compared to simply picking Carolina to win the series.

Carolina and Washington split their four regular-season games, with Carolina gaining a slight edge by taking one of their losses to a shootout. Alex Ovechkin played in three of these games, scoring two goals.

On Carolina`s side, Seth Jarvis and Jackson Blake were effective against the Capitals in the regular season, each scoring three goals. Defenseman Dmitry Orlov, facing his former team, also generated a high volume of shots towards the net.

Key contributors for the Capitals include defensemen Jakob Chychrun and John Carlson, who positively impact goal differentials when on the ice together. Forward Anthony Beauvillier, despite a slow start after joining Washington, has performed at a point-per-game pace playing with Ovechkin and Dylan Strome. Betting on player to score two-plus goals in series at +275 for Beauvillier might be worth considering.

For the Hurricanes, Andrei Svechnikov (with odds of most goals in the series at +1200) moved up to the top line during the previous series. He is now tied for the goal-scoring lead among players remaining in the playoffs, with five tallies. Goaltender Frederik Andersen is expected to return after missing the end of the first-round series.

If the Hurricanes win the Stanley Cup, who wins the Conn Smythe? Sebastian Aho (14-1) is a strong candidate. He improved his point production as the first round progressed, and playing alongside Svechnikov enhances his line`s offensive power. Aho also provided a crucial overtime winner in the first series.

If the Capitals win the Stanley Cup, who wins the Conn Smythe? Alex Ovechkin`s (20-1) odds improved slightly but still reflect the long odds of Washington winning the Cup. He led the team with four goals in the first round, including an overtime winner. If the Capitals manage a deep run and win, Ovechkin is the clear favorite for playoff MVP.

Best bets:

While Calvin Pickard filled in adequately for Stuart Skinner in Round 1, Vegas goaltender Adin Hill grew stronger as their series against Minnesota progressed, finishing with a .918 save percentage over the final three games. Aside from Edmonton`s elite forwards (McDavid, Draisaitl, and perhaps Evan Bouchard`s offensive contributions), Vegas appears to have the edge in other aspects. If Jack Eichel and the Golden Knights can somewhat contain Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl – a significant task – their superior team defense, goaltending, and scoring depth should be enough to propel Vegas through in six games.

For player props, consider Eichel series total goals over 2.5 (+150). After a quiet start against Minnesota, Vegas`s top offensive player found his form, scoring a goal and adding four assists with 14 shots in the final three games. With projected ice time over 20 minutes on the top line, Eichel is well-positioned to exceed this goal total against Edmonton`s defense, which lacks Mattias Ekholm, and potentially weaker goaltending.

For lower odds, Eichel series total points over 6.5 (-125) is even more appealing, especially if the series goes six or more games. He finished eighth in regular-season scoring with 1.22 points per game and registered nine points against the Oilers in their playoff meeting two years ago.

Regarding shots, betting on Evan Bouchard to record 2+ shots on goal in each game (+320) is an intriguing long shot. Bouchard averaged 3.67 shots per game in the first round and hit the two-shot mark in five out of six games. As a key offensive driver for Edmonton, he is likely to continue shooting frequently. While hitting this consistently is difficult, the payout is substantial.

If the Oilers win the Stanley Cup, who wins the Conn Smythe? Connor McDavid (+800) is the clear favorite. His odds dropped significantly from +1600 before the first round, reflecting his dominance. He leads the playoffs with 1.83 points per game and is the current frontrunner for the award. It`s difficult to bet against the player who won the award even when his team lost in last year`s Final.

If the Golden Knights win the Stanley Cup, who wins the Conn Smythe? Mark Stone (+3000) offers excellent value. As the team captain and an elite two-way forward, he is the heart of the Golden Knights. His performance will be critical, particularly in defending against Edmonton`s superstars. If Vegas navigates the tough Western Conference and wins the Cup, a standout performance from Stone would likely earn him the MVP trophy.

Best bets:

Picks to come