NHL Picks Tonight – Three Bets for Wednesday’s Playoff Games

• Get expert NHL playoff picks for Wednesday’s playoff slate on May. 7
• The Maple Leafs look to take a commanding 2-0 series lead against the Panthers
• Read below for full NHL picks and analysis for tonight’s Stanley Cup Playoff action

The 2025 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs continue this Wednesday with two exciting matchups on the schedule. We’ve got Game 2 of the Panthers-Maple Leafs series with Toronto looking to take a commanding 2-0 lead, plus the Stars-Jets series gets underway in what should be an electric Western Conference showdown.

I’ve dug into the Wednesday NHL odds and identified my three favorite picks for the two-game slate on May 7th.

Let’s break down where the value lies in these playoff games, with odds from various sportsbooks.

NHL Picks Tonight (May 7)

Here’s a quick look at the three plays I’m locking in for the NHL playoffs on Wednesday night:

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Below you will find my reasoning for all three selections:

NHL Picks #1: Maple Leafs ML (+118) vs Panthers

First up, I’m backing the Toronto Maple Leafs to win Game 2 and take a commanding 2-0 series lead against the Florida Panthers.

Toronto looked impressive in their 5-4 victory in Game 1, and they’re being undervalued by the betting market heading into tonight’s matchup. The Leafs came out strong early, built a cushion, and did enough defensively to close out the series opener with a win.

William Nylander has been on fire, becoming the first Toronto player with consecutive multi-goal games in the same postseason since Wendel Clark back in 1994. His confidence is soaring after two straight three-point performances.

Panthers’ Recent Struggles

Florida doesn’t seem to have the capacity to limit Toronto’s attack or keep pace offensively. Sergei Bobrovsky has been shaky, allowing 14 goals on 100 shots over his last four games. And the Panthers’ offense has been held to two or fewer goals at five-on-five in three of their previous five contests.

With Toronto’s star players delivering and the Panthers struggling to find their championship form, take the Maple Leafs at the attractive +118 price.

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NHL Picks #2: Jets ML (-104) vs Stars

For my second play, I’m taking the Winnipeg Jets to win their series opener against the Dallas Stars.

The Jets come into this matchup with a new lease on life after their dramatic Game 7 comeback in Round 1. While some might point to their unimpressive performance against St. Louis, Winnipeg still managed to advance and now has home-ice advantage against Dallas.

As the Presidents’ Trophy winners, the Jets have proven they can compete with anyone. Yes, they’ve had some injury concerns with key players like Josh Morrissey, but they’ve shown resilience throughout the season.

The betting market has this game essentially as a pick’em, with the Jets slight home underdogs at some books. That’s value we can exploit.

Jets’ Home Ice Advantage

Dallas faces a tough challenge playing in Winnipeg, where the Jets faithful create one of the most intimidating atmospheres in the NHL. The Stars will need to weather an early storm as the Jets look to establish dominance in Game 1.

The Jets have been perfect at home during these playoffs with a 4-0-0 record, while the Stars have struggled on the road with just one win in three games (1-2-0).

The final reason for my confidence is that Da;as stud defenseman Miro Heismanen has been ruled out, although Jasoson Robertson is a game-time decision. Take the Jets moneyline at the reasonable -104 price.

NHL Picks #3: Knies Anytime Goal (+220) vs Panthers

For my final play, I’m backing Matthew Knies to score a goal in Game 2 against the Panthers.

Knies has been finding the back of the net with regularity, already notching four goals during this playoff run. What makes him particularly dangerous is his ability to get to high-danger areas, which gives him an advantage against Bobrovsky, who’s been struggling with quality shots.

The young forward has been consistently generating offense, recording at least two shots on goal in four straight outings and five of seven games during these playoffs. His confidence is growing with each game, and he’s becoming an increasingly important piece of Toronto’s attack.

With Bobrovsky’s recent save percentage sitting at just 860%, opportunities will be there for Toronto’s forwards. Not only is Knies second on Toronto with 12 individual high-dange chances, but the Boston product has shown he can capitalize on those chances.

At +220 odds, there’s excellent value in backing Knies to light the lamp tonight as the Leafs look to take a 2-0 series lead.