NHL Hockey 3 Days

Last updated: May 8, 2026, 2:30 AM ET

NHL Playoff Betting & Player Props

As the Stanley Cup Playoffs continued through the middle of the week, betting markets focused heavily on player performance props, with analyst Scott Erskine targeting Canadiens right wing Cole Caufield as a top selection for Wednesday night's action. For those looking to wager on the ongoing postseason slate, Draft Kings offered new users $100 in bonus bets upon an initial $5 wager across NBA and NHL contests on Wednesday. to Thursday’s schedule, experts provided their best bets and odds for marquee matchups, including NBA second-round games, while specifically analyzing the critical Game 3 matchup between the Hurricanes and Flyers, suggesting Philadelphia faced its last meaningful chance to make the Eastern Conference semifinal competitive.

Mid-Week Playoff Coverage & Projections

The focus on mid-week playoff action saw the Sports Line Projection Model delivering its top picks for Wednesday’s slate, which also included NBA contests featuring the 76ers-Knicks and Spurs-Timberwolves. On Tuesday, betting analysis also targeted specific player performance, with analyst Erskine highlighting Wild left wing Matt Boldy as a favorable option in that evening's playoff game. Meanwhile, projections for the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs were already circulating, with one model revealing its Game 2 picks for the Avalanche versus Wild, anticipating a Colorado victory but not predicting a repeat of the previous high-scoring affair, following the Wild's visit to Denver on Tuesday in their Western Conference series Game 2 contest.

Draft Lottery & Future Outlooks

The NHL calendar featured a significant off-ice event with the 2026 NHL Draft Lottery taking place on Tuesday in New Jersey, where the Penn State star forward Gavin McKenna was widely considered the top prospect available. The results of that lottery saw the Maple Leafs landing the coveted No. 1 overall pick, an outcome that gives the storied franchise crucial assets heading into a critical offseason following a season where they managed to win the lottery despite not participating in the current playoff bracket. In early-week action, the Maple Leafs secured a preliminary victory in the lottery process, alongside NBA news where the Thunder and Pistons took 1-0 leads in their respective second-round series. Furthermore, futures odds for the 2026 postseason already positioned the Sabres battling the Canadiens in the Eastern Conference second round, providing early context for the teams currently jockeying for position.