NHL Hockey 3 Days

Last updated: May 8, 2026, 11:30 PM ET

NHL Playoff Betting & Projections

As the NHL playoffs progress, betting markets remained active, with expert models providing specific recommendations for Wednesday's slate of games finding best bets. Specifically, Canadiens right wing Cole Caufield was flagged as a top prop bet target for Wednesday's Stanley Cup Playoff matchups, according to projections from Sports Line analyst Scott Erskine. Elsewhere in the betting sphere, Draft Kings incentivized action on the night's slate, including NHL contests, by offering new users $100 in bonus bets following a minimum $5 wager, concurrent with NBA playoff action.

The focus quickly shifted toward upcoming matchups, particularly as the Hurricanes hosted the Flyers in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference semifinal on Thursday assessing Philadelphia's chances, where the contest was framed as potentially the team's final opportunity to keep the series competitive against Carolina. Meanwhile, the Sports Line Projection Model continued to issue guidance on potential future rounds, releasing its picks for a hypothetical 2026 Stanley Cup playoff Game 2 matchup between the Montreal Canadiens and Buffalo Sabres on Friday.

League & Draft News

Beyond immediate playoff results, league developments included the Maple Leafs winning the NHL Draft lottery, a major organizational milestone for the Toronto franchise following their postseason exit. While the focus on Thursday was split between the NBA, where teams like the Thunder and Pistons took 2-0 series leads tracking key NBA second-round action, the betting community continued to utilize projection models for various sports, including the NHL, to inform wagers across Wednesday's schedule gauging top games.