The second round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs features one game in each conference on Wednesday. The defending champion Florida Panthers aim to level their Eastern Conference series as they visit the Toronto Maple Leafs. Meanwhile, the Presidents` Trophy-winning Winnipeg Jets host the Dallas Stars in the opening game of their Western Conference showdown.
In Game 1 on Monday, Toronto held on for a 5-4 victory against Florida after carrying a three-goal lead into the third period. However, the Maple Leafs lost starting goaltender Anthony Stolarz to an apparent head injury during the win. Joseph Woll is expected to start Game 2 as Toronto attempts to take a 2-0 series lead.
Both Winnipeg and Dallas achieved remarkable third-period comebacks in the seventh game of their respective first-round series. The Jets, facing a two-goal deficit, scored twice in the final 1:56 of regulation, including the equalizer with only 2.2 seconds left. Captain Adam Lowry then scored at 16:10 of the second overtime to secure a 4-3 win over the St. Louis Blues.
A day prior, Dallas erased a two-goal deficit against the Colorado Avalanche by scoring four unanswered goals in the final 12:11 of the third period, leading to a 4-2 victory. Mikko Rantanen, who began the season with Colorado before being traded twice, was a key player for the Stars, netting three goals and setting up the fourth.
During the 2024-25 regular season, the Jets had the edge over Dallas, winning three of their four meetings and outscoring the Stars 13-5 overall.
Considering the matchups and recent performance, here are some player prop bets that offer potential value for Wednesday`s playoff games.
Best Bets
Sam Reinhart Anytime Goal Scorer (+180, FanDuel)
After registering a goal and an assist in the first round against Tampa Bay, Reinhart has scored just once in his last five games. Facing Joseph Woll rather than former teammate Stolarz could help him find his scoring touch. Reinhart has had success against Toronto previously, scoring twice in four meetings this past season and adding two goals in Florida`s five-game victory over the Maple Leafs in the 2023 second round.
William Nylander 1+ Assist (+124, FanDuel)
Yes, Nylander has scored two goals in each of his last two games. But the 29-year-old forward has also been an excellent playmaker this postseason. Nylander has recorded at least one assist in six of Toronto`s seven playoff games and is among the league leaders with seven assists, surpassing his previous career high of six set in 2023.
Mikko Rantanen 2+ Points (+260, BetMGM)
Rantanen started the first round against Colorado slowly, with only one assist in the first four games. However, the 28-year-old Finnish forward has been exceptional since, finishing the series with a three-game point streak where he accumulated five goals and six assists. He recorded at least three points in each of those games and also had three multi-point performances against the Jets last postseason while with the Avalanche. Given Connor Hellebuyck`s strong play for Winnipeg, betting on Rantanen while he`s hot seems like a good strategy.
Neal Pionk Over 0.5 Assists (+155, BetMGM)
Pionk was a significant contributor for Winnipeg during their 2023 first-round loss to the Vegas Golden Knights, notching seven assists in five games. While he had only one assist in five games against Colorado last postseason and just one over the first six games against the Blues this year, he recorded three assists in Game 7 and added two in three regular-season meetings with the Stars. He presents a solid offensive bet for Wednesday`s opener.
