The thrilling conclusion of the first round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs suggests the second round will also be full of exciting, tense moments for hockey fans.
The opening round wrapped up last weekend with two epic Game 7s. In both instances, the home teams overcame third-period deficits to advance. The Dallas Stars scored four unanswered goals to beat the Colorado Avalanche 4-2, while the Presidents` Trophy-winning Winnipeg Jets rallied from a 3-1 deficit against the St. Louis Blues in the final minutes of regulation, ultimately winning in double overtime thanks to captain Adam Lowry.
These dramatic finishes set up a second-round series between the Stars and Jets, starting Wednesday in Winnipeg. Winnipeg had the edge in the regular season, winning three out of four meetings against their Central Division rivals and outscoring Dallas 13-5.
The other Western Conference series pits the Pacific Division champion Vegas Golden Knights against the defending conference champion Edmonton Oilers. Game 1 is scheduled for Tuesday in Las Vegas. Both teams won their first-round series in six games (Vegas over Minnesota, Edmonton over Los Angeles). The teams split their four regular-season games in 2024-25. Vegas previously eliminated Edmonton in the second round in six games during their only prior playoff meeting in 2023.
In the Eastern Conference, the Toronto Maple Leafs face the reigning Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers, with their series beginning Monday in Toronto. Florida had the edge in the regular season, winning three out of four meetings and outscoring Toronto 13-7. Two years ago, in their first-ever playoff matchup, Florida eliminated the Maple Leafs in five games in the second round.
The other second-round series in the East starts Tuesday, featuring the Washington Capitals against the Carolina Hurricanes in Washington. The home team won all four regular-season games between these Metropolitan Division rivals. Their only previous playoff meeting was in the first round in 2019, when Carolina won in seven games.
Despite finishing first in their conferences, both Winnipeg and Washington are considered underdogs in their upcoming series, with odds around +140. Toronto, which finished 10 points ahead of Florida, is an even larger underdog at approximately +150. The Vegas-Edmonton series is seen as a near toss-up, though Vegas is slightly favored at -115 at several sportsbooks.
Considering the value, here are some potential prop bets for teams to win their second-round series.
Best Bet
Vegas Golden Knights (-105) – Vegas didn`t look their sharpest in the first round against Minnesota, needing two overtime wins and finding themselves down 2-1 in the series before closing it out in six games. Key players didn`t have standout offensive performances, and forward Pavel Dorofeyev, a top scorer in the regular season, was injured. However, forward Brett Howden stepped up with three goals, including two game-winners. Meanwhile, Edmonton was close to being down 0-3 to the Kings but staged a comeback in Game 3 and won the next three. Their goalie situation has been shaky, and superstars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl weren`t dominant scorers in the later games of that series. If Vegas`s offense finds its rhythm and Edmonton`s top players don`t elevate their game, the Oilers might not reach the conference final again.
Best Longshot
Toronto Maple Leafs (+152) – Betting against the defending champion Panthers is tough, especially after their dominant first-round performance against Tampa Bay. Toronto, on the other hand, built a 3-0 lead against Ottawa but then lost two games before securing the series win in Game 6 with a late goal. Florida has a clear advantage in goal with Sergei Bobrovsky, but Toronto`s Anthony Stolarz served as his backup last season and may have gained valuable insights. Toronto needs a significant offensive contribution from Auston Matthews, who only scored twice in the first round and has struggled to find the net in recent postseasons against Florida. Despite their shaky first round, I like Toronto`s potential under coach Craig Berube, who previously led St. Louis to a Stanley Cup and guided the Leafs to a division title in his first year.
For more detailed predictions and expert analysis on every Stanley Cup Playoffs game, check out the SportsLine Projection Model.
Note: This article provides analysis based on available information and opinions. Betting involves risk. Please gamble responsibly.
