The second round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs continues on Wednesday with one game scheduled in each conference. The reigning champion Florida Panthers will face the Toronto Maple Leafs, looking to even their Eastern Conference series at one game apiece. Meanwhile, the Presidents` Trophy-winning Winnipeg Jets are set to host the Dallas Stars in the opening game of their Western Conference matchup.
In Game 1 on Monday, Toronto secured a 5-4 victory over Florida despite losing a three-goal lead in the third period. However, the win came at a cost as starting goaltender Anthony Stolarz suffered an apparent head injury. Joseph Woll is expected to take over in net as the Maple Leafs aim for a 2-0 series advantage.
Both Winnipeg and Dallas advanced to the second round after pulling off impressive third-period comebacks in their respective Game 7s. The Jets erased a two-goal deficit against the St. Louis Blues by scoring twice in the final 1:56 of regulation, including the equalizer with just 2.2 seconds remaining, before captain Adam Lowry netted the winner in the second overtime for a 4-3 win.
The day before, Dallas orchestrated a similar rally against the Colorado Avalanche, scoring four unanswered goals in the last 12:11 of the third period to turn a two-goal deficit into a 4-2 victory. Forward Mikko Rantanen, who began the season with Colorado before being traded twice, was a key contributor for the Stars, scoring three goals and setting up the other.
During the 2024-25 regular season, the Winnipeg Jets had the upper hand against the Dallas Stars, winning three of their four meetings and outscoring them 13-5.
Here are some player prop bets that offer value for Wednesday`s playoff games.
Best Bets
Sam Reinhart Anytime Goal Scorer (+180, FanDuel)
After a strong start to the playoffs with a goal and an assist against the Tampa Bay Lightning, Reinhart has scored only once in his last five contests. Facing Joseph Woll instead of his former teammate Stolarz might provide an opportunity for him to break his scoring slump. The 29-year-old forward has a history of success against the Maple Leafs, scoring twice in four games against them this season and twice in the Panthers` five-game series victory over Toronto in the 2023 playoffs.
William Nylander 1+ Assist (+124, FanDuel)
While Nylander has recently netted two goals in back-to-back games, the 29-year-old right wing has been even more impactful as a playmaker this postseason. Nylander has recorded at least one assist in six of Toronto`s seven playoff games, accumulating a total of seven helpers, which surpasses his previous playoff career high set in 2023. His ability to set up teammates makes this prop an attractive option.
Mikko Rantanen 2+ Points (+260, BetMGM)
Mikko Rantanen had a slow start to the first round against Colorado, registering only one assist through the first four games. However, the 28-year-old Finnish winger has been red-hot since, finishing the series with points in the last three games, collecting an impressive five goals and six assists over that span. He recorded at least three points in each of those contests. Rantanen also posted three multi-point games against the Jets in the 2023 playoffs while still with the Avalanche. Given his current scoring pace, betting on Rantanen to continue producing offensively against Winnipeg`s Vezina Trophy finalist Connor Hellebuyck makes sense.
Neal Pionk Over 0.5 Assists (+155, BetMGM)
Neal Pionk was a significant offensive contributor for Winnipeg during their first-round loss to the Vegas Golden Knights in the 2023 playoffs, tallying seven assists in just five games. While he had only one assist in five games against Colorado last postseason and just one helper through the first six games of the Jets` first-round series against the Blues this year, Pionk exploded for three assists in Game 7. He also registered two assists in three regular-season meetings with the Stars. This makes him a solid bet to be involved in the offense in Wednesday`s series opener.
