NHL Game 6 Best Bets: Expert Picks Maple Leafs vs. Panthers Analysis

Written by

Daniel Dobish

Published on May 16, 2025

Find your PERFECT PICK

View RotoWire's advanced analysis across all major sportsbooks and DFS.

Daily Picks
Effortless Analysis
Data-Driven Decisions
Web and App Support

The second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs continues Friday night at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Fla., as the defending champ Florida Panthers host the Toronto Maple Leafs for Game 6 of their best-of-seven series. It's an elimination game, as the Panthers could advance with a victory. We'll focus not only on the line and total, but we'll also make some prop picks. Let's get started.

Top up your bankroll thanks to sportsbook promos like this BetMGM bonus code offering $150 in bonus bets.

Panthers vs Maple Leafs Game 6: Playoff Showdown & Betting Tips

For the latest NHL Odds, including NHL Futures and NHL player props, visit RotoWire's NHL Betting page. For up-to-date NHL player news and NHL Injury Report info, head to RotoWire's NHL Lineups page. You can find more picks at Bookies.com/picks. Here are our NHL Best Bets today, featuring expert NHL picks for an action-packed slate of games.

Strategies for Betting on NHL Game 6: Panthers vs Maple Leafs

The Maple Leafs showed zero heart in a Game 5 home loss against the Panthers, falling 6-1. Sergei Bobrovsky was an impenetrable wall until a garbage-time goal late in the third period kept him from posting a second consecutive shutout in this series.

The defending Stanley Cup champions have an opportunity to put the Maple Leafs away on home ice in front of their raucous, rat-throwing crowd, avoiding a Game 7 back in Toronto. If Florida is able to advance, the Carolina Hurricanes await in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Canes topped the Washington Capitals in five games to move on.

Joseph Woll gets the nod for Game 6 despite being an absolute disaster on home ice in Game 5. He allowed five goals on just 25 shots, giving way to Matt Murray late in the third period. The latter stopped six of the seven shots he was tasked with.

Woll appeared to have some trouble tracking the puck, even on shots where there was very little traffic in front of his crease. It was an ominous sign for a fan base desperate for success after being stuck in the first and second rounds for two-plus decades. Toronto, as you are very aware, hasn't won the Stanley Cup since 1967, too, so no other NHL fan base is more starved for a title.

The Panthers can bring out those stupid memes with the golf bag instead of the Stanley Cup, and the "Leafs Elimination Day", Crying Jordan, etc., if they're able to win on home ice.

Toronto played feisty in Game 3 in Sunrise, holding a 3-1 lead early in the second period. They got a quick start from Matthew Knies and John Tavares, as those two combined for three goals in the first 17:52. It looked like the Leafs could put the Panthers in an ugly 0-3 series hole, but the Panthers were able to storm back.

They'll need a quick start from the likes of Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, Knies, Tavares, William Nylander, etc., if they want to avoid the golf course. The way Bobrovsky has been playing lately, time is certainly ticking.

Since allowing four goals on 31 shots in Game 3, and at least four goals in the first three games of this series, Bob has allowed just a single goal on 55 shots in the past two games. That lone marker came with the score already 6-0 in favor of Florida, as Nick Robertson crashed the net late in the third period, as Toronto avoided the donut.

It looks like it will be Woll again, as Anthony Stolarz continues to recover from an upper-body injury, and all indications are that he did not travel to South Florida despite practicing this week. That's great news for the Panthers, who won't want to waste any time, giving the Maple Leafs hope of a Game 7. Look for Florida to cover the puck line and send Toronto to the handshake line.

As far as the total, let's go low, as Toronto has its backs to the wall, while Florida won't want to give the Leafs a chance to get any hope.

Key NHL Player Prop Bets for Maple Leafs vs Panthers

Looking at the props, you have to figure Matthews is going to take plenty of shots. He has to, right? Matthews has disappeared in the past two games, going scoreless, but he did have six shots on goal (SOG), while racking up at least three SOG in each of the past eight playoff games. Go Over on his SOG prop.

And Toronto fans hate to hear it, see it or admit it, but Brad Marchand is still a Leaf killer. Backing him at even money to get a single point is a good play, even for the biggest hater.