Stanley Cup Odds & Predictions Today: Best NHL Playoff Expert Picks for Monday, April 21

There are more storylines on the third day of the NHL playoffs than three months' worth of a matinee soap opera.

How will the walking wounded Edmonton Oilers perform on the road against the league's best home team? Will the NHL's greatest all-time goal-scorer be as prolific in the 2025 postseason, and can the Dallas Stars improve to 6-2 after losing eight consecutive series openers? 

Our Stanley Cup odds and NHL playoff predictions today highlight the best storylines and offer our expert picks for each game while highlighting some of the best live betting tips from our best sports betting sites.

🏆 Live Stanley Cup odds & prediction to win NHL playoffs

Stanley Cup odds via our best NHL betting sites. Updated in real time.

At BetMGM, the Toronto Maple Leafs' Stanley Cup odds shortened from +1200 to +750 after winning Game 1 of the Battle of Ontario 6-2. That improvement saw the Buds' odds move from the 10th to the third-shortest. Three power-play goals quickly ended Ottawa's hopes. While the Maple Leafs will be elated with the start of their playoffs, the game wasn't as lopsided as the score suggested.

A similar scenario unfolded on Saturday in Dallas when the Stanley Cup odds favorite Colorado Avalanche, spearheaded by an exquisite Mackenzie Blackwood playoff debut, were equal measures fortuitous and ruthless.  

The Hurricanes hunted the New Jersey Devils at home, resembling a pack of lions hunting an injured fawn. With the most dominant performance in the playoffs to date, Carolina outshot New Jersey 45-24 and won the expected goals battle 4.84 to 2.01.

Sunday's nightcap saw a nip-and-tuck battle between the Vegas Golden Knights and Minnesota Wild, with the home team's lethal power play scoring the decisive goal. Had it not been for an empty-net goal by Brett Howden, his second of the game, I would have hit the score prediction right between the eyes.

Cue the world's quietest and smallest violin.

💰 Best bet to win Stanley Cup: Avalanche (+600 via BetMGM)

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🏒 NHL playoff predictions & best bets for today Monday, April 21

Here are our best NHL predictions today for the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs, including our expert picks and full-game previews for every matchup. Odds courtesy of BetMGM; subject to change.

🚨 🏒 Game 1: Canadiens 🍁 vs. Capitals 🏛️ prediction, odds & expert picks

📍 Puck drop: 7 p.m. ET | 📺 TV: ESPN, Sportsnet 
📊 Odds: Canadiens (+160) | Capitals (-190) O/U 6

Here's why Gary Pearson is picking the Canadiens to win Game 1:

"The Canadiens are playing with house money after making it to the postseason. Touted before the season as a potential Eastern Conference bottom feeder, the Canadiens ascended to relevance after the 4 Nations Face-Off break. Martin St. Louis' team tied the Tampa Bay Lightning for the fifth-best record (15-5-6) since Feb. 22. 

They've impressed me so much that my long-shot alarm is on high alert." 

👉 Check out our full Canadiens vs. Capitals prediction for expert analysis, betting picks, and our favorite prop bets.

🚨 Game 2: St. Louis Blues 🎶 vs. Winnipeg Jets ✈️ prediction, odds & expert picks

📍 Puck drop: 7:30 p.m. ET | 📺 TV: ESPN, CBC
📊 Odds: Blues (+160) | Jets (-188)| O/U 5.5

Here's why Connor Cooper is picking the Blues: 

"A big reason the Blues were able to turn their season around with a 19-4-3 record in their final 26 games was their ability to bounce back from a loss. St. Louis is 5-2-1 in its last eight games following a defeat, scoring at least three goals in each of those contests."

👉 Check out our full Blues vs. Jets prediction for expert analysis, betting picks, and our favorite prop bets.

🚨 Game 2: Colorado Avalanche ⛰️ vs. Dallas Stars ⭐ prediction, odds & expert picks

📍 Puck drop: 9:30 p.m. ET | 📺 TV: ESPN
📊 Odds: Avalanche (-145) | Stars (+120)| O/U 6

Here's why Gary Pearson is picking the Stars:

"The Stars have lost eight straight opening games of a playoff series. Before you regurgitate from disgust, let this sink in: Dallas is 5-2 in the following game. Expect them to make it 6-2 thanks to a heroic performance from every member of the shorthanded collective."

👉 Check out our full Avalanche vs. Stars prediction for expert analysis, betting picks, and our favorite prop bets.

🚨 Game 1: Edmonton Oilers 🛢️ vs. Los Angeles Kings 👑 prediction, odds & expert picks

📍 Puck drop: 10 p.m. ET | 📺 TV: ESPN2
📊 Odds: Oilers (+105) | Kings (-120)| O/U 5.5

Here's why Connor Cooper is picking the Kings:

"Los Angeles had its way with Edmonton during the regular season, winning three of the four matchups by a combined score of 12-4. Darcy Kuemper posted a clean sheet in each of those last two meetings - both of them earlier this month - and provides the Kings with a significant advantage in net over Stuart Skinner."

👉 Check out our full Oilers vs. Kings prediction for expert analysis, betting picks, and our favorite prop bets.

💡 NHL playoff live betting tips for today

The Hurricanes made it 25 of 32 home wins this season by two goals or more and improved to 20-2-0 when scoring the opener at Lenovo Center. Meanwhile, the Maple Leafs improved to 27-3-0 when leading after the first period and 35-8-2 after netting the opener.

The Golden Knights have won all 11 games at T-Mobile Arena decided by two goals. Here are some live betting tips for today's games. 

Canadiens vs. Capitals Game 1 live betting tips 

• The Capitals ranked 18th at home when trailing after the first period (4-5-4)
• The Capitals ranked 14th at home when leading after the first period (13-1-2)
• The Capitals ranked 19th at home when scoring first (16-5-3)
• The Canadiens ranked 11th on the road when scoring first (9-4-0)
• In 41 away games, the Canadiens only led going into the intermission four times (3-1-0)

Blues vs. Jets Game 2 live betting tips 

• The Jets were 2-16-1 when trailing after the second period during the regular season but overcame a 3-2 deficit in the third in Game 1
• The Blues were 35-2-1 when leading entering the third period in the regular season
• The Jets were tied with Ottawa for the best record when scoring the first goal (35-3-3)
• The Jets had the best record when leading after one period (29-0-3)
• The Blues ranked 21st when trailing after one period (8-22-3)

Avalanche vs. Stars Game 2 live betting tips 

• The Stars are 5-2 in the last seven Game 2's
• The Stars were the 12th-ranked team when scoring first on home ice (19-4-2)
• The Stars were the seventh-ranked team when leading after one period on home ice (13-0-2)
• The Avs were the third-best road team when leading after one (14-1-0)
• The Avs were the second-best road team when trailing after one (6-8-0)

Oilers vs. Kings Game 1 live betting tips 

• The Oilers were the fourth-best road team when trailing after one period (5-6-1)
• The Oilers won only one game when trailing after two periods on the road (1-12-1)
• The Oilers were 9-6-2 in one-goal games on the road, the 11th best
• The Kings' Darcy Kuemper allowed more than two goals once in his last 16 starts (five against the Colorado Avalanche)
• The Kings had the third-best record when leading after one at home (17-0-1)
• The Kings were 12-2-4 in one-goal games at home, tied for the fifth best

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🧠 Stanley Cup predictions, expert picks 

• Stanley Cup playoffs AI predictions
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• Stats and trends to base your NHL picks and predictions on
• Best Round 1 underdog, long-shot picks
• Stanley Cup odds
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• Stanley Cup betting guide

🥅 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs betting odds & NHL expert picks

Looking to bet on today's games? Here are some helpful tips and our picks to keep you sharp through the Stanley Cup playoffs:

• NHL odds
• NHL picks
• NHL player prop odds
• How to bet on NHL
• Stanley Cup betting guide

💵 Best hockey betting sites

Ready to place your hockey bets today? Here are the best NHL betting sites and best sportsbook promos for the Stanley Cup playoffs:

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