The second round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs continues on Wednesday with one matchup scheduled in each conference. The reigning champion Florida Panthers will look to even their Eastern Conference series at one game apiece when they visit the Toronto Maple Leafs. Simultaneously, the Presidents` Trophy-winning Winnipeg Jets will host the Dallas Stars in the opening game of their Western Conference series.
In Game 1 on Monday, Toronto secured a 5-4 victory despite holding a three-goal lead heading into the third period. However, their win was marred by an apparent head injury to starting goaltender Anthony Stolarz. Joseph Woll is expected to step in as the Maple Leafs aim to take a commanding 2-0 series lead.
Both Winnipeg and Dallas delivered dramatic third-period comebacks in the seventh game of their respective first-round series. The Jets, trailing by two goals, scored twice in the final 1:56 of regulation, including the tying goal with just 2.2 seconds remaining. Captain Adam Lowry then sealed a thrilling 4-3 victory over the St. Louis Blues at 16:10 of the second overtime period.
The day prior, Dallas also mounted a significant rally, overcoming a two-goal deficit by scoring four unanswered goals in the final 12:11 of the third period to defeat the Colorado Avalanche 4-2. Forward Mikko Rantanen, who joined the Stars after being traded twice earlier in the season, played a crucial role, netting three goals and assisting on the fourth for Dallas.
During the 2024-25 regular season, Winnipeg held the edge over Dallas, winning three of their four meetings and outscoring the Stars by a margin of 13-5.
With these key matchups on tap, here are some player prop bets that offer potential value for Wednesday`s playoff contests.
Best Bets
Sam Reinhart (Florida Panthers): Anytime Goal Scorer (+180, FanDuel)
Reinhart recorded a goal and an assist in Florida`s first-round series against Tampa Bay but has found the back of the net just once in his last five games overall. Facing backup goalie Joseph Woll could provide an opportunity for him to break his mini-slump. The 29-year-old forward has a solid track record against Toronto, scoring twice in four regular-season meetings this year and adding two goals during Florida`s five-game elimination of the Maple Leafs in the second round of the 2023 playoffs.
William Nylander (Toronto Maple Leafs): 1+ Assist (+124, FanDuel)
While Nylander has been on a goal-scoring tear with back-to-back two-goal games heading into Wednesday, his playmaking has been consistently strong throughout the postseason. The 29-year-old right winger has registered at least one assist in six out of Toronto`s seven playoff contests. His total of seven assists already surpasses his previous career playoff high of six, set in 2023, placing him among the league`s top assist producers this spring.
Mikko Rantanen (Dallas Stars): 2+ Points (+260, BetMGM)
Rantanen had a slow start to Dallas` first-round series against Colorado, accumulating only one assist over the initial four games. However, the 28-year-old Finnish winger has been dominant since then, finishing the series with a three-game point streak during which he tallied five goals and six assists. Notably, he recorded at least three points in each of those final three contests. Rantanen also had three multi-point games against the Jets in the playoffs last year while with the Avalanche. Given the strong play of Winnipeg`s Vezina Trophy finalist Connor Hellebuyck, backing the red-hot Rantanen to contribute multiple points seems like a favorable bet.
Neal Pionk (Winnipeg Jets): Over 0.5 Assists (+155, BetMGM)
Pionk was a significant offensive contributor for Winnipeg in their 2023 first-round series loss to the Vegas Golden Knights, recording seven assists in five games. He managed only one assist in five games against Colorado last postseason and had just one assist through the first six games of the Jets` series against the Blues this year. However, Pionk rebounded with three assists in their decisive Game 7 victory and also had two assists in three regular-season games against the Stars. He is a solid candidate to be involved offensively in Wednesday`s series opener.
