Written by Graeme & Scott on Sunday, April 19th, 2026
Follow @BetNHL
The NHL playoffs are underway, and so far two teams have blown home ice advantage, with the Penguins losing to the Flyers in a tight one, and the Stars losing to the Wild in……a not so tight one.
The Hurricanes shut out the Sens 2-0, with a great performance by Andersen.
It’s a busy day today as we’ve got four series starting.
Let’s get to it:
Avalanche vs Kings Series Betting Tips:
Scott: Just a stacked team. MacKinnon, Necas, Nelson, Kadri, Nichushkin and Landeskog, Kelly and Lehkonen. It’s an impressive list. On defense it’s all world Makar whos joined by Malinski, Burns, Manson and Toews. Amother impressive group. In goal is where they aren’t as stacked as at other positions with Wedgewood and Blackwood.
The Kings, who lost in Round 1 to the Edmonton Oilers in each of the last four years and haven’t won a postseason series since 2014, when it won the Stanley Cup. Panarin leads the way on offense and they also have Kempe, Byfield and Laferriere. For depth its Kopitar, Fiala and Moore. On defense its Clarke, Edmundson and the ageless Doughty. In goal they used two goalies with Kuemper having the better numbers and Forsberg as option 1B.
It’s not the Oilers but I see the Kings having similar results against the Avalanche.
Avalanche in 5 at 2.05 odds
Bet the playoffs at:
Ontario: Sports Interaction and TonyBet
Canada: Sports Interaction and TonyBet
USA: BetOnline.
Everyone Else: Bet365 (Americans: We recommend http://www.bovada.lv
Graeme: Avs are the favourites to win the cup and this series seems like a foregone conclusion. Kings barely deserve to be in here – they stumbled in on the back of so many one point games and just didn’t play like a playoff team. A 15-17-9 home record is poor.
They do stand out advanced metric wise over the course of the season though, with the 4th best CF/60 (Avs 2nd).
Defensively, both had very good xGA/60 and even better goaltending which was difference makers throughout the season. If the Kings are up for it we could see some proper high scoring games.
Avs were a team I wasn’t a big fan of during the regular season. Despite their overall record and winning the West, there was just something I found unreliable about them in a lot of spots.
I don’t think they will be cup winners, but it’s hard to see them lose I guess with the odds the way they are, I gotta also go with Avs in 5.
Bet the playoffs at:
Ontario: Sports Interaction and TonyBet
Canada: Sports Interaction and TonyBet
USA: BetOnline.
Everyone Else: Bet365 (Americans: We recommend http://www.bovada.lv
Lightning vs Canadiens Series Betting Tips:
Scott: The Lightning and Habs had such similar seasons that this should be a great series.
The Lightning have Kucherov, Guentzel, Hagel, Point and Cirelli. For depth they have Perry, Goncalves and Bjorkstrand. On defense they have Raddysh who had a breakout season and he’s joined by D’Astous and Moser not sure if Hedman will come back or not. For goalies they have one of the best in Vasilevskiy who’s backed up by Johansson.
The Canadiens are lead by Suzuki, Caufield, Slafkovsky and Demidov. For depth they have Anderson, Bolduc, Newhook and Kapanen. Dobes is the starter and for a backup they have two choices in Montembeault and Fowler.
I like the Habs I’m just worried that with the style of play the playoffs require they may get worn down due to their size.
Habs in 6 but at the odds. 3.00 to win series is good for me.
Bet the playoffs at:
Ontario: Sports Interaction and TonyBet
Canada: Sports Interaction and TonyBet
USA: BetOnline.
Everyone Else: Bet365 (Americans: We recommend http://www.bovada.lv
Graeme: Tampa the 4th best CF% team at 53.26 while the Habs are down in 24th. Bit similar for FF%, SF% a bit closer. I mean hell, pretty much every metric is like this.
As someone who is a big believer in the data, I think I have to go with it. By the odds, I’ll do Lightning -1.5 for the series at 1.86 and hope I am wrong.
Bet the playoffs at:
Ontario: Sports Interaction and TonyBet
Canada: Sports Interaction and TonyBet
USA: BetOnline.
Everyone Else: Bet365 (Americans: We recommend http://www.bovada.lv
Sabres vs Bruins Series Betting Tips:
Scott: They were one of the biggest surprises of the year for me. They came out of no where and won the Atlantic. Thompson leads the team and he’s joined by Tuch, McLeod, Doan and Quinn. They also have Norris, Zucker and Carrick for depth. On defense is where the really shine. On paper they have one of, if not the, best group in the league. Dahlin, Byram, Samuelsson, Power, Stanley, Timmons and Schenn. Some configuration can be made from that stacked group. In goal there’s questions as there is with many teams. Another two headed group with Lyon and Luukkonen who can give them a shot each night.
The Bruins weren’t expected to be as good as they have been. They are led as always by Pastrnak and they also have Geekie, Zacha, Arvidsson, Lindholm and Mittelstadt. For depth it’s Minten, Khusnutdinov, Jeannot and Kastelic. On defense they are good with McAvoy, Zadorov who’s a huge pain in the ass to play against, Lindholm and Lohrei. Swayman is the starter and his backup is Korpisalo
The Sabres have surprised everyone this season and I don’t see that ending here.
Sabres in 5 games.. 3.25 odds for Sabres -2.5
Bet the playoffs at:
Ontario: Sports Interaction and TonyBet
Canada: Sports Interaction and TonyBet
USA: BetOnline.
Everyone Else: Bet365 (Americans: We recommend http://www.bovada.lv
Graeme: Sabres are one of those teams that it felt a surprise seeing them in playoff contention, but down the stretch the confidence and belief in them just grew to the point where it’s like yep – they are a playoff team.
Bruins being in here is quite the surprise. The seasonal metrics it’s pretty close but with the Sabres the edge in every category pretty much.
I do worry that this might be a big step up for the Sabres – that Game 1 is so, so key. I know with all the teams in the playoffs this is one team I am rooting for for sure and hope they progress.
Bruins gave them a couple of tricky games during the regular season.
Hopefully the Sabres PP can get going. Have to figure Boston will be playing physical nice and early.
I don’t know – this is one where despite the metrics, and the Sabres excellent 2026, I smell an upset. Especially if the Bruins can get it back home at 1-1. I also think that while the metrics favoure the Sabres, the odds also favour them to the point that it feels 0EV.
Bruins to win the series at 2.35.
Bet the playoffs at:
Ontario: Sports Interaction and TonyBet
Canada: Sports Interaction and TonyBet
USA: BetOnline.
Everyone Else: Bet365 (Americans: We recommend http://www.bovada.lv
Knights vs Mammoth Series Betting Tips:
Scott: Offensively the Knights, at least on paper, are one of the best in the league. Eichel Marner, Stone, Dorofeyev, Hertl and Barbashev can all score. On defense it’s Andersson, Theodore, Hanifin and Hutton so a decent group. In nets it’s Schmid, Hill and Hart so plenty of quality options.
A group that scores by committee. Keller, Guenther, Schmaltz and Peterka. For depth it’s Crouse, Cooley and Carcone. On defense they are solid with Sergachev, Weegar, Durzi and Marino. In goal Vejmelka had a good season and he’s backed up by Vanacek.
It’s hard to bet against the Knights in this situation. They have the experience that should carry them through the first round.
Knights in 5 at 3.25 odds.
Bet the playoffs at:
Ontario: Sports Interaction and TonyBet
Canada: Sports Interaction and TonyBet
USA: BetOnline.
Everyone Else: Bet365 (Americans: We recommend http://www.bovada.lv
Graeme: Knights have been a fascinating team to watch in advanced metrics lately. I have a friend who is back into advanced metrics too and is a Knights fan so we talked a lot about that especially in March where we were noticing how bad they were underperforming and we’d see it reverting to the mean.
It feels like that all clicked at the right time for them and they’re going to perform well in the playoffs.
The metrics are pretty close with Mammoth generally having the advantage in offense and Knights defense and it then balancing out. Knights however had the lowest xGA/60 in the league and that will be a big factor for them.
Like I said – I think everything is clicking for the Knights at the right time. It may not last these entire playoffs, but I think it’s going to help them move into the next round with relative ease.
Knights in 5Ontario: Sports Interaction and TonyBet
Canada: Sports Interaction and TonyBet
USA: BetOnline.
Everyone Else: Bet365 (Americans: We recommend http://www.bovada.lv
I don’t like to bet on Game One in the first Round of the playoffs, because teams need a period or two to settle into the fact it IS the playoffs. I put no weight on the result of such games. Game Two of Round One is where the playoffs really begin.
However, tonight, I think Colorado wins, probably puckline, but I went moneyline combined with a MLB low odds totals bet to boost the parlay. LA will play a little better than their own average, as their recent trades were helpful, but they are still in every regard a team far, and I mean FAR below where Colorado is in speed, skill, cohesion and determination. This isn’t LA’s year to win a round, but it’s no shame on them.
I want to see Buffalo and Montreal win their series. If either of them does, watch out, the playoffs will take on a huge and refreshing new flavor. I think both can do it. Boston is not what they used to be, and Tampa is a gang of grey beards. Part of Tampa being so enthused this season is a reaction to their rival Florida falling into a swamp this season, but Montreal is playing fantastic hockey.