NHL

Maple Leafs vs Panthers

Sunshine State claws look sharper than visiting sticks tonight

Toronto Maple Leafs

Maple Leafs (52-26-4) VS Panthers (47-31-4)

May 9 2025 | 6:00 PM ET | Amerant Bank Arena, Sunrise, FL

Florida Panthers
Moneyline Pick - Florida Panthers (-240): B-

Fresh off a solid run of form, the home side enters this playoff matchup with momentum and roster stability, while the visiting team arrives on the heels of consecutive losses and a key injury on the blue line that forces a depth defenseman into an elevated role. The hosts have consistently had the upper hand in recent head-to-head meetings, especially when skating on home ice, where their combination of physical forechecking and opportunistic finishing has tilted the matchup in their favor. Goaltending has also been a strength lately, with reliable play between the pipes bolstering their already disciplined defensive structure.

That said, the visitors still bring a potent power play and elite scoring talent, which keeps them dangerous even when the underlying numbers lean the other way. But with the home team’s postseason motivation and proven track record in this setting, the lean remains in their favor. The price is steep, which tempers the betting value slightly, but for bettors looking for reliability over long-shot upside, backing the hosts to handle business remains a reasonable play.

Over/Under Pick - Over 6 (-110): B+

Toronto enters this pivotal postseason clash in sharp form, while Florida looks to bounce back from consecutive defensive lapses that have exposed gaps on the back end. With both blue lines dealing with lingering injuries and neither team at full shutdown capacity, the scoring conditions are more favorable than usual. Each club features elite top-line talent and highly efficient power-play units, and both coaching staffs are expected to lean heavily on their offensive stars with playoff seeding still in flux.

Given the attacking depth on both rosters, recent goal-scoring trends, and a likely uptick in special teams activity, this one profiles as a strong candidate to clear the total. The goaltending matchup offers some intrigue but not enough resistance to ignore the momentum behind each team’s offensive core. Taking the over earns a solid betting grade—there’s just too much firepower and urgency on the ice to expect a low-event night.

Puckline Pick - Toronto Maple Leafs, -1.5 (-135): B

Toronto enters this key matchup with strong momentum and a fully engaged top line, while Florida faces uncertainty in net and questions around the availability of key contributors. The visiting squad has consistently produced offense in this head-to-head series, and the current injury status on the home side’s blue line adds further concern—particularly with special teams trending downward over the last month.

With both clubs battling for postseason positioning—one pushing for top-tier seeding and the other defending a narrow wild-card edge—the intensity should be high from puck drop. Given Toronto’s forward depth and the possibility of backup goaltending for Florida, taking the road side on the puckline offers strong value even at slightly juiced odds. This setup favors a veteran lineup with the firepower and coaching trust to stretch a lead when opportunity knocks.

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