After being up 2-0, the Toronto Maple Leafs are on the brink of elimination in Game 6.
The pregame narrative: The Florida Panthers will be at home, where they’ve been strong all season. It will be a tall task for the Leafs, who are +200 to pick up the win and force a Game 7.
Brad Marchand, Aaron Ekblad and John Tavares are the targets of my Maple Leafs vs. Panthers prop picks for Game 6 on May 16.
Maple Leafs vs. Panthers picks
Best Bet: Marchand to score 1+ points (-106)
The Panthers took full advantage of Marchand’s down season with the Boston Bruins. They swooped in to trade for the winger for a measly second-round pick at the deadline.
Even though the veteran had his lowest point production in a decade this season (51), his value is clearly much higher in the playoffs.
Check out Marchand’s stats this postseason:
- 10 games
- 9 points
- 7-3 against this line
- +8 rating
He’s been a consistently productive threat in both series. Plus, he continues to haunt Toronto in its attempt to find postseason glory.
While racking up 26 penalty minutes and being the pesky winger he is, Marchand has also recorded five points and is 4-1 against this line in the series.
Key stat: Marchand has dominated the Leafs in the playoffs, recording 34 points in 33 career meetings.
Game 6 prop predictions
Ekblad to score 1+ points (+100): Florida’s defence corps continues to chip in at an elevated rate.
A defenceman factored in on all six of the Panthers’ goals in Game 5.
Ekblad led the charge, opening the scoring in the first period and later recording an assist. He has at least a point in five straight games.
Remember, he was suspended for Game 1 of this series. His return to the lineup is a key reason why the Panthers have turned things around.
If Florida continues to funnel its offence through the blue line, Ekblad will be in a prime position to keep his point streak alive.
Tavares over 2.5 shots (-130): The former captain fell short of this mark on Wednesday, but he seems to be more productive on the road in these playoffs.
- Home: Six games, 18 shots
- Away: Five games, 18 shots
It may not seem like much of a difference, but Tavares is 4-1 against this wager away from home and 3-3 at Scotiabank Arena.
He played his fewest minutes of the series in Game 5 (15:57). That was almost four minutes fewer than his next lowest (19:22).
With Toronto’s back against the wall, I expect a better effort out of the gate with more ice time for the top guys, including Tavares.
Maple Leafs vs. Panthers prop picks made at 12:52 p.m. ET 05/16/2025.
Spencer is a true sports junkie. A graduate of the Sports Journalism program at Centennial College, he first joined NorthStar Gaming as an intern in 2023. He is now a contributing writer. He loves finding the edge to bet on in all sports but has a deep passion for the NBA and UFC. Previous stops include Sportsnet.