This article is part of our NHL Picks series.
It's the last week of the NHL regular season. The last chance to see all 32 teams play. The last chance for the bottom-dwellers to improve their draft stock by losing. The last chance for a number of teams nipping at the final Wild Card spots in both conferences to claim their place in the postseason. The last chance for the middle-seeded playoff teams to fight for home-ice advantage. No matter how these games shake out, there will be some teams playing spoiler. Out of the games on the board tonight, the five games analyzed below have remnants of all the above features and should all make for excellent television this evening. That said, here are the five best NHL bets for tonight!
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NHL Best Bets Tonight
Maple Leafs 
vs Panthers 
The Panthers can clinch a playoff berth if they win this game tonight. If they get the W in regulation or in overtime AND the Islanders lose to the Caps in regulation, last year's Presidents Trophy winner will return to the postseason. Matthew Tkachuk is all but willing that into existence as the man has 11 points in his last 5 games. Netminder Alex Lyon was named to the NHL 3 Stars of the Week after going 3-0 in as many games with a 1.67 GAA and .959 save percentage. He even turned away 56 of 58 shots in a 7-2 win over the Senators on Thursday, which is bonkers. Both players have propelled the Cats to 6 straight wins in their hunt for a Wild Card berth in the East. The Leafs' Ilya Samsonov has been no slouch in net in his own regard though and has been one of the most consistent goaltenders in the NHL this season. The Leafs don't have nearly as much to play for since they've locked up home-ice advantage in their first-round matchup against the Lightning, but they do want to head into the postseason as sharp as possible so this game should have a playoff atmosphere nonetheless. Toronto bested the Panthers 6-2 the last time they were in Florida on March 23. This should be a close tilt.
Maple Leafs PL -190
Islanders 
vs Capitals 
It's pretty simple for the Islanders right now: win and you're in. They are 1 point ahead Pittsburgh for the final Wild Card spot in the East, so if they win their final 2 games, they should seal the deal. That starts with tonight's tilt on the road in DC against a Capitals team that has lost 6 straight games. The Caps are just 1-7-2 in their last 10 games overall and have looked totally uninspired down the stretch in missing the playoffs for the first time in nearly a decade. These two teams played a 2-1 game in DC on March 29 which the Isles won in a shootout. The Caps took the other 2 matchups in New York 4-3 and 5-1 respectively. Outside of that shootout win to the Caps, the only other teams the Isles have beaten on the road in their last 6 games away from home are the Sharks and the Ducks, which doesn't exude much confidence. But the Caps will be without Alex Ovechkin tonight and will only dress 17 skaters because of its injury woes, with TJ Oshie, Anthony Mantha, Nic Dowd, and Trevor van Riemsdyk all banged up. The Caps have yet to win a game without Ovechkin in the lineup, and with the Islanders gunning for a playoff spot, I think the momentum is just in polar opposite directions for these clubs.
Islanders ML -170
Kraken 
vs Coyotes
I love that this Kraken team is heading to the playoffs in just its second season in the league. They've won 4 straight and are 7-2-1 in their last 10 games too. The Kraken put up 23 goals in those 4 wins, with 12 of those coming from their two tilts with the Coyotes. Tonight's game is in Arizona though where the Yotes have been sneaky good, posting a 21-14-4 record at Mullett Arena overall this season. They're only 1-3-1 in their last 5 home games though and are just 1-7-2 in their last 10 overall. The Kraken are just firing on all cylinders so I'm riding the hot hand.
Kraken PL +105
Predators 
vs Flames 
This is a must-win game for both of these teams. The Flames are 1 point back from the 8-seed in the West, and the Preds are 3 points back. The Predators have been pesky in their pursuit of the playoffs, with wins over the Golden Knights, Hurricanes, and record-setting Bruins in their last 10 games and have done so mostly without major contributors like Filip Forsberg, Matt Duchene, and Ryan Johansen in the lineup. Maybe more critically, the Preds will be without captain Roman Josi for tonight's tilt. The Flames are 6-3-1 in their last 10 games overall and are looking to bounce back from a shootout loss to the Canucks on Saturday. Tyler Toffoli has been stepping up lately as he tries to lead his team to the postseason. This one may come down to how well Predators' goalie Juuse Saros can hold up from a potential barrage coming his way.
Flames PL +130
Sabres 
vs Rangers
The Sabres probably won't get into the playoffs, but boy have they tried with a 6-1-1 record over their last eight games. This young up-and-coming club isn't going anywhere. This season saw Tage Thompson rise to superstar status, and a host of other young bucks like Dylan Cozens, Rasmus Dahlin, and Alex Tuch have shown the Sabres are gearing up for future playoff berths in the very near future. They've even split the season series with the Rangers so far, with a 3-2 win in Buffalo most recently on March 31. That game was the debut for rookie netminder Devon Levi who has since gone 3-1 in his first 4 NHL starts. Both games they've played against the Rangers this season have gone to overtime too, so I think this Sabres bunch lays it all out on the line tonight again.
Sabres PL -135
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