Believe it or not, the final day of the 2025-26 NHL regular season is upon us. It’s been a long and winding road, and now we just have a 6-game slate separating us from the race for the Stanley Cup — which begins Saturday. If you will be following along and want to have some action on the final day of the regular season, I have picked out my 3 NHL best bets for Thursday, with odds and lines courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook at the time of publishing. Furthermore, don’t forget to check out all of our NHL predictions for every game throughout the regular season and playoffs, including all 6 matchups today.
NHL best bet: San Jose Sharks vs Winnipeg Jets Over 6.5 (+102)
The San Jose Sharks were pushing for a playoff spot through the second half of the season, and while they ultimately fizzled down the stretch, their young core of players have a bright future. Macklin Celebrini has already proven he’s among the best players in the NHL, and Will Smith has been a great complement to Celebrini’s game on San Jose’s top line. Winnipeg goaltender Connor Hellebuyck owns a save percentage below .900 on the season and has allowed 11 total goals in his last 2 outings. The Sharks should be able to give him some trouble.
As exciting as San Jose’s offensive core is, the Sharks have been among the worst defensive teams in the NHL this season. They are allowing 3.55 goals per game on the year, which is the 3rd-highest mark in the league. They give up way too many Grade-A scoring chances, and their team save percentage of .887 is less than ideal. The Sharks are also playing on the second half of a back-to-back, so fatigue could be an issue in the defensive zone. Furthermore, both penalty kill units in this matchup rank in the bottom-third of the league. This has the makings of a high-scoring game, which makes the over the play.
Read our full Sharks vs Jets prediction for tonight’s game
NHL best bet: Anaheim Ducks vs Nashville Predators Over 6.5 (-102)
The Anaheim Ducks are locked into a first-round playoff matchup against either the Edmonton Oilers or Vegas Golden Knights. Depending on how things shake out in the Oilers final game, second place is still in reach for the Ducks. Home-ice advantage in a playoff series against the Oilers would be very nice to have, as we all know how good the Oilers can be come playoff time.
With that said, the Ducks will treat treat their final game against the Nashville Predators as a must-win. The Predators are eliminated from playoff contention, and with nothing left to play for, expect a loose game to be played by the Predators. The defensive details may not be a huge priority in this one, allowing the explosive offensive of the Ducks to capitalize. Combine that with Anaheim being one of the worst defensive teams in the NHL allowing 3.51 goals per game, and this should be a high-scoring game.
Read our full Ducks vs Predators prediction
NHL best bet: Los Angeles Kings ML over Calgary Flames (-142)
The NHL schedule makers did a great job of leaving the Kings, Anaheim Ducks, and Edmonton Oilers as participants on the final day, as all three teams’ positioning hinges on Thursday night’s results. The Oilers sit in second in the Pacific Division with 91 points, while the Ducks are in third with 90. The Kings currently occupy the second wild card with 90 points, losing out to the Ducks because they have just 22 regulation wins. The most compelling potential outcomes are the Kings jumping the Ducks to face the Oilers in the first round for the fifth straight season or both the Ducks and Kings jumping the Oilers to set up an Oilers-Colorado Avalanche matchup in the first round.
The Kings have been taking care of their own business over the past 10 games, owning a 7-1-2 record to secure a playoff spot after some tense moments following the Olympic break. The Flames have been struggling to end the season, going 3-5-2 over the same 10-game span, and the Kings still have something to play for in this game. While you might say that Los Angeles would be making a mistake to want to play the Oilers after losing four consecutive first-round series against them, their issues this season make them a much more enticing matchup than the Colorado Avalanche, who have been torching the league all season long. Take the Kings to continue to take care of business in this one.
Read our full Kings vs Flames prediction
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