NHL Best Bets Today: Expert April 15 Picks & Tonight’s Top Value

It’s the final week of the NHL’s 2025-26 season, and there’s still plenty on the line. We’re still trying to sort out the Atlantic and Pacific division winners, with Metropolitan and Central Division teams vying for the final few playoff spots. By the end of the week, the dust will have settled, and we’ll be setting our sights on another profitable playoff run. 

Until then, we’ve got you covered with our favorite best bets and NHL daily betting guide!

Grant White is a Senior NHL Analyst specializing in data-driven betting strategies. With a focus on advanced analytics, Grant blends years of hockey expertise with a rigorous model-based approach to identify high-value edges. 

Check out our NHL best bets for April 15!

Where to Watch Toronto Maple Leafs vs Ottawa Senators

• Stadium: Canadian Tire Centre
• Location: Ottawa, ON
• Where to Watch: ESPN+, Sportsnet+
• Time: 7:30 p.m. ET

Toronto Maple Leafs vs Ottawa Senators Betting Odds

• Spread: TOR +1.5 (-155) | OTT -1.5 (+130)
• Total: Over 6.5 (-110) | Under (-110)
• Moneyline: TOR +155 | OTT -185

Toronto Maple Leafs vs Ottawa Senators Kalshi Odds

• Chance: TOR 37% | OTT 63%
• Spread: OTT -1.5 Yes 41¢ | No 61¢
• Total: Over 6.5 Yes 52¢ | No 50¢

Note: All odds are subject to change after article publication. Get the most up-to-date odds here.

This is quite the role reversal. Typically, it’s the Toronto Maple Leafs who have something left to play for at the end of the season, and the Ottawa Senators are licking their wounds. Here we are, at the end of the 2025-26 season, the Sens are gearing up for the postseason, and the Leafs are lamenting what could have been. Ottawa won’t move from the eighth seed in the East, but we expect the Senators to operate at full capacity in this rivalry showdown. 

Ottawa’s offense has come to life as it shifts into playoff mode. The Sens have gone north of 10 high-danger chances in four of their past five, averaging 10.4 opportunities per game over that stretch. Predictably, we’ve seen a corresponding increase in scoring. The wild card team has potted 23 goals across the five-game sample, with 11 of those coming at five-on-five. They should be able to maintain that production and output against a Leafs team that has looked utterly atrocious in their own end. 

Toronto mailed it in weeks ago. Since March 4, the Leafs have given up a mind-numbing 26.4 scoring and 11.0 high-danger chances per game. Moreover, their goaltending has been absolutely abysmal at preventing goals. Collectively, Toronto’s netminders have an 87.8% save percentage across all strengths, while giving up the third-most goals in the league over that stretch. 

Despite their defensive struggles, the Maple Leafs have been effective in the attacking zone. They are coming off a five-goal outburst against the Stars and have tallied 16 goals over their previous five contests. Supported by respectable offensive production metrics, we’re predicting renewed success against the Senators ‘B-Team.’

All signs point to a high-scoring affair in Ottawa. Neither team has had any success in preventing goals, while both are in the middle of torrid offensive stretches. Assuredly, we’ll see plenty of fireworks on Wednesday night, most prominently featured on the scoreboard. We’re playing the over in this one.

Best Bet: Over 6.5 -110

Deke the sportsbooks and score with SportsGrid’s free NHL Picks and NHL Player Props.

Where to Watch San Jose Sharks vs Chicago Blackhawks

• Stadium: United Center
• Location: Chicago, IL
• Where to Watch: ESPN+
• Time: 8:20 p.m. ET

San Jose Sharks vs Chicago Blackhawks Betting Odds

• Spread: SJS -1.5 (+185) | CHI +1.5 (-250)
• Total: Over 6.5 (-110) | Under (-110)
• Moneyline: SJS -125 | CHI +105

San Jose Sharks vs Chicago Blackhawks Kalshi Odds

• Chance: SJS 52% | CHI 48%
• Spread: SJS -1.5 Yes 32¢ | No 69¢
• Total: Over 6.5 Yes 52¢ | No 50¢

When the NHL set its schedule, it was probably hoping that the San Jose Sharks and Chicago Blackhawks would be battling it out for one of the final wild-card spots, with their two young phenoms standing toe-to-toe. Alas, it wasn’t meant to be this season, as the Hawks continued to struggle and the Sharks fell out of the playoff race over the final few weeks of the season. San Jose enters as short road underdogs, but we expect them to end the year on a high note. 

The Blackhawks remain one of the worst analytics teams in the league. More concerningly, they are coming off their worst performance of the campaign. Chicago was manhandled by the Sabres last time out, posting a 16.4% expected goals-for rating. The bottom-feeders mustered a laughable seven scoring and three high-danger chances, while getting outscored 5-0 at five-on-five.

While that is a new low, unfortunately, that has been the Blackhawks’ standard over their recent schedule; they have been outplayed in 12 of their last 13 games, generating a league-worst 39.2% expected goals-for rating over that stretch. Chicago’s efforts have been so bad that the Hawks have fallen below 31.0% eGF in six of those 13 outings. 

Conversely, the Sharks are celebrating their successes to close out a better-than-expected season. San Jose vastly outperformed preseason prognostications, maintaining its elite offensive production into the final moments of the campaign. They have eclipsed 12 high-danger chances in three of their last five, outchancing their opponents in all but two of those contests. With only two wins to show for their efforts, we’re anticipating one final hurrah for the Sharks in their penultimate game of the season.

The gap between these teams is wider than the betting market implies. The Sharks have found their rhythm this season, building on their chemistry late in the season. The Blackhawks are just content that another disappointing campaign is mercifully coming to an end. We’re using this spot to get a piece of the Sharks as short favorites.

Best Bet: Sharks -125

NHL Daily Betting Guide: Best Bets for April 15, 2026

• TOR-OTT Over 6.5 -110
• Sharks -125

It is the penultimate day of the NHL regular season, and we’re heading into the six-game schedule with our two favorite plays. We’re taking the over in the Battle of Ontario and the Sharks to take a bite out of the Blackhawks in Chicago.

Stay ahead of the game and elevate your sports betting experience with SportsGrid.