Expert NHL Picks
The 2025-2026 NHL hockey season is back, and the Doc's Sports team is here to provide you with winning expert NHL picks daily. The season begins on October 7th and the Florida Panthers will try to 3-peat as champions.
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Yesterday's Expert NHL Picks from our handicappers.
Just so the public knows we are always transparent and honest with our reporting, in this spot we will list all of the previous days picks and analysis. This will be updated daily at around 5AM Eastern Time.
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Results for Thursday 7th of May 2026
| Handicapper | Units | Dollars |
| Doc's Sports | -7 | $-700.00 |
| Arun Shiva (Indian Cowboy) | 0 | $0.00 |
| Scott Spreitzer | -3 | $-300.00 |
| Griffin Murphy | 0 | $0.00 |
Thursday 7th of May 2026
Doc's Sports
7-Unit Play Take Carolina/Philadelphia OVER 5.5 (+120) (8 p.m. EST, Thursday May 7)
Five of the last six meetings have gone to extra time, and there is no reason to think this one doesn’t have a chance to as well. Extra time means an extra goal on the total line, but we don’t think we will need that extra goal. We think Philly has a great chance here and they should have a better offensive showing at home than they did in the two road games to start this series. Carolina has dominated possession in the first two games but Philly will make some adjustments here and we expect some aggressive, attacking play. If the Flyers are down by multiple goals late they will pull the goalie early as this is a must win game for them to realistically get back into the series. The plus-money price on the total really stood out to us as the Hurricanes have to face some adversity in this postseason at some point and we could see Philly having a big game offensively and the Flyers haven’t shown that they can really slow the Hurricanes down. It doesn’t take much to beat a 5.5 total, and we think these teams will do enough to get past the number as both teams get their share of the total tonight.
Best of Luck – Doc’s Sports
Robert Ferringo
Passing for today.
Craig Trapp
Passing for today.
Scott Rickenbach
4-Unit Play. Take #10 Philadelphia +140 vs Carolina (8:07 p.m., Thu, May. 7)
The Flyers responded after losing Game 1 by a 3-0 count as they took the Hurricanes to OT in Game 2. Unfortunately for Philly they still lost the game but they are getting closer to where they need to be. There is no doubt Carolina is the better team in this series as they have been in the post-season often in recent years while the Flyers are finally back in playoff hockey after a long hiatus. However, I still don't see the Flyers getting swept in this series and Game 3 is a great opportunity for them to at least avoid the sweep. Philadelphia is 4-0 the L4 times when they have entered a game on a losing streak of 2+ games and that includes 1-0 in the post-season. I expect them to again get the job done in this situation here on Thursday. The Flyers almost did it in Game 2 and now home ice does the trick for them in Game 3 as that situational trend I noted above make it 5 in a row for Philly. 4* PHILADELPHIA +140
Arun Shiva (Indian Cowboy)
Passing for today.
Raphael Esparza (VSI)
NHL HOCKEY
4 Unit Play. Take #8 Philadelphia +140 over Carolina (8:00p.m., Thursday May 7 TNT)
Tony George
Passing for today.
Vernon Croy
Passing for today.
Scott Spreitzer
3-Unit Play: Take Flyers +140 over Hurricanes (8 p.m., Thursday, May 7)
The Flyers had their chances in Game-2 but came up short in OT. I expect Philly to control this game with their play in the defensive zone where they’re 4th in SOG allowed. They can grind this game down and rely on Dan Vladar to take care of the rest between the pipes. I’m backing underdog Philly. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.
August Young
3-Unit Play (9) Carolina Hurricanes -160 over Philadelphia Flyers (5/7 @ 8:00PM EST) The Hurricanes were -245 in Game 1, and -275 in Game 2. This is more than a 100 cent shift from Game 2. That is ridiculous in our opinion. The historic data shows teams in this spot down 0-2 show up and perform well, but that is now over-baked in to the line and we are planning to take full advantage.
Strike Point Sports
Passing for today.
Jason Sharpe
Thursday May 7th 2026-
3 Unit Play Take #10 Philadelphia +135 over Carolina (8:00pm est):
I think we get a big effort here from Philadelphia down two games to zero in this 2nd round series. The Flyers put up a solid effort last game but let it slip away and lost in overtime. They have been solid at home of late winning 7 of their last 9 there. This is a juicy price for the Flyers in this must win spot.
Play Philadelphia in this game.
Thank you and good luck,
Jason Sharpe
Griffin Murphy
Passing for today.
Nick Menken
4 Unit: NHL Take CAR Hurricanes vs. PHI Flyers (UNDER 5.5 Total Goals) (-140) (8:00p.m, Thursday, May 7th)
The second round of the NHL playoffs shifts to Philadelphia tonight for a pivotal Game 3 between the Hurricanes and the Flyers. Carolina enters this matchup with total command of the series, leading 2-0 and remaining perfect in the postseason so far. With the series moving to the City of Brotherly Love, expect the Flyers to play with their backs against the wall. Philadelphia has historically been a tough out at home, and after two tightly contested games in Raleigh, including a narrow 3-2 loss in Game 2 Rick Tocchet’s squad will likely lean into an even more physical, defensive-minded game plan to slow down the Hurricanes' momentum. Carolina’s success has been built on suffocating defense and elite goaltending from Frederik Andersen, while the Flyers will be looking to stabilize things in front of their home crowd. Given the high stakes and Philadelphia's need to avoid a 3-0 hole, this has all the makings of a low-scoring, disciplined grind where every inch of ice is contested. Take the Under 5.5 total goals.
Nick Menken
Expert NHL Picks History:
Doc's Sports
7-Unit Play Take Carolina/Philadelphia OVER 5.5 (+120) (8 p.m. EST, Thursday May 7)Five of the last six meetings have gone to extra time, and there is no reason to think this one doesn’t have a chance to as well. Extra time means an extra goal on the total line, but we don’t think we will need that extra goal. We think Philly has a great chance here and they should have a better offensive showing at home than they did in the two road games to start this series. Carolina has dominated possession in the first two games but Philly will make some adjustments here and we expect some aggressive, attacking play. If the Flyers are down by multiple goals late they will pull the goalie early as this is a must win game for them to realistically get back into the series. The plus-money price on the total really stood out to us as the Hurricanes have to face some adversity in this postseason at some point and we could see Philly having a big game offensively and the Flyers haven’t shown that they can really slow the Hurricanes down. It doesn’t take much to beat a 5.5 total, and we think these teams will do enough to get past the number as both teams get their share of the total tonight.
Best of Luck – Doc’s Sports
Robert Ferringo
Passing for today.Craig Trapp
Passing for today.Scott Rickenbach
4-Unit Play. Take #10 Philadelphia +140 vs Carolina (8:07 p.m., Thu, May. 7)The Flyers responded after losing Game 1 by a 3-0 count as they took the Hurricanes to OT in Game 2. Unfortunately for Philly they still lost the game but they are getting closer to where they need to be. There is no doubt Carolina is the better team in this series as they have been in the post-season often in recent years while the Flyers are finally back in playoff hockey after a long hiatus. However, I still don't see the Flyers getting swept in this series and Game 3 is a great opportunity for them to at least avoid the sweep. Philadelphia is 4-0 the L4 times when they have entered a game on a losing streak of 2+ games and that includes 1-0 in the post-season. I expect them to again get the job done in this situation here on Thursday. The Flyers almost did it in Game 2 and now home ice does the trick for them in Game 3 as that situational trend I noted above make it 5 in a row for Philly. 4* PHILADELPHIA +140
Arun Shiva (Indian Cowboy)
Passing for today.Raphael Esparza (VSI)
NHL HOCKEY4 Unit Play. Take #8 Philadelphia +140 over Carolina (8:00p.m., Thursday May 7 TNT)
Tony George
Passing for today.Vernon Croy
Passing for today.Scott Spreitzer
3-Unit Play: Take Flyers +140 over Hurricanes (8 p.m., Thursday, May 7)The Flyers had their chances in Game-2 but came up short in OT. I expect Philly to control this game with their play in the defensive zone where they’re 4th in SOG allowed. They can grind this game down and rely on Dan Vladar to take care of the rest between the pipes. I’m backing underdog Philly. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.
August Young
3-Unit Play (9) Carolina Hurricanes -160 over Philadelphia Flyers (5/7 @ 8:00PM EST) The Hurricanes were -245 in Game 1, and -275 in Game 2. This is more than a 100 cent shift from Game 2. That is ridiculous in our opinion. The historic data shows teams in this spot down 0-2 show up and perform well, but that is now over-baked in to the line and we are planning to take full advantage.Strike Point Sports
Passing for today.Jason Sharpe
Thursday May 7th 2026-3 Unit Play Take #10 Philadelphia +135 over Carolina (8:00pm est):
I think we get a big effort here from Philadelphia down two games to zero in this 2nd round series. The Flyers put up a solid effort last game but let it slip away and lost in overtime. They have been solid at home of late winning 7 of their last 9 there. This is a juicy price for the Flyers in this must win spot.
Play Philadelphia in this game.
Thank you and good luck,
Jason Sharpe
Griffin Murphy
Passing for today.Nick Menken
4 Unit: NHL Take CAR Hurricanes vs. PHI Flyers (UNDER 5.5 Total Goals) (-140) (8:00p.m, Thursday, May 7th)The second round of the NHL playoffs shifts to Philadelphia tonight for a pivotal Game 3 between the Hurricanes and the Flyers. Carolina enters this matchup with total command of the series, leading 2-0 and remaining perfect in the postseason so far. With the series moving to the City of Brotherly Love, expect the Flyers to play with their backs against the wall. Philadelphia has historically been a tough out at home, and after two tightly contested games in Raleigh, including a narrow 3-2 loss in Game 2 Rick Tocchet’s squad will likely lean into an even more physical, defensive-minded game plan to slow down the Hurricanes' momentum. Carolina’s success has been built on suffocating defense and elite goaltending from Frederik Andersen, while the Flyers will be looking to stabilize things in front of their home crowd. Given the high stakes and Philadelphia's need to avoid a 3-0 hole, this has all the makings of a low-scoring, disciplined grind where every inch of ice is contested. Take the Under 5.5 total goals.
Nick Menken
Expert NHL Picks History:
DOC'S SPORTS was one of the best NHL handicappers in the nation last season with nearly +7,200 earnings on the year. This season we go for three of four winning seasons, and we are extremely confident that they will have an even better season in 2025. We have been doing our homework and plan on a strong start out of the gate, where we are two steps ahead of the oddsmakers, who are wading waist deep in football action in early October. Doc’s NHL concentrates on high-value underdogs, totals, value pucklines, and small favorites. It is rare that Doc’s will release a pick that is juiced above -150. Doc’s NHL is one you will want to be with the entire season, so we urge you to lock in at the early bird price, which will give you Doc’s NHL picks through the Stanley Cup Finals in June.
ROBERT FERRINGO has racked up THREE straight winning hockey seasons and has been one of the top hockey handicappers in the country over the last two decades, burning the books for 11 of 16 winning years on the ice. Robert erupted for a +7,810 hockey rush last season and he does it with a methodical, selective approach that focuses on plus-money situations. Robert has experienced sustained, long-term success and he is ready for another outstanding season on the ice as he goes for winning year No. 4 in a row.
STRIKE POINT SPORTS had a dominating 2024-25 on the ice (+6,610 overall) and has produced back-to-back winning seasons for their clients. SPS hit 63% of their plays last season (68-40) and dating back to 2023, Strike Point Sports is an amazing 83-44 (65%), +9,090 with their hockey service. SPS was one of the best in the nation in 2019-20, and they are known for getting off to hot starts in the first six weeks of the season. SPS is going for a third straight winning year and you can sign up now to join them!
TONY GEORGE hired a new NHL handicapper prior to the 2022-23 hockey season and the result has been three straight winning years on the ice! Now George is looking forward to going for four in a row. Last year he banked +2,475 and was superb and selective with his top picks, going 6-3, +2,520 on hockey plays rated 7.0+. He has over 30 years of handicapping experience and is one of the most consistent, well known, and most respected handicappers in the sports betting industry. Get on board now.
CRAIG TRAPP joined Doc’s Sports midseason last year and posted a winning season on the ice, hitting 57% of his picks on the year for +2,145 in winnings. Trapp dominated his top plays, going 27-15 (64%), +4,035 with his plays rated 5.0+ last season. He finished last season with five of six winners in the Stanley Cup Finals and he is looking to pick up where he left off. Sign up and put his experience to work for you today!
RAPHAEL ESPARZA is steady and consistent on the ice, notching 9 of 14 winning NHL seasons. Esparza had a monster winning season in 2022-23 and is looking to do it again. At one point Esparza was the sports book director in Vegas at MGM's Aria Race and Sports Book and other top books for 15 years. Put that experience to work for you today.
AUGUST YOUNG has racked up +7,320 with his hockey picks since joining Doc’s four years ago. Young has been phenomenal with his top hockey plays, including going 10-2, +4,320 with his 8-Unit NHL Game of the Year picks over the last four seasons. Young and his team are stacked with fresh data scientists and research experts and he is prime to deliver another big season on the ice!
JASON SHARPE has rocked the books for three of five winning years in the NHL, a fantastic +6,700 hockey season in 2023-24. Sharpe has been superb with his top picks over the last two seasons, going 43-30 (59%) on his hockey plays rated 7.0+. Sharpe is a selective NHL handicapper and is the perfect option for people who enjoy betting just the best of the best expert NHL picks without having to endure the exhaustive eight-month grind.
SCOTT SPREITZER believes in being ready to go right out of the blocks when most bettors & bookies are focused almost solely on college football and the NFL! He put this philosophy to work in October last year and was up +8,085 by January. The NHL is not getting the attention of the masses, seeing less action than the WNBA in some cases. That's perfectly fine with Scott because it means he's going to get value early on. One of his favorite systems is to start with certain teams off a loss as chalk then chalk again in their next game. Not all in this spot qualify but that's where a quarter century of betting the NHL comes into play. Bet early! Bet often! Cash tickets!
GRIFFIN MURPHY is one of the newest handicappers at Doc's Sports and is looking for a big season. Murphy has 10 years of betting experience, with eight years of experience as a professional handicapper. Murphy is going to focus on totals and puck-line plays this winter and he is looking to build on his success with 7-Unit NHL Plays. Sign up and put him to work now!
NICK MENKEN exploded onto the hockey scene at Doc’s last year, banking +5,165 in his first month releasing picks. Menken nailed the first eight hockey selections of his career last December and he is looking for another hot start on the ice this year. Menken was at his best with his top play, going 13-7 (65%), +3,810 on his hockey plays rated 7.0+ and you can get signed up with him today!
ARUN SHIVA had back-to-back dominating NHL campaigns in 2020-21, banking over +13,000 those two years. Shiva banked a wire-to-wire winning season in 2020 and followed it up with a 61%, +8,700 season. Shiva’s one play per day style has made him one of the most sought-after handicappers in the country, and you can sign up today!
VERNON CROY has always looked at NHL as one of his top sports over the last 25 years. Two years ago, Croy went 104-88, +6,910 in the NHL season and banked over +4,400 with his top hockey plays. He is looking for a big rebound season and looking to match that 2023 standard. He is chomping at the bit to start the season hot. Sign-up today!
SCOTT RICKENBACH is the newest addition to the Doc’s Sports team. With over two decades of experience, Rickenbach has a well-earned reputation and ranks among the most popular and sought after handicappers in the industry. Rickenbach has been a top earner in plenty of his 22 years as a hockey handicapper and there will be no better time to catch him than the 2025-26 NHL season!