The 2026 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs are slated to begin next Saturday, April 18th. Welcome back to NHL Predictions with us here at Last Word On Hockey. We break down key storylines, statistics, and analysis to try to decipher how this one will play out. With the Detroit Red Wing loss to the New Jersey Devils yesterday, the Ottawa Senators successfully clinched a spot in the postseason. Congratulations to them on that accomplishment for the second consecutive season. It also allowed the Boston Bruins a chance to qualify in the other of two available Wild Card spots. In addition, the Devils had been eliminated with a loss on Tuesday to the Metropolitan Division, long-time rival Philadelphia Flyers.

NHL Predictions with Senators and Devils

Season Series: The first two contests were split in the Canadian national capital, with this the third and final contest.

Puck Drop: 7:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) | 4:00 p.m. Pacific

How to Watch: TSN5, RDSI, MSGSN2

Location: The always passionate Prudential Center, live from Newark, New Jersey.

As we mentioned in the catchy title, Dawson Mercer of Newfoundland takes on players with an East-Coast Canadian connnection. Jordan Spence grew up in Prince Edward Island, Batherson spent his summers in Nova Scotia as a young player, and even Thomas Chabot played junior in New Brunswick.

Credit Image: © Daniel Lea/Cal Sport Media

The Story from the Garden State

The New Jersey Devils had a hard 2025-26 season. It eventually cost general manager Tom Fitzgerald his job. However, they do have the future to look forward to, but a new command will be in charge. The situation in New Jersey was also complicated by the fact that they did have high expectations at the outset of 2025-26.

Jack Hughes had a remarkable 2025-26 campaign by the simple fact he scored the golden goal in overtime at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics. In just 58 games, he has 26 goals, 47 assists, and 73 points. Furthermore, he basically paces the team in all three categories. Nico Hischier also has 26 goals, Jesper Bratt leads the team with 48 assists, and is second to Hughes with 68 points.

Defenceman Luke Hughes and Jack’s brother, had a very solid season with six goals and 29 assists in 68 games played. However, he was recently shutdown for the season to begin rehab on an injury. Another player who continues to show his consistency was Dawson Mercer. In 407 career regular season games, he has 101 goals, spread between 17 and 27 in each of his five seasons.

Ottawa’s Playoff News did Come with Some Potentially Concern

Sens nation is extremely pumped about the news yesterday, following the Wing loss, that they had made the playoffs. Therefore, the lineup can rest easy knowing that they are good, and qualified.

Concerning for Sen fans was that Brady Tkachuk left yesterday’s game and didn’t return. Again, given his performance at the Olympics, some rest would do no harm. Brady Tkachuk is the ultimate power forward, and he has been helping push Ottawa through their playoff race. Losing him for any amount of time would clearly be detrimental to their probabilities of success. Hopefully, the ailment that caused him to be “not feeling well” was only temporary, or at worst-case, short-term. He did fight Islanders captain Anders Lee at the start of the game. So, it was a hard game for Tkachuk yesterday.

The Sens have already been dealing with a blueline that has been effectively decimated with injuries. With Thomas Chabot returning in an incredibly efficient timetable, it was definitely an added catalyst to the Sens pathway to success. Qualifying for the playoffs is not to be underestimated.

Moreover, if the Sens goaltending, namely the number-one man, Linus Ullmark, can be a difference maker in the playoffs, the Sens will make some noise. That is all they asked for all season long.

The Goaltenders

Given the fact that the game features two teams with their regular season fates decided, the goalies are neither teams’ A-listers.

James Reimer is slated to go for the Sens, giving their star tender Linus Ullmark a chance to rest. Furthermore, this is a welcome benefit for anybody this time of year, with the season grind wearing you down like a machinist’s metal chipping hammer.

For the Devils, a Canadian netminder in Nico Daws is set to make only his second game appearance in the 2025-26 NHL season. He’s a guy who suited up for the Team Canada World Junior club once upon a time.

However, it is a great time for our disclaimer. Please check social media prior to puck drop, to see definitely who gets the nod, before setting your fantasy roster for the day.

NHL Predictions

We did think yesterday’s game would be low scoring, and this one is a bit more unpredictable given the starting goaltenders. Both teams might apply a more defensive strategy to help protect their goaltenders, on the other hand, it might be decided to be an open, free-flowing game, and allow the offensive players to pad their stats, and take advantage of goalies with limited action, and not impacted by the outcome of just one game.

Prediction: Ottawa 5 – New Jersey 3 

Prop Bets

For our classic anytime goal scorers, the Sens have been getting done with a collective unit recently. Their big shot producers in the club’s past three games are Tim Stutzle, Jake Sanderson, Dylan Cozens, with Claude Giroux up there, too. Stutzle is most likely to net one of that group, and currently has a two-goal lead on Drake Batherson for the team goal lead, 34 and 23 goals scored, respectively. In addition, Giroux as a darkhorse for today’s game given his long history against the Devils. We like Jack Hughes for the Devils. He’s scored in two straight coming into today’s contest.

Main Photo Credit: Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports

Please play responsibly, check for your local rules and age restrictions; some jurisdictions require ages 21+. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.