The Florida Panthers and the Carolina Hurricanes open the 2026-27 NHL regular season Tuesday at Lenovo Center in Raleigh, North Carolina. Puck drop is set for 5 p.m. ET (ESPN). Let's analyze NHL odds around the Panthers vs. Hurricanes odds and make our expert NHL picks and predictions.
2025-26 season series: Panthers won 2-1
The Panthers won the first meeting last season in Raleigh on Dec. 23, posting a 5-2 win as underdogs (+115) as the Over (6) cashed, while Carolina won 9-1 in the second home meeting as moderate favorites (-178) as the Over (6) cashed. The total has gone Over in 4 straight meetings in this series, including Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals in 2025.
The Hurricanes will raise the Stanley Cup banner Tuesday before the game,
celebrating the team's second-ever championship. This game features the past 3 Stanley Cup winning teams.
The Panthers acquired F Brady Tkachuk from the Ottawa Senators in the offseason, uniting him with brother F Matthew Tkachuk. In addition, the goalie room is completely different, as G Sergei Bobrovsky signed as a free agent in Toronto, while Gs Jacob Markstrom and Akira Schmid are the new goaltender tandem, while veteran Fs Lars Eller, Garney Hathaway and Sam Lafferty were also added. D Radko Gudas was acquired from the Anaheim Ducks, and he signed a 6-year deal.
The Canes re-signed captain F Jordan Staal, while G Frederik Andersen left for Edmonton. The new goalie group will look very familiar, as Stanley Cup winning goaltender Brandon Bussi is joined by holdover Pyotr Kochetkov. Meanwhile, D Alexander Nikishin wants a new deal, and remains unsigned. In addition, F Seth Jarvis is on the injured non-roster list, recovering from shoulder surgery in June to repair a torn labrum and rotator cuff.
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Panthers at Hurricanes odds
Provided by FanDuel Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 6:18 a.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): Panthers +105 (bet $100 to win $105) | Hurricanes -126 (bet $126 to win $100)
- Puck line (PL)/Against the spread (ATS): Panthers +1.5 (-245) | Hurricanes -1.5 (+194)
- Over/Under (O/U): 6.5 (O: -102 | U: -120)
Panthers at Hurricanes projected goalies
Jacob Markstrom (23-19-1, 3.07 GAA, .883 SV%, 1 SO in 2025-26 with New Jersey Devils) vs. Brandon Bussi (31-6-2, 2.47 GAA, .895 SV%, 2 SO in regular season)
Markstrom faced the Hurricanes 3 times as a member of the Devils, going 0-3-0 with a 4.40 GAA and .870 SV% in 3 starts.
Bussi made a magical run to the Stanley Cup, making Andersen expendable. He gets the start on banner night against the Panthers. He was 1-0-1 with a 1.92 GAA and .930 SV% in 2 starts against them last season.
Panthers at Hurricanes picks and predictions
Prediction
Panthers 4, Hurricanes 3
Moneyline
The new-look PANTHERS (+105) are a good bet to spoil banner night in Raleigh. The Tkachuk brothers are hyped to play with each other, and they won't be distracted by all of the pomp and circumstance of the banner raising ceremony and the heightened expectations.
Puck line/Against the spread
PASS.
If you need insurance, and can't the champs straight up, Panthers +1.5 (-245) is way too expensive. There is no reason for that, just take the short dogs straight up.
Over/Under
BET OVER -6.5 (-102), but go with a half-unit play at most.
The Over cashed in all 3 regular-season matchups last season, and with Markstrom in there for the Panthers, he'll be very giving. The offense should still pull him through to victory, though.
Best prop bet
Hurricanes F LOGAN STANKOVEN - ANYTIME GOAL SCORER (+230) will help you multiply up more than 2 times your potential return. He was on fire in the postseason, and he is the best value on the board for the home side.
Betting odds calculator
For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW. Follow Daniel Dobish on X at @danieledobish. Follow SportsbookWire on X at SportsBookWire and on Facebook.
This article originally appeared on Sportsbook Wire: Florida Panthers at Carolina Hurricanes odds, picks and predictions
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