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The New Jersey Devils travel north to take on the Winnipeg Jets. It is time to continue our NHL odds series with a Devils-Jets prediction, pick, and how-to-watch.
Despite the teams not being traditional rivals, their matchups last season were heated. The Jets took the first game at home 6-1, while the Devils took their home victory 4-2. Connor Hellebuyck did well, holding a 2.01 goals-against average and a .933 save percentage.
The Devils are without their captain, Nico Hischier, and breakout superstar Jack Hughes. Hughes is still leading the team with 20 points, and Tyler Toffoli has the team lead with eight goals. The Devils are 1-2-0 without either in the lineup and 7-5-1 overall. Timo Meier and Dawson Mercer struggled to begin the season but have stepped up, having two goals each in the last three games.
The Jets almost have an identical record at 7-5-2. The Jets had won three straight games on the road but had their winning streak snapped by the Dallas Stars on Saturday. Kyle Connor leads the Jets with 11 goals and 17 points. Mark Scheifele shares the point lead with 17. The Jets struggled in the past with depth scoring, but they already have seven players recording four or more goals. Hellebuyck has room for improvement, going 6-4-1 with a 2.98 goals-against average and a .892 save percentage.
Here are the NHL Odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NHL Odds: Devils-Jets Odds
New Jersey Devils: +1.5 (-196)
Winnipeg Jets: -1.5 (+162)
Over: 6.5 (-115)
Under: 6.5 (-105)
How to Watch Devils vs. Jets
Time: 8 PM ET/5 PM PT
TV: TSN, MSGSN
Stream: FuboTV (Click for free trial)
Why The Devils Will Cover The Spread/Win
The Jets aren't underestimating their opponents coming into this game, despite their injury problems. “They’re still one of the best transition young fast teams in the league. Whether that’s coming from the back end or their forward group, which transitions really well. From the top of their circles in their end of the rink to the top of our circles in our end of the rink, they are a really lightning-quick team. They come in waves,” said interim head coach Scott Arniel.
“You watch some video of their last few games its four man rush all the time. It’s always people coming. A little bit like we’ve seen on this last road trip when we saw Arizona, we saw Montreal, Detroit, they push the pace. It’s a high-octane shift every time you’re out there. Our puck management, what we’ve talked about the last couple weeks, making those young teams defend, making them play in their own end of the rink really goes a long way to us having success.”
It's hard to find reasons why the Devils will win in this matchup. They are trying to tread water until Hughes and Hischier return, and their new top line of Timo Meier, Michael McLeod, and Jesper Bratt have been doing well. They will be a motivated team to break the losing skid and muster some points for their injured teammates. However, it's unclear whether the Jets' offensive firepower will be too much for them.
Why The Jets Will Cover The Spread/Win
The Devils have struggled to win games with Hughes and Hischier out of the lineup. New Jersey is trying to avoid their first three-game losing streak this season. The Devils need to shake off the rust to come out on top, as the team hasn't played since Friday night. Recent history isn't kind to the Devils in this matchup. Winnipeg has won 10 of their last 12 games against the Devils and are 5-1 at home. The Jets are averaging 4.1 goals per game against the Devils. Hellebuyck has a record of 7-2-1 against the Devils.
The defense has been an issue for the Devils, ranking 29th in the league. The Jets' offense is 10th in the league and primed for a bounceback after only scoring two goals against the Dallas Stars on Saturday. The Jets didn't look good to start the season, going 1-3-0, but their 6-2-2 record over their past ten games has them sitting second in the Central Division. They have scored at least three goals in seven games while holding their opponent to less than three eight times.
Final Devils-Jets Prediction & Pick
These odds would be fair if both teams were at even strength, but each team being close to even odds isn't a fair representation of the direction each team is going. The Devils need Hughes and Hischier to get healthy to return to their winning ways. They are 1-3 if you include the game that Hughes left due to the injury. They needed some of their depth players to step up, and they have, but their goaltending and defense are failing them. Below-average goaltending has plagued them no matter who is between the pipes, and that will be difficult to change tonight. Hellebuyck hasn't been great either, but he should win against Akira Schmid or Vitek Vanacek most of the time. If you aren't confident in them covering the spread, then the money line is also a good bet, but +188 odds for a multi-goal victory is excellent value.
Ten of the Devils' 13 games this season have gone over. They rank fourth in both goals for and against, scoring and allowing 48 goals. Winnipeg is 10th in scoring, averaging 3.5 goals per game. Four of the last five Jets games have gone over the total. Hellebuyck has been struggling this season, with a sub .900 save percentage and 2.98 goals-against average. The Devils' goaltending has been even worse, with both goalies having a goals-against average above 3.00 and save percentages below .900. The Devils' offense takes a bit of a hit with Hughes and Hischier out of the lineup. However, they can score enough to go over the 6.5 total.
Final Devils-Jets Prediction & Pick: Winnipeg Jets -1.5 (+162) and Over 6.5 (-115)
