It's a battle of Canada, as the Winnipeg Jets battle the Edmonton Oilers to open the season. We're live from Rogers Place in Alberta, Canada, as we share our NHL odds series and make a Jets-Oilers prediction and pick.
The Jets are coming off a season that saw them go 52-24-6. However, their season fell short of expectations, as they stumbled in the first round, losing 4-1 to the Colorado Avalanche. The Jets will hope to get past the second round for the first time since 2017.
The Oilers are the favorites in the Western Conference after falling short of their goal, losing the Stanley Cup 4-3 to the Florida Panthers last season. Ultimately, they dispatched the Los Angeles Kings 4-1, Vancouver Canucks 4-3, and Dallas Stars 4-2 before nearly completing a comeback from 3-0 down in the Stanley Cup. Edmonton hopes to finish the story this season and bring the Stanley Cup to Canada for the first time since 1993.
Here are the Jets-Oilers NHL odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NHL Odds: Jets-Oilers NHL Odds
Winnipeg Jets: +1.5 (-178)
Moneyline: +138
Edmonton Oilers: -1.5 (+146)
Moneyline: -166
Over: 6.5 (-105)
Under: 6.5 (-115)
How To Watch Jets vs Oilers
Time: 10 PM ET/7 PM PT
TV: ESPN+
Stream: fuboTV (Free Trial)
Why the Jets Could Cover the Spread/Win
The Jets are bringing back nearly the same exact team. Significantly, there were not many arrivals or departures in the offseason, and the Jets have a plethora of talent on the squad.
Kyle Connor had another good season from the left-wing spot, notching 34 goals and 27 assists through 65 games. He hopes to pick up where he left off and put one in the back of the net against Edmonton. Mark Scheifele had another solid season. Significantly, he had 25 goals and 47 assists through 74 contests and will look to get off to another good start. Nikolaj Ehlers is also a force on the second line. Substantially, he had 25 goals and 36 assists last season. This offense averaged 3.16 goals per game last season, which ranked among the best. Yet, their power play only converted 18 percent of their chances, which ranked 22nd in the league.
Goalie Connor Hellebuyck is back after another great season where he went 37-19-4 with a 2.39 goals-against average and a save percentage of .921. Consequently, a slip-up against Edmonton could cause a long night for the goalie. Defenseman Josh Morrisey hopes to defend on his side while also improving his scoring output after scoring 10 goals and 59 assists last season. This defense has some work to do after allowing the 18th most shots in the league. Yet, they also allowed 2.41 goals against, ranking second in the NHL. Winnipeg's penalty kill must do better after ranking 21st last season.
The Jets will cover the spread if Connor and Scheifele can both produce, with Morrisey coming up huge. Then, the defense must protect the inner sides of the blue line to help Hellebuyck while stopping one of the best in the NHL.
Why the Oilers Could Cover the Spread/Win
The Oilers felt short of the main goal last season. Regardless, they will bring everyone with some additions who could finally get the Oilers over the hump, starting with the first game.
Connor McDavid is one of the best in the game. Now, he will attempt to do more after tallying 32 goals and 100 assists. McDavid followed this up with 42 points in the playoffs. Ultimately, he will reach 1,000 points this season, and he may start with this game. Leon Draisaitl continued to be the best secondary (first on another team) option the Oilers have. Significantly, he had 41 goals and 65 assists. Zach Hyman continued his mastery of the front of the net, tallying 54 goals and 23 assists. Likewise, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins added 18 goals and 49 assists. The Oilers added Jeff Skinner and Viktor Arvidsson to an offense that was already fourth in goals per game.
Evan Bouchard is the ultimate two-way player, as he tallied 18 goals and 64 assists while also being solid on the defensive end. Likewise, Mattias Ekholm and Darnell Nurse continued to protect the castle and will do so again. These men make life easier for Stuart Skinner, who was 36-16-5 with a 2.62 goals against average and a save percentage of .905.
The Oilers will cover the spread if McDavid and friends can capitalize on their chances, especially on the powerplay. Then, the defense mst close shooting lanes.
Final Jets-Oilers Prediction & Pick
The Oilers took two of three from the Jets, winning both games in Winnipeg but losing a tight one at home. Amazingly, the teams have combined for over 6.5 goals in half of their past 10 games. The Jets have played the Oilers tough over the years and not allowed them to run away with it. Yet, they have also allowed four goals per game in the past five contests.
The Oilers are feeling bitter after losing the Stanley Cup. Regardless, they don't seem to cover the spread against the Jets at home, going 0-5 in their past five games. Expect this game to be fast-paced, with a lot of scoring chances and the goalies scrambling to keep it from falling apart. The Jets will find a way to stay in this game, even if the Oilers win.
Final Jets-Oilers Prediction & Pick: Winnipeg Jets +1.5 (-178)