Two teams heading in completely opposite directions will prepare to face off as the Edmonton Oilers take on the Detroit Red Wings in the “Motor City”. Join us for our NHL odds series where our Oilers-Red Wings prediction and pick will be unveiled.
Entering the All-Star Break, the Red Wings saw their mini two-game winning streak come to an end after being shutout by the New York Islanders on the road by a score of 2-0. At the moment, Detroit comes into their first game back with a 21-19-8 record overall and is in need of a long winning streak to put themselves back on the map when it comes to a possible postseason berth.
As for the high-flying Oilers, Edmonton is in perfect position to make another return to playoff play. After losing to the Avalanche in the Western Conference Finals a year ago, Edmonton has used that as motivation to reel off a 28-18-4 record as they sit in the fourth-place spot of the Pacific Division Standings. Boasting one of the top offenses in all of North America, this surely is an electrifying crew to watch out on the ice.
Here are the Oilers-Red Wings NHL odds, courtesy of FanDuel
NHL Odds: Oilers-Red Wings Odds
Edmonton Oilers: -1.5 (+132)
Detroit Red Wings: +1.5 (-162)
Over: 6.5 (-128)
Under: 6.5 (+104)
How To Watch Oilers vs. Red Wings
TV: ESPN+
Stream: ESPN+
Time: 7:30 ET/4:30 PT
*Watch NHL games LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why The Oilers Could Cover The Spread
Winners in seven of their previous eight games leading up to the All-Star Break, it appears that the Oilers are right on track to make a run at some of the top teams in the conference down the stretch. Not only is Edmonton scalding-hot of late, but they also have shown that they have what it takes to cover the spread consistently with a 27-23 record ATS so far this season.
In order to continue making the bettors who side with the some extra dollars, Edmonton will need to once again use their up-tempo and speedy offense to their advantage. On paper, the Oilers possess the top-scoring offense in all of the NHL with 3.74 goals per game.
A big reason for this offensive explosion is not only because of the NHL leader in goals in Connor McDavid, but also because of a strong and sturdy supporting cast that knows when to get their noses dirty with the puck in their possession. Names like centers Leon Draisaitl and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins provide this Edmonton squad with a trio of commendable leaders on the top-three lines that know how to infiltrate a defense to the best of their abilities. Going up against a Red Wings defensive unit that has surrendered 3.27 scores per game, the Oilers could be in for a very favorable day with the puck in their possession.
In addition, the Oilers also hold a firm advantage in their ability to outwork the penalty defense time and time again. As it stands, Edmonton has posted the top-mark power-play conversion percentage in the league at 32% and will cause some issues for Detroit if they cannot stay out of their own penalty box.
Why The Red Wings Could Cover The Spread
Although the Red Wings enter this matchup as considerable underdogs in front of their home fans, this does not mean that Detroit has what it takes to send the Oilers home packing with a statement spread-covering victory. In fact, the case could be made that the Red Wings are the far more desperate bunch ahead of this contest which could mean that Detroit puts together a splendid effort later this evening.
More specifically, the Red Wings best chances at covering the spread tonight happen to be in large part due to the fact that they are as healthy as they have been all season long After a multitude of players have been forced to sit out and miss some time due to lingering ailments, the return of players like forward Filip Zadina could make life a whole lot easier for Detroit. Zadina has been missing from the lineup since November and would no doubt be a sight for sore eyes for a Detroit club looking to keep their heads above water.
Not only are the Red Wings finally receiving a clean bill of health, but they will need to take advantage of being in front of their passionate home fan since they play seven of their next nine games this month away from home. Most importantly, the Red Wings will need to get out to a fast start to keep the crowd engaged all three periods, as starting off slow will most likely prove to be too big of a hole to climb out of against an explosive team like the Edmonton Oilers.
Final Oilers-Red Wings Prediction & Pick
Simply put, Detroit flat-out needs this game more than anything. With an increased urgency ahead of this one, expect the Red Wings to come out firing and hit the Oilers right in the mouth from the opening face-off.
Final Oilers-Red Wings Prediction & Pick: Red Wings +1.5 (-162)
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