The Chicago Blackhawks (13-13-6) and Toronto Maple Leafs (14-12-5) meet in an NHL duel tonight. Puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m. EST at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, ON. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN+.
The Maple Leafs are favored by -1.5 on the puck line, with the over/under set at 5.5. The Maple Leafs are a 66-cent favorite to win outright, while the Blackhawks are at 35-cents to pull off the upset on Fanatics Markets.
Let's get into my Blackhawks vs. Maple Leafs predictions and NHL picks.
Blackhawks vs. Maple Leafs Odds, Pick
Blackhawks vs. Maple Leafs Preview
Chicago Blackhawks
The standings don’t truly indicate it, but the Blackhawks were having a massive season in terms of the progress of their rebuild.
And now… reports are coming out that superstar center Connor Bedard will be out for the foreseeable future with a separated shoulder.
A true gut punch to a team filled with young players that were playing their hearts out.
So what now?
I’d have to imagine that Tyler Bertuzzi, who was on pace to have one of his best seasons, will take a hit. Frank Nazar hasn’t found the back of the net since October, and their third-leading scorer, Andre Burakovsky, is the beacon of inconsistency.
Chicago is definitely going to feel the heat. Before Bedard went down, it lost four out of its last five games, including getting outscored 20-3.
Yes, you read that right.
Goaltender Spencer Knight is going to be in for it and will truly be a test of his patience. After an incredible start to the season, there’s no way around it; his numbers have taken a hit.
He’s not making saves that we’ve been accustomed to seeing, and in the past 10 games, he has a GSAx of 4.1, which is 31st amongst all goalies.
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Maple Leafs will always be under a spotlight, no matter what goes on. But it’s pretty evident that, in 30 or so games, the offseason loss of Mitch Marner is really hurting them.
Auston Matthews’ numbers have taken a hit, while Toronto has been leaning on William Nylander and Matthew Knies, as well as John Tavares, who was expected to take more of a supportive role.
It’s just been an all-around weird season for the Leafs, and not to mention, their goaltending situation has been battered with injuries. Luckily, Dennis Hildeby, for the most part, has been solid, but Anthony Stolarz and Joseph Woll haven’t been available a ton.
Luckily, though, it appears that Woll will be back for tonight’s matchup, so that will certainly help the Maple Leafs moving forward.
I covered the Leafs over the weekend as we prepared for their matchup against the Oilers, and indicated that their 5-on-5 play has been less than spectacular, and what has been even worse has been their power play.
I go back to the exit of Marner. Toronto doesn’t have a dynamic playmaker anymore who can see plays that others don’t. From usually scoring 25% or better with the man advantage, the Leafs are tied for the second-worst power play, scoring at a 14.3% clip.
Blackhawks vs. Maple Leafs Prediction
I’m so bearish on both of these teams that I’m developing claws.
But the Bedard loss is a massive game-changer, and the fact that Woll is back seals the deal for me.
We’re going to target the puck line tonight in favor of Toronto.
I haven’t made a whole lot of puck line plays this season, but this one I feel fairly confident about. This brutal stretch that Chicago is on, I can only expect it to get worse.
The Leafs are hardly a prize, but at least they have top goal scorers who are experienced enough to take advantage of a glaring weakness.
Pick: Toronto Maple Leafs -1.5
