The Edmonton Oilers (28-22-8) and Anaheim Ducks (30-23-3) meet in the NHL tonight. Puck drop is set for 10:30 p.m. EST at Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN+.
The Oilers are favored by -1.5 on the puck line, with the over/under set at 6.5 (-127o / +107u). The Oilers are a -115 favorite to win outright, while the Ducks are -105 to pull off the upset.
Let's get into my Oilers vs. Ducks predictions and NHL picks.
Oilers vs. Ducks Odds, Pick
| Oilers Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 +205 | 6.5 -127o / +107u | -115 |
| Ducks Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 -255 | 6.5 -127o / +107u | -105 |
- Oilers vs. Ducks Puck Line: Oilers -1.5 (+205), Ducks +1.5 (-255)
- Oilers vs. Ducks Over/Under: 6.5 (-127o / +107u)
- Oilers vs. Ducks Moneyline: Oilers -115, Ducks -105
Oilers vs. Ducks Preview
Edmonton Oilers
It’s a fresh start for a lot of teams, and the Oilers were in desperate need of a break.
They lost three games in a row before the Olympic break, and it inevitably forced coach Kris Knoblauch to call in reinforcements and bring back assistant coach (and Oilers legend) Paul Coffey.
Coffey was instrumental in the Oilers’ runs to the Stanley Cup the past two seasons, but because he never had a true desire to coach, he walked away.
Despite what the record says, Edmonton hasn’t been very good this season. It’s playing with fire, barely holding onto a playoff spot. Though the power play numbers are where they should be, overall, this has been a pretty messy season.
The Oilers traded Stuart Skinner for Tristan Jarry, and Skinner has done a fantastic job in Pittsburgh, but Jarry’s arrival in Edmonton has been bumpy with an .865 SV% and a -2.1 GSAx.
I wonder about this defense, and its ability (or lack thereof) to protect its netminder. For the season, Edmonton is ranked in the bottom 10 in expected goals allowed per 60 minutes.
Jarry seemed fine when he was with Pittsburgh, but then once he came to Edmonton, he’s been allowing goals left and right.
There’s something to be said about Skinner’s success with the Penguins and vice versa. Perhaps that’s why Coffey is back behind the bench.
Anaheim Ducks
A fun team to monitor this season has been the Ducks.
They started red hot and then came back down to Earth in late December through early January.
But since then, they’ve been right back to where they should be, going 8-2 in their last 10 games before the Olympics, and are right back in the hunt for playoff positioning.
Leading goal scorer Cutter Gauthier ended the first half of the season on a tear, and it will be getting Leo Carlsson back from injury.
When Carlsson went down, he was starting to get back into his groove. Luckily, though, he’s been a full participant since the team returned to practice, back to centering Alex Killorn and young prodigy Beckett Sennecke.
One of the more underappreciated Ducks this season has been Lukas Dostal, who is fresh off an impressive Olympic performance with Czechia.
The stats won’t pop out, but he was critical in helping the Czechs nearly reach the semifinals against Canada.
I think when he returns to the NHL, he’ll pick up right where he left off. He played to an 8.0 GSAx in his last 10 games, which is fifth among all netminders, and a .921 SV%.
Oilers vs. Ducks Prediction
Edmonton walks into this game as the slight favorites, and given that it has Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, I can certainly understand.
There’s no doubt that both McDavid and Draisaitl are going to do their thing, but I’m not convinced of Edmonton’s defense.
Not only that, I don’t think Jarry is a good enough netminder to take over games. He needs a sound defense in front of him to protect him.
The Ducks are also incredible at home, holding a 17-8-1 record, while the Oilers are extremely mediocre with a 13-12-4 record on the road.
This Anaheim squad is loaded with talent and can skate like the wind. Especially with a returning Carlsson, I think the Ducks pick up right where they left off.
Pick: Anaheim Ducks ML (-105)
