NHL Odds, Preview, Prediction: Devils vs. Coyotes

Devils vs. Coyotes Odds

No team has quite adapted the scorched earth rebuild policy like general manager Bill Armstrong's Arizona Coyotes, who will skate as gigantic +280 underdogs at ASU's Mullett Arena on Sunday.

The Devils, at -350, are heavy favorites, but should the number really be this big?

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New Jersey Devils

While every big dog in the Eastern Conference made a number of meaningful trade deadline pickups, it's entirely possible the Devils acquisition of Timo Meier could prove the most significant.

Meier is a true game-breaking offensive star, who should be a seamless fit into a Devils offense that attacks effectively off the rush.

Sunday could potentially be Meier's New Jersey debut as he is seemingly close to a return from an upper-body injury.

Over the past 10 games, New Jersey has played to a 6-2-2 record with a very strong +11 goal differential.

The Devils have also played to the league's best expected goals rating throughout that span (62.05%).

Both Jack Hughes and John Marino have returned to the lineup in top form over the past month, which has surely been part of the reason New Jersey has started to tilt the ice so significantly yet again after a downswing throughout January and early February.

Vitek Vanecek has suffered through a small dip in form over the past three contests, but has been quite solid this season.

Vanecek should start Sunday after resting Friday versus Vegas. He'll be looking to build upon his +2.1 GSAx rating and .910 save percentage through 39 appearances.

Arizona Coyotes

Arizona now has less than 55% of its NHL salary allotted to players actually skating on the NHL roster as it continues to ship off useful pieces to rebuild.

As you would expect, that leaves an extremely barren roster and the push for Connor Bedard is on.

The motivation of securing full-time NHL salaries should keep some hunger in this group as it skates out a meaningless campaign. Arizona has proved that point with a notably impressive work-rate thus far this season, but that is about the only positive post deadline.

Shayne Gostisbehere had been a very useful defender this season, but was shipped off to Carolina in exchange for a 2026 third rounder.

Nick Bjugstad was also dealt for a third and Michael Kesselring. Bjugstad had been in strong two-way form, and was also a rare bright spot on the Coyotes roster.

Arizona's trades leave the bottom two offensive units at an AHL level.

Karel Vejmelka's goaltending has been one of the Coyotes' greatest strengths this season, and Vejmelka will likely start Sunday. He has played to a +12.6 GSAx rating and a .902 save percentage through 42 appearances.

Devils vs. Coyotes Pick

The Coyotes roster depth is markedly worse than it has been at any other point this season, and that was alarmingly clear in its matchup Friday versus Carolina.

New Jersey brings the same kind of pace throughout the lineup as Carolina, and is skating a wealth of elite offensive talents — making this a matchup nightmare for Arizona, even if Meier doesn't make his Devils debut.

The Devils deserved far better last time out against Vegas and with a similar performance, Sunday could easily become a blowout.

The talent disparity between these teams is gigantic and I actually believe the Devils are worthy of being a larger favorite than -350.

That means the puck-line is also mispriced at -125, which is my preferred way to attack this game.

Pick: New Jersey Devils -1.5 | Play to -135

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