The Winnipeg Jets (9-6-0) and Vancouver Canucks (8-8-1) meet in the NHL tonight. Puck drop is set for 10:00 p.m. EST at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, BC. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN+.
The Jets are favored by -1.5 on the puck line, with the over/under set at 5.5 (-130o / +110u). The Jets are a -125 favorite to win outright, while the Canucks are +105 to pull off the upset.
Let's get into my Jets vs. Canucks predictions and NHL picks.
Jets vs. Canucks Odds, Pick
| Jets Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 +200 | 5.5 -130o / +110u | -125 |
| Canucks Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 -245 | 5.5 -130o / +110u | +105 |
- Jets vs. Canucks Spread: Jets -1.5 (+200), Canucks +1.5 (-245)
- Jets vs. Canucks Over/Under: 5.5 (-130o / +110u)
- Jets vs. Canucks Moneyline: Jets -125, Canucks +105
Jets vs. Canucks Preview
Winnipeg Jets
The West Coast has not been kind to the Jets. In the midst of a six-game road trip, Winnipeg has suffered defeat in its first three games, getting outscored 9-2.
Some would argue that it should’ve won in San Jose, but at that point, it’s a should’ve, could’ve, would’ve situation.
I’ve mostly been pretty bearish on the Jets this season, as I haven’t seen much improvement in the roster from their Presidents’ Trophy-winning season last year, but you can’t deny the greatness of reigning Vezina and Hart Trophy winner Connor Hellebuyck.
Hellebuyck has played lights out this season with a .922 SV% and an 11.9 GSAx.
He, along with special teams, has been what has kept the Jets afloat most of the season, as they’ve been a pretty terrible 5-on-5 team throughout.
You can’t mention the Jets without Mark Scheifele, Kyle Connor, or Josh Morrissey, the three-headed monster in Winnipeg that continues to perform at a high level.
But as I’ve mentioned in the past, I’m not crazy about the depth on this roster, and while the top talent will pull out wins here and there, the depth will hamper it as the season wears on.
Vancouver Canucks
Vancouver is consistently a dumpster fire.
Somehow, the Canucks have managed to be a worse 5-on-5 team than the Jets, and they don’t even have a solid special teams corps working in their favor.
The penalty kill is at a second-worst 67.9% success rate, while the power play is ranked 19th in the league, scoring at just an 18.2% clip.
Kiefer Sherwood is their top goal scorer with 10 goals, and while Sherwood’s a fine player, if he’s leading your team in goals, that’s somewhat of a problem.
Brock Boeser will always chip in a decent amount of goals, but Elias Pettersson once again is having a slow start – and it’s making you wonder if the Canucks are regretting the $11.6 million per year contract that they gave him.
Goaltender Thatcher Demko, who has been the Canucks lone bright story, has been listed as day-to-day after missing back-to-back games this past weekend.
No one really knows what is going on with Demko, as coach Adam Foote was as vague as can be in regards to his status. Does he play tonight? I have no idea. If he doesn’t, that would likely give Kevin Lankinen his third start in four games.
Lankinen is not a top-tier goalie, and he’s currently one of the more expensive backups in the league. So far, he hasn’t been very good, playing to an .871 SV% and a 0.4 GSAx.
Jets vs. Canucks Prediction
Nothing like a good Canada vs Canada matchup! It’s good for the soul.
As down as I am on the Jets this season, I’m even lower on Vancouver, especially with Hellebuyck likely to start tonight. Backup Eric Comrie played in their most recent game against Anaheim, and the Jets typically don’t roll with him back-to-back unless it's needed.
I also looked toward BetLabs, where Action Network’s Director of Research, Evan Abrams, has multiple models that favor the Jets in this matchup.
The “Chalk Revenge” model holds a 10% ROI over the past 20 seasons, and it suggests that the current favorite in this matchup is looking to bounce back from a major disappointment in the previous game.
On Sunday, Winnipeg was a favorite to defeat the Ducks, but got smoked 4-1. It seems only right that the Jets will right the wrongs of the first three games of their road trip, so I’ll ride with them.
Pick: Winnipeg Jets ML
