Devils vs. Blackhawks Odds
| Devils Odds | -225 |
| Blackhawks Odds | +180 |
| Over / Under | 6.5 +100 / -122 |
The Devils saw their three-game winning streak come to an end on Friday, but the team will have a chance to start a new run when New Jersey visits the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday evening.
Let's preview the upcoming Devils-Blackhawks contest and jump into my Devils vs. Blackhawks pick tonight.
New Jersey Devils
Losing is never good, but what was really troubling for the Devils on Friday was Jack Hughes exiting the contest with a lower-body injury.
His importance to this team cannot be understated – through 10 games, he's driven the offense with five goals and 20 points. The Devils are already missing Nico Hischier, so if Hughes is unavailable, New Jersey will be without two of its top forwards.
However, the Devils still have talent to spare. Jesper Bratt has seven goals and 18 points while Tyler Toffoli has seven markers and 11 points. Plus New Jersey's other Hughes – Luke – has been heating up with a goal and seven points over his past seven contests.
There's no question that the offense is noticeably thinner without Jack, but it isn't barren.
The problem is that having a good offense isn't good enough for the Devils. Goaltenders Akira Schmid and Vitek Vanecek haven't been fulfilling their end of the bargain, combining for a 3.31 GAA and an .891 save percentage this year. The Devils 5-on-5 expected goals against ranks 15th (18.95).
Those goaltending woes haven't caused panic yet because New Jersey has scored three or more goals in nine of its first 10 contests and is averaging 3.90 goals per game.
Any backslide from the Devils' offense, which is of course far more likely if Jack Hughes is absent, would thrust those netminding issues to the forefront.
Chicago Blackhawks
Fortunately for the Devils, Chicago isn't in a great position to exploit New Jersey's goaltending weakness.
Going into Saturday's action, the Blackhawks have averaged just 2.11 goals per game, which ranks 29th. Connor Bedard is starting to heat up and had three goals over four contests from Oct. 21-30, but he hasn't had much help.
The only other player on this team with at least five points is 38-year-old Corey Perry (two goals, six points).
To emphasize just how bad Chicago's offense has been, consider the fact that the Blackhawks went into Saturday's action without a player who ranks within the top 149 in the league's scoring race.
Lukas Reichel, who is supposed to be another foundational piece of Chicago's future, didn't record a point over his first nine outings. Taylor Hall has just two assists through five contests, though at least he's back after missing time due to a shoulder injury.
It's not just a matter of Chicago's key forwards underperforming either. The Blackhawks have just five players with at least two goals. For comparison, New Jersey has nine. Additionally, six Devils' players have more points than anyone playing for Chicago.
Initially, Chicago was able to tread water thanks to the strong goaltending of Petr Mrazek and Arvid Soderblom. But that's a thing of the past as the Blackhawks allowed at least three goals in five straight games from Oct. 19-30. Not much was expected of Mrazek and Soderblom going into the campaign, and Chicago's defense has been fairly bad throughout.
Devils vs. Blackhawks
Betting Pick & Prediction
Even with the possibility of Jack Hughes being unavailable, New Jersey is listed as a heavy favorite. In fact, the Devils are favored by so much that taking New Jersey on the puck line doesn't even offer a substantial return (+118 on FanDuel).
Still, I think taking New Jersey on the puck line is the best play as the Blackhawks are really just that bad.
If it's confirmed that Hughes is available before you lock in your bet, then taking Over 6.5 is a fine alternative. The Blackhawks' offense is poor, but we're also talking about two teams with really bad netminders and mediocre – at best – defense. Hughes participating in the contest would be enough to tip the scales in favor of the over.
Pick: New Jersey Puck Line | Play to +110 |
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