Devils vs. Canadiens Odds
| Devils Odds | -120 |
| Canadiens Odds | +100 |
| Over/Under | 6 |
| Time | 7 p.m. ET |
| TV | ESPN+ |
| Odds updated at 3:30 p.m. ET and via DraftKings. Get up-to-the-minute NHL Odds here. | |
One team is going to break out of a losing streak tonight, and one will continue to struggle as their season whittles away. The two coldest teams in the league face off as the New Jersey Devils visit the Montreal Canadiens.
A ton of expectations were set for the Devils after what was supposedly a monster offseason, but there have been bumps in the road. New Jersey is currently on a seven-game losing streak and has gone 1-9 in its last 10 games.
After a Cinderella run to the Stanley Cup Final last year, Montreal is statistically the worst team in the league. Facing a similar curve to its counterpart, the Habs are 1-6-3 in their last 10 and have lost four in a row.
Devils' Defense Holding Strong
While the Devils have struggled to climb up the standings, they have a solid foundation in place. They’ll be without All-Star Jack Hughes and Dougie Hamilton, but they’re carried by Jesper Bratt, Nico Hischier and Dawson Mercer.
Despite playing a horrid stretch of hockey, the Devils are pretty decent at generating offense for a poor team. They rank 17th in expected goals per 60 minutes with a 2.33 xGF/60 and create the fifth-most high danger chances in the league. The Devils are also below average on the power play where they score 16.9% of the time with a man advantage.
Their defense holds fairly strong, while allowing the 11th-fewest high danger chances, but goaltending has been a major struggle, allowing the third-most goals.
With Mackenzie Blackwood and Jonathan Bernier both out with injury, that leaves the crease to Nico Daws and Jon Gillies. Since Daws played Monday night against Ottawa, expect Gillies to get the nod. In his eight games, he’s been nothing to write home about with an .889 SV% as well as a -4.9 GSAx (Goals Saved Above Expected).
Nothing Going Right for Canadiens
Many thought that the Coyotes or the Sabres would be the worst team in the league, but Montreal is taking the cake this season. Nick Suzuki is the Canadiens' top point getter with 27 points, with Tyler Toffoli and Jonathan Drouin shortly behind.
The Habs are unsurprisingly a bottom-three team in creating offense as they post a 1.92 xGF/60, but are middle of the road in creating high danger chances. They’re also the second-worst team on the power play, scoring at a 14% clip.
Defensively and in net, the Habs are a mess. They allow the 11th-most high danger chances but the second-most goals in the league.
It’s truly hard to tell if Carey Price makes his return tonight. Since entering the NHLPA assistance program and recovering from injury, he skated for the first time doing work with the trainers. But it looks like Jake Allen will continue to start until Price returns. Allen is doing well, considering the situation he’s in, posting a .901 SV% and a -3.7 GSAx.
Devils-Canadiens Pick
I’m sure this will be a fun one for bettors. Two struggling teams who are out of the playoff hunt looking to break out of a funk.
However, I think this is a great chance for New Jersey to break the streak and finally secure a win against the lowly Habs. Montreal won’t have fans in the stands, and the Devils are coming off a beatdown in Ottawa last night.
I’m backing the Devs in this one.
Pick: New Jersey Devils +105 or better
