Flames vs. Bruins Odds
| Flames Odds | +158 |
| Bruins Odds | -192 |
| Over / Under | 5.5 -134o / +110u |
The puck has dropped on the unofficial second half of the NHL season. Most teams will convince themselves they are still in the playoff race up until the trade deadline; however, the Calgary Flames may have already signaled their intention for the season.
Calgary's brass traded Elias Lindholm ahead of the All-Star Break, moving him to the Vancouver Canucks for a king's ransom of future pieces. Lindholm became the second Flames regular to get shipped out since the end of November, hinting at what's to come for Calgary.
That leaves a massive hole in Calgary's lineup as it tries to slow down one of the top teams in the NHL — the Boston Bruins. The Bruins have turned a corner with their recent efforts, and there's not much the Flames can do to slow them down.
Let's take a look at this matchup in our Flames vs. Bruins preview and prediction.
Calgary Flames
The last time the Flames took to the ice, Lindholm scored their only goal in a 1-0 victory over the lowly Chicago Blackhawks. Moreover, Lindholm's 32 points put him fourth on the team in scoring, as he ate up valuable top-six and power-play minutes. Replacing his offensive contributions won't come easily, especially against a tough Bruins squad.
Lindholm's absence is the least of the team's worries defensively. Calgary has abandoned its defense-first mantra from its previous era, and the team is worse because of it. The Flames rank in the bottom half of the league in high-danger and scoring chances allowed, ranking 18th and 24th, respectively. Those metrics have fallen apart over their recent sample. Calgary has given up 10 or more quality chances in four of its past six games, with all but two of those opponents exceeding 23 scoring opportunities.
The Flames don't possess the offensive ability to offset those defensive woes. Over that same six-game sample, Calgary is mustering a paltry 7.8 high-danger and 21.7 scoring opportunities. Connecting those dots reveals a team with appalling relative metrics. The Flames have out-chanced their opponents just once in quality chances over that stretch, posting a 44.3% high-danger chance rating.
With metrics like that and one of their key contributors no longer on the team, the Flames are about to get doused.
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Boston Bruins
If you've been following closely along, many people have been expecting the Bruins to fall apart. Ahead of last season, everyone thought Boston was too old and it wouldn't be able to compete. Then the Bruins went on a magical run to the top of the Atlantic Division standings. Subsequently, former team captain and perennial Selke Trophy nominee Patrice Bergeron decided not to come back for the 2023-24 season.
Again, many thought the Bruins were done for. Instead, they've maintained their stellar play, once again leading their division.
In many ways, the line for Tuesday's inter-conference affair versus the Flames is analogous to the betting market's constant undervaluing of the Bruins. Boston has churned out some truly remarkable metrics over its recent sample but consistently competes against expectations of impending doom.
Over their last nine games, the Bruins have outplayed their opponents on seven occasions. Further, they've out-chanced all but two of those teams in high-danger chances while limiting six of nine teams to nine or fewer chances. Predictably, that has tilted the expected goals for ratings in their favor, with the Bruins compiling a sterling 55.6% benchmark. That's good enough for third best in the show since Jan. 11.
Despite being consistently faded, the Bruins remain an NHL superpower.
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Flames vs. Bruins
Betting Pick & Prediction
This betting line could easily tilt into the -200 range before puck drop. At least, that's the direction it should be heading.
The Flames can't find their new identity, and more players will be cast off before the trade deadline. That's unlike the Bruins, who have played an unforgiving brand of hockey all season and for most of the last two decades.
Tonight's betting line warrants a play on the Bruins, and I would play the line up to -215.
Pick: Bruins -184 (Play to -215)
