Jets vs. Oilers Odds
| Jets Odds | +135 |
| Oilers Odds | -155 |
| Over/Under | 6 |
| Time | 9 p.m. ET |
| TV | ESPN+ |
| Odds via DraftKings. Get up-to-the-minute NHL Odds here. | |
I love everything about this matchup.
Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and the Edmonton Oilers are already must-watch television and when you add in another potent offense like the Winnipeg Jets, you can expect some fireworks.
And there's also some revenge narratives for this one as Winnipeg trounced Edmonton, 5-2, in the first leg of the home-and-home, plus the Jets swept the Oilers in Round 1 of the postseason last spring.
Giddy up.
Will Winnipeg Cool Its Jets?
Having won their last three games in a row, the Jets are now in sole possession of first place in the Central Division. The Jets are firing on all cylinders right now and are being paced by one of the game's most underrated players, Kyle Connor, who had 10 shots on goal against the Oilers on Tuesday night.
Connor has been a dynamic force this season with 12 goals in Winnipeg's first 15 games, but what stands out is that he has recorded 68 shots on target this season.
The past two seasons the Jets have struggled to drive play and that caused plenty of people to be skeptical of their chances, but they've managed to turn that trend around this season by posting a 53% xG rate, which is ninth overall.
With an offense that ranks seventh league-wide with 3.33 goals per game and an improving defense, the Jets are looking like a legitimate contender, since we all know that their goaltending is a massive strength.
Connor Hellebuyck is once again playing like one of the best goaltenders in the NHL, posting a .914 save percentage and a +5.8 Goals Saved Above Expected (GSAx). The American will need to be on his game to give the Jets a chance against the league's best offense, but Hellebuyck was terrific on Tuesday, making 32 saves on 34 shots in the win over these Oilers.
The Oilers Are Superhuman
There's no other word to describe what Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are doing besides superhuman. Draisaitl has scored 17 goals through the team's first 15 games. He has a legit chance to be the first player to score 50 goals in 50 games since Brett Hull did it in the 1991-92 campaign.
Connor McDavid has recorded a point in every game and is on pace to record 159 points on the season. Draisaitl is on pace for 180. It's insane.
Mikko Koskinen is the expected starter for this one and he will most likely have a chip on his shoulder after being yanked from their last game. Despite the poor performance on Tuesday, Koskinen has clearly earned the starting position for the Oilers with a record of 9-2-0 and a .910 SV%.
Koskinen's save percentage might not look all that impressive, but with the offense in front of him he really only needs to be average to give his team a shot.
The Oilers have done a good job of rebounding from dips this season, going 3-0 in games coming off a loss. They seem to always find a way to respond with this offense and should feel good about their chances on home ice, where they are 6-1 this season.
Oilers vs. Jets Pick
Two of the league's best offenses are in town, so a play on the Over makes sense, but my favorite bet in this one is backing Edmonton to get the win in regulation at plus-money.
The Oilers' offense is so prolific that, when it's cooking, they have no problem getting separation against any team, even one that can score like the Jets. As good as Winnipeg's offense is, the defense is still allowing too many high-danger scoring chances and relying on Hellebuyck to bail them out.
Throw in the fact that the Oilers have a historically good power play and Winnipeg's got one of the worst penalty kills in the NHL, and I think there's plenty of reasons to back Edmonton to take care of business on Thursday night.
Pick: Edmonton Oilers to win in regulation +110
