Oilers vs. Sharks Odds
| Oilers Odds | -305 |
| Sharks Odds | +240 |
| Over / Under | 6.5 -154 / +126 |
The Sharks finally won on Tuesday, so at least Edmonton isn't facing the possibility of being the first team to lose to the Sharks this season. Still, this has been a terrible season for Edmonton, and that's the backdrop from which I'll preview Thursday's game and provide a prediction for Oilers vs. Sharks.
Edmonton Oilers
Edmonton placed Jack Campbell on waivers Wednesday, which had to be embarrassing for GM Ken Holland, who gave the goaltender a five-year, $25-million contract in 2022. However, the move was necessary as Campbell had a 3.53 GAA and a .886 save percentage in 41 contests since signing that deal.
Unfortunately for Edmonton, Campbell wasn't this team's only flaw.
Stuart Skinner hasn't been an acceptable alternative to Campbell this season. Skinner has a 1-4-1 record, a 3.99 GAA and a .856 save percentage in seven contests. Perhaps Calvin Pickard, who was summoned from AHL Bakersfield on Wednesday, will do better, but that's far from a certainty. The 31-year-old has a 3.04 GAA and a .903 save percentage in 116 career NHL games and that's not exactly the resume of a savior.
Goaltending isn't Edmonton's only issue, it's just the most glaring one. Edmonton's offense is tied for 26th with just 2.64 goals per game. For a team that features Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid, that's stunning.
Something might be wrong with McDavid. He has two goals and 10 points in nine contests, which would be great for anyone else, but is low for him. McDavid also has been limited to a pair of assists over four contests since returning from an upper-body injury. Perhaps, in an attempt to right the ship, he came back before he was 100%, but that's just speculation. He's firing just 2.89 shots per game, which is down from 4.29 last year and is his lowest rate since he was a rookie.
That needs to change.
It's unfair to blame all of Edmonton's offensive woes on McDavid, but the team is built around the idea that he's the best offensive force in the league, and that hasn't been the case this season.
San Jose Sharks
Still, teams don't need to be good to beat San Jose. In the Sharks' lone win, a 2-1 victory over Philadelphia on Tuesday, they didn't look good. San Jose was outshot 39-19 and only won because of a 38-save performance from Mackenzie Blackwood. That's not going to happen often.
The Sharks have allowed 4.58 goals per game, so even against an offense struggling as badly as Edmonton's, San Jose could end up surrendering a bunch of goals. If that happens, the Sharks will have a tough time keeping pace.
San Jose has averaged just 1.17 goals per game this year. To put that into context, the only teams to ever finish the season with a worse average are the 1928-'29 Chicago Blackhawks and 1928-'29 Pittsburgh Pirates. The Sharks, of course, still have plenty of time left, but their offense is in danger of being historically bad.
If you're looking for a silver lining, it's that San Jose's attack hasn't been tested against goaltending as leaky as Edmonton's.
San Jose acquired Calen Addison from Minnesota on Wednesday. The 23-year-old defenseman wasn't getting good minutes with the Wild, but is solid offensively, especially on the power play. San Jose has also started to see production from Anthony Duclair, who has two goals and four points in his past two contests, and William Eklund, who has plenty of upside and found the back of the net Tuesday.
Perhaps the Sharks' offense is — modestly — trending in the right direction.
Oilers vs. Sharks
Betting Pick & Prediction
Oddsmakers are painting the Oilers as overwhelming favorites. That speaks more to how bad people view the Sharks than it does to having any confidence in Edmonton. However, the Oilers, at least in their current form, are being a bit overvalued. After all, Edmonton is only one win and two points ahead of San Jose in the standings.
I'm recommending betting the Sharks on the puck line. This could be a messy, close game between a pair of struggling teams. I gave some serious consideration to going Under 6.5 goals, but it's hard to take the under when the goaltending is this bad.
Pick: San Jose Puck Line (+104) | Play to -105
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