Sharks vs. Red Wings Odds
| Sharks Odds | -110 |
| Red Wings Odds | -110 |
| Over/Under | 5.5 (-125/+105) |
| Time | 7:30 p.m. ET |
| TV | ESPN+ |
| Odds via DraftKings. Get up-to-the-minute NHL Odds here. | |
As we inch closer to the halfway mark of the season, the San Jose Sharks and Detroit Red Wings continue to push toward a wild-card spots in their respective conferences. Both teams have so far exceeded expectations, and now it’s up to them to keep it up.
San Jose comes into this game just three points out of a playoff spot and are 2-1 since the NHL resumed. The Sharks have let up a ton of goals in their return (17 goals allowed in three games), but have also scored a ton (16 goals). As a team on the outside looking in, that isn’t sustainable, and they will need to lock up on the defensive side.
Detroit hasn’t had much luck since returning from the break, going 0-2 and losing both by a wide margin. Still, the Red Wings are only one point out of the final wild card spot, but need to be better. The talent is certainly there in all three zones, but there needs to be better play from everyone involved.
Sharks Have Surpassed Expectations
San Jose has a quality group of proven veterans and young talent, which has helped the Sharps ascend to their current position. Many thought of the Sharks as a lottery team, but they have gotten healthy and are playing better because of it.
Led by captain Logan Couture, they’re backed by leading scorer Timo Meier, Tomas Hertl and Erik Karlsson. The latter has mainly been a disappointment since moving to the Bay, has had a resurgence season on the blue line.
Despite the scoring clinic they have recently displayed, they rank in the bottom 10 in Expected Goals per 60 minutes with a 2.18 xGF. They do, however, generate a ton of high danger chances, ranking eighth in the NHL.
Their powerplay is pretty average, though, given the fact that they only score 18.1% of the time. San Jose has decent talent up front, but it hasn’t been enough to be a driving force on the offensive end.
The Sharks have essentially split the crease between Adin Hill and James Reimer. Over the past three games, Reimer has become a favorite for coach Bob Boughner, as he’s gotten three-straight starts, and he's posting a .919 SV% along with an incredible 8.1 GSAx (Goals Saved Above Expected).
Hill was a risky signing from San Jose and he’s struggled this season. I don’t foresee him starting this matchup, as Boughner stated he sees Reimer getting the nod, while Hill takes the crease on Thursday.
Red Wings are Unexpected Contenders
In a situation that rarely anyone could have predicted, the Red Wings are in the playoff hunt. They’ve played some solid hockey over the past three months, largely due to their young core. Captain Dylan Larkin leads in scoring, while rookies Lucas Raymond and Moritz Seider are lighting up the league, and Tyler Bertuzzi is becoming a star in his own.
Detroit has made significant improvements along the way. While there are more improvements to be had, the results are encouraging. The Red Wings are a decent team at driving play, posting a 2.28 xGF per 60 and have generated the 14th-most high danger chances in the league.
What’s concerning is their power play, as it’s currently the second worst among all teams, scoring at a 14.4% clip. If the Wings hope to be a playoff team, one step they need to take is improving their special teams.
Goaltending has certainly been a bright spot for them. Since bringing over Alex Nedeljkovic from the Hurricanes, he’s taken the full-time starter role and is posting a .913 SV% and a 6.4 GSAx.
Nedeljkovic is one of the better young goaltenders in the league, and as the team in front of him produces, he will be even better. His backup, Thomas Greiss, hasn’t been great, with a .895 SV% and a -4.3 GSAx, but I see Nedeljkovic getting the nod tonight.
Sharks vs. Red Wings Pick
This matchup is a toss-up. You have two very equal teams looking to make significant pushes for wild-card spots, and I expect them locking each other down.
There’s some value in backing the under in this bout. San Jose has been a scoring machine as of late, but is due for a low-scoring game, and I think Reimer will keep the Sharks in it.
Pick: Under 5.5 +105
