Toronto's defensive struggles, New York's goaltending concerns and Edmonton's explosive offence create intriguing betting opportunities
Another epic night on the NHL schedule, with 11 games on the docket, led off in Toronto as the Leafs (3-3-1) host the Buffalo Sabres (3-3-1).
Plenty of compelling early-season storylines, vulnerable favourites, and interesting value opportunities.
In Toronto, while there’s plenty to get excited about on the offensive end, defence is a big problem, with Chris Tanev out for God knows how long and a cacophony of negativity building around Morgan Reilly’s play.
The Leafs have a growing problem there, because if he keeps getting burned on the ice, glaringly, like he did Tuesday against Utah, fair or not, people here will boo. And those of us of a certain vintage know what it’s like in this market when the mob turns on Leaf players.
He has a contract that makes him untradeable. He’s aging, not where he was skill-wise, so what do you do with him, and who do you pair him with to minimize further damage? It’s got to be brutal for the guy mentally, too.
Here are some games for tonight that might interest bettors, with my best bet for each:
Buffalo Sabres at Toronto Maple Leafs
I assume the Leafs start Sergei Bobrovsky in net, who played well during the West Coast swing, after going with Anthony Stolarz in the 5-4 loss to Utah.
In NHL betting at Betway, the Leafs are slight home favourites at -120 on the moneyline, with the Sabres at +100. Toronto is also favoured by 1.5 goals (+185), while Buffalo is +1.5 (-236). The total is set at 6.5 goals, with the Over priced at -125 and the Under at +105. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. EDT.
The game is essentially a toss-up. That price on Toronto’s puckline reflects how hard it is to win by two or more goals.
It’s going to be close with a lot of goals. Both teams have the offensive weapons to turn this into a high-scoring game.
D Rasmus Dahlin is day-to-day for the Sabres.
Best Bet: Over 6.5 at -125.
New York Rangers at New Jersey Devils
One of the league’s great rivalries, with the 4-2-0 Rangers going into East Rutherford to take on the offensively talented Devils (2-2-0)
The Rangers’ goaltending situation is the story, Igor Shesterkin is out for the season, meaning the Rangers have lost a key advantage.
The Devils are slight home favourites at -135 on the moneyline, with the Rangers at +115. New Jersey is also favoured by 1.5 goals (+165), while New York is +1.5 (-210). The total is set at 5.5 goals, with the Over priced at -140 and the Under at +110. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. EDT.
C Nick Bjugstad (pectoral), D Seamus Casey (knee) and RW Connor Brown (lower body) are out for the Devils, while RW Luke Evangelista (illness) is day-to-day.
Other than Shesterkin, G Joonas Korpisalo (lower body), C Aidan Thompson (undisclosed), C Joseph Veleno (lower body), and LW Adam Sykora (lower body) are all out for the Rangers.
Best Bet: Devils Moneyline at-135
Utah Mammoth at Edmonton Oilers
My favourite game of the night by far. Can’t wait for this one.
There isn’t much bellowing these days about the Oilers (5-0-1) bringing in Mike Babcock as coach, is there? I guess players who recruited him were right about that one. The Oilers lead the league in goals per game (4.83) and are 15th in goals against per game (3.00).
Utah (5-2-0) just put up five goals against Toronto. The Mammoth average 3.86 goals per game.
The Oilers are slight home favourites at -120 on the moneyline, with the Mammoth at +100. Edmonton is also favoured by 1.5 goals (+185), while Utah is +1.5 (-250). The total is set at 6.5 goals, with the Over priced at -120 and the Under at +100. Puck drop is scheduled for 9 p.m. EDT.
So, a competitive, high-scoring game is what the market is telling us.
RW Zach Hyman (undisclosed) and D Jake Walman (upper body) are day-to-day for the Oilers, while D Alec Regula (undisclosed), D Atro Leppanen (undisclosed), LW Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (lower body), LW Colton Dach (undisclosed), G Frederik Andersen (knee), RW Matt Savoie (lower body) and LW Mattias Janmark (undisclosed) are all out.
The Mammoth are missing D Maveric Lamoureux (shoulder) and LW Michael Carrone (undisclosed).
Another factor: Utah’s power play, second in the NHL, and if they can exploit Edmonton’s penalty-killing struggles
Best Bet: Taking the Over at 6.5 (-120)
Other bets: McDavid Over 1.5 points at -120, since he has 17 points in six games; Kirill Kaprizov Anytime Goal at +115, looking at his eight goals in seven games, tied for the league lead, with five in his last two games; Mitch Marner Over 1.5 points against Calgary (+185), since he’s been a monster against the Flames of late, 13 points in his last five games against them.
