Winnipeg Jets vs. Detroit Red Wings Prediction, NHL Odds
Near the halfway point of the season, the Jets surprisingly find themselves tied for last in the NHL standings and with the second-worst point percentage. This team is becoming desperate for points, but they have their work cut out for them starting a three-game road trip against the surging Red Wings.
In what is a loaded Eastern Conference, the Red Wings sit atop the Atlantic division. That is a great position for Detroit. But this team has not exactly been consistent down the stretch over the past few seasons. This is an important two points for both teams.
The NHL odds board has the Red Wings listed as -120 favourites.
Jets vs. Red Wings NHL Betting Odds
The Jets are winless in their last six games and are 2-7-4 since the start of December. The longer-term trends are uglier, as Winnipeg is 7-15-4 since November 1. They have dropped five straight on the road and rank 30th in the NHL on the road with 16 points.
As they have for a few seasons now, the Red Wings have been very up-and-down this year. Currently, they’re on an upswing, as their 10-3-1 record in December has catapulted them to second in the Eastern Conference. Detroit has won five of their last six games at home, and their 27 points at home is good for sixth in the NHL.
Winnipeg Jets
Winnipeg’s dip in the standings is one of the more perplexing cases this season. The East is bizarrely competitive. But the teams outside the playoff picture in the West look largely aligned to preseason expectations around the hockey world. All but the Jets, that is.
Winnipeg largely has the same roster that led them to a Presidents’ Trophy last season. They have superstar talent in Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor, both of whom have 45 points in 37 games, Josh Morrissey, a defenceman with 30 points, and Connor Hellebuyck, a goalie who won his second Vezina plus the Hart last year. The pieces are there for Winnipeg to turn things around. But they’ve dug themselves a heck of a hole entering this game.
Detroit Red Wings
The Red Wings have ridden some stellar performances to reach the top of the Atlantic. This is a well-assembled team that is widely expected to make the playoffs. Detroit’s top players have proven that Steve Yzerman has assembled a structurally strong team.
Two forwards, Lucas Raymond and Alex DeBrincat, average over a point per game with a combined 82 points in 80 games played. Right behind them are Dylan Larkin with 36 points and defenceman Moritz Seider with 30 points. Phenomenal play from Detroit’s top players has been complemented by strong play down the lineup.
NHL Prediction: Who Will Win Jets vs. Red Wings?
The Red Wings are a tough fade at the moment, especially against a struggling team like the Jets. It’s equally difficult to click Winnipeg’s game lines as it is to not click Detroit’s. The way these teams are trending gives too much appeal to the Red Wings.
As mentioned, the Jets possess very strong high-end talent up and down their roster. Could they snap out of it and beat a hot team? Of course they could. But until or unless either team proves otherwise, the Red Wings are a reliable play and the Jets are an easier fade at the moment. Detroit should hold off a desperate Winnipeg team 3-2.
WIN
DET