Bruins vs. Jets NHL Betting Odds, Picks: Winnipeg Opens as Short Favourite in Season-Opener
Winnipeg is one of the last teams to play its 2026-27 regular-season opener on Friday night as it hosts Original Six side Boston, which has a game under its belt and is in the front end of a back-to-back. The Jets are slight -114 favourites on the NHL odds with a total of 5.5.
Bruins vs. Jets NHL Betting Odds
In a normal scenario, a Bruins-Jets matchup might mean two of the best American goalies in the NHL facing off in Boston’s Jeremy Swayman and Winnipeg’s Connor Hellebuyck. They were both on Team USA’s gold-medal winning team at the Italy Olympics earlier this year with Hellebuyck as the main guy and Swayman as the backup.
Swayman is still the No. 1 in Boston, although it’s no sure thing that Swayman goes Friday because the Bruins play again Saturday night in Minnesota. Hellebuyck has been one of the big stories of the NHL offseason as he continues to demand a trade out of Winnipeg, and it sounds like it’s going to happen sooner or later. The Jets were hoping the start of the season might soften Hellebuyck’s demands, but the three-time Vezina Trophy winner has held strong and remains away from the club. Carolina seems to be the most likely trade partner as if the defending Stanley Cup champion Hurricanes need more help.
Being in opposite conferences, these clubs play twice per season. The Bruins swept last campaign, winning 6-3 in Winnipeg and 6-1 at home. Hellebuyck and Eric Comrie were the two Jets goalies in those, each getting torched. Boston is 7-3 in the past 10 overall, and the over-under is 5-4-1.
Boston Bruins
Boston opened the season with a 3-0 home win over the New York Rangers on Tuesday, although that score is misleading as it was 0-0 with about five minutes remaining before the Bruins scored twice quickly and then added an empty-netter in the span of 1:15.
It marked the seventh-fastest three goals in a season-opening game in NHL history. It was Boston’s 11th straight home-opening win to tie the Canadiens (1953-54 to 1963-64) for longest in NHL history.
Jeremy Swayman passed Byron Dafoe (132) for the ninth-most wins by a goaltender in Bruins history, and it was Swayman’s 19th career shutout to tie for the ninth-most in team history.
Boston is without one of its most important players in All-Star defenceman Charlie McAvoy. He’s serving a six-game suspension from last postseason. McAvoy had 51 points and a plus-13 rating last year.
Winnipeg Jets
Former Edmonton Oilers netminder Stuart Skinner gets the first crack at the No. 1 goaltending job with the Connor Hellebuyck situation still in limbo. Trades can come together quickly – see the big deal the Leafs made on Monday.
With the Oilers and Penguins last season, Skinner was 23-17-9 with a 2.92 GAA, .888 SV and two shutouts. He was signed on July 1.
The other big addition was blueliner Mario Ferraro. The 28-year-old brings physicality as he led the Sharks in hits (137) and blocked shots (150) last season. Both would have led the Jets.
Winnipeg is hoping for immediate help from rookie No. 8 overall pick Viggo Bjorck, who is +3000 to win the Calder Trophy. The 18-year-old forward had 15 points in 42 games with Djurgarden of the Swedish Hockey League last season.
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