New Jersey Devils vs. Toronto Maple Leafs Prediction, NHL Odds

Jordan Ramsay | Updated Jan 16, 2025

NHL: New Jersey Devils at Florida Panthers

Ex-Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe will get a shot at revenge against his former team when the New Jersey Devils visit Toronto on Thursday night.

New Jersey
31-20-5-1
AT
January 16, 2025, 7:00 PM ET
Scotiabank Arena
Toronto
33-20-2
Puckline -1.5 +200
Moneyline -130
Over / Under o +5.5
Puckline +1.5 -250
Moneyline +110
Over / Under u +5.5

This game could be just what Toronto needs to get things back on track after being booed off the ice in back-to-back home losses on Saturday and Tuesday. New Jersey is looking to bounce back after a 2-1 shootout loss against Florida on Tuesday.

The Devils are slim -120 favourites to win on the NHL odds, with the total set at 5.5.

Devils vs. Maple Leafs NHL Betting Odds

This is the third and final regular season meeting between the teams this year. Toronto won both previous games in New Jersey, 4-2 on Oct. 10 and 2-1 in overtime on Dec. 10. The teams generally play tight games, with seven of the last 10 head-to-heads decided by two goals or less.

The Devils have been a solid road team at 13-9-1 this season. That doesn’t bode well for a Leafs squad that has looked lifeless while losing three consecutive games in regulation.

Toronto has the edge as a cover option, going 23-22 against the spread overall, while New Jersey is 20-26 ATS.

When it comes to totals betting, both teams have played the Under in a majority of their games. In fact, the Devils have played the Under in seven straight games and the Leafs have finished below the number in four of five.

New Jersey Devils

New Jersey has played to extra time in three consecutive games, losing two. Nico Hischier had the only goal against Florida, while Paul Cotter scored the Devils’ only shootout goal. The loss snapped New Jersey’s six-game home winning streak. Jacob Markstrom stopped 27 of 28 shots faced through regulation and overtime before allowing two goals on three shootout attempts.

One thing that has stood out for the Devils this season is their incredible luck when it comes to team health. New Jersey’s top eight leading scorers have all played at least 45 of 46 games, while their top three scorers, Jack Hughes Jesper Bratt and Hischier, have played every game.

Markstrom is expected to start in Toronto, although he’s shown a bit of regression in recent outings. The 34-year-old Swede was great in the month of December, posting an 8-1-1 record with a 1.30 goals-against average and .937 save percentage, but he’s gone 2-1-2 with a 2.13 GAA and .917 SV in five January games.

Toronto Maple Leafs

Leafs fans have let the team know what they think of their recent play, booing them off the ice in back-to-back games. After being shutout by Vancouver on Saturday, Toronto was held to a lone Auston Matthews goal against Dallas on Tuesday. A major issue has been the Leafs’ struggling power play that ranks 18th in the NHL despite having the highest payroll in the league.

And to make matters worse, one of those highly paid players took an awkward fall in practice on Wednesday, ironically while working on the power play. John Tavares immediately left the ice in visible pain and there’s been no update on his status as of early Thursday morning.

Jospeh Woll will likely get the start in net on Thursday. Woll is fighting through a tough stretch that has seen him lose back-to-back games while allowing nine goals in that span. He’s allowed four or more goals in three of his last four starts, which could be due to the heavier workload in the absence of Antony Stolarz.

NHL Prediction: Who Will Win Devils vs. Maple Leafs?

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