Winnipeg Jets vs. Toronto Maple Leafs Prediction, NHL Odds
The Toronto Maple Leafs look to start 2026 on a winning note when they host the freefalling Winnipeg Jets in a New Year’s Day clash at Scotiabank Arena. The Maple Leafs enter Thursday’s NHL betting matchup riding a four-game home winning streak after blanking the New Jersey Devils 4-0 on Tuesday night, and have won three of four overall to remain just four points back of the resurgent Buffalo Sabres in the race for the second wild card spot in the Eastern Conference. The Jets limp into the new year on a seven-game slide after opening their current three-game road trip with Wednesday’s 2-1 loss in Detroit that marks their ninth defeat in 10 away outings.
The Maple Leafs enter Thursday’s contest as relatively slim -135 favourites on the NHL odds. The Jets trail as +115 underdogs, and the total is listed at 6.5.
Jets vs. Maple Leafs NHL Betting Odds
The Leafs dropped a 5-2 decision in their most recent date with the Jets at Scotiabank Arena, back in December 2024, snapping a six-game head-to-head win streak in which they claimed victory by multi-goal margins on five occasions. That marked the third time in as many games that these teams combined to score at least six goals, ending a 3-0 run for the UNDER in totals betting.
However, goals have come at a premium for the Jets during the epic swoon that leaves them with a league-worst 7-11-2 road record and dumped them to the bottom of the overall NHL standings. The Jets have mustered just 12 total goals during their current 0-4-3 slide, but have seen six of those defeats come by just a single goal while allowing just 2.86 goals per game. Conversely, the Leafs have rediscovered their scoring touch during a steady 3-0-1 run, potting 4.75 goals per game and have picked up at least a point in 10 of 11 home dates while allowing just 2.60 goals per game and recording a pair of shutouts over that stretch.
Winnipeg Jets
With just two total goals scored over their past two games, the Jets are desperate to find ways to kickstart their moribund attack. Just three Jets skaters have tallied more than seven goals this season, with veterans Kyle Connor and Mark Scheifele leading the way, each with 18 markers. But the duo has been snake bitten during the club’s steady decline. Scheifele has scored only twice in the past nine games and tallied just two shots on goal in two outings this week. Connor has failed to bulge the twine in nine of his past 11 outings, and failed to find the mark despite racking up 13 total shots over the past two games.
Things could be far worse were it not for the steady play of netminder Connor Hellebuyck, who has limited opponents to two or fewer goals in four of eight outings. But after seeing action in Detroit on Wednesday, Hellebuyck is expected to turn the crease over to Eric Comrie, who has been lit up for 13 goals on just 45 total shots over his past three starts.
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Maple Leafs will have Auston Matthews back in the lineup on Thursday after the team captain missed Tuesday’s shutout victory over the Devils due to a lower body injury. Matthews was heating up as 2025 drew to a close, scoring once and adding three assists in his final two appearances of the year, snapping a four-game points drought. However, the status of William Nylander remains unclear after the club’s leading scorer missed Thursday morning’s skate with the team. Nylander has missed the past two games with a lower body injury after piling up five points in his previous two appearances.
With their two biggest stars sidelined, Matthew Knies led the attack in Tuesday’s win with his fourth goal in three games and has racked up six points during a four-game point streak. Joseph Woll is once again expected to be between the pipes after turning aside 33 shots in Tuesday’s victory. That marked Woll’s third straight win and lifted his record to 6-1-0 with a 2.26 goals against average and .926 save percentage in the month of December.
WIN
TOR