The Anaheim Ducks (43-33-6) and Edmonton Oilers (41-30-11) meet in Game 1 of the NHL Playoffs tonight. Puck drop is set for 10:00 p.m. EDT at Rogers Place in Edmonton, AB. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN2.
The Oilers are favored by -1.5 on the puck line, with the over/under set at 6.5 (-132o / +110u). The Oilers are a -177 favorite to win outright, while the Ducks are +147 to pull off the upset.
Let's get into my Ducks vs. Oilers predictions and NHL picks.
Ducks vs. Oilers Odds, Pick
| Ducks Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 -163 | 6.5 -132o / +110u | +147 |
| Oilers Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 +137 | 6.5 -132o / +110u | -177 |
- Ducks vs. Oilers Spread: Oilers -1.5 (+137 ), Ducks +1.5 (-163)
- Ducks vs. Oilers Over/Under: 6.5 (-132o / +110u)
- Ducks vs. Oilers Moneyline: Ducks +147, Oilers -177
Ducks vs. Oilers Preview
Anaheim Ducks
This has been a fun season for the Ducks, and they are starting to see the fruits of their labor.
With exceptional young talent like Cutter Gauthier, Leo Carlsson, and Beckett Sennecke, Anaheim has turned into a team that is a dangerous commodity come playoff time.
The final 10 games of the season is where the Ducks played their most efficient hockey on the offensive end, playing to a third-best 57.06 xGF%. Defensively, Anaheim was solid, but nowhere near its offensive output with a 15th-ranked 20.08 xGA.
The one part that may hurt this team moving forward will be its special teams, as the Ducks have scored on the power play 18.3% of the time this season, and even worse on the penalty kill with a bottom-10 76.4% penalty kill.
Goaltender Lukas Dostal will get the nod for tonight's matchup and he's no stranger to big-time matchups due to playing in the Olympics earlier this year.
Dostal started off the season red hot, and then he came back down to earth, to the point where he was actually becoming inefficient. For the final 20 games of the season, he played to a -5.6 GSAx and an .872 SV%.
Edmonton Oilers
After seeing how the Oilers fared the past few seasons, many would consider the 2025-26 season as a total disappointment.
Granted, they made the playoffs without the help of Leon Draisaitl, who missed the final stretch of the season. And Draisaitl may or may not play, as he's listed as a game-time decision.
With or without Draisaitl, this is still as deadly as a squad on the offensive end. Connor McDavid in the final 20 games of the season, put the team on his back with 33 points and defenseman Evan Bouchard had himself a career season with 95 points.
If there was a time for the Oilers to pick up their play, it's now. Their 5-on-5 play wasn't great on the offensive end, playing to a 50.73 xGF%.
The defense has done really well, but the one problem has been the goaltending. Tristan Jarry has been a net-negative since the Oilers acquired him, so the only way this team gets a deep run will be driven by their star power.
Ducks vs. Oilers Prediction
The numbers make this pick awfully simple.
Both teams have extremely subpar goaltending, and given how Edmonton has been buzzing on the offensive end and how poorly Dostal has been, I wouldn't be surprised if the Oilers score at least four goals tonight.
Jarry may end up being the backup for this game because Connor Ingram has been a lot better, but Ingram isn't a stonewall. Anaheim has a ton of talent up front, and Ingram can let up a few with a 1.3 GSAx over his last 10.
The total of 6.5 is always a lot, but both teams can light it up, even in a tight checking environment like the playoffs.
Ride the over.
Pick: Over 6.5 (-130, FanDuel)
