Devils vs. Canucks Odds
| Devils Odds | -110 |
| Canucks Odds | -110 |
| Over / Under | 6.5 -134o / +110u |
The Devils' 6-3 loss to the Sharks on Friday was the biggest upset of this NHL season based on closing odds. They'll look to put that ugly defeat in the rearview mirror as they begin a Western road swing at Rogers Arena on Tuesday.
The Canucks have dominated with an 8-2-1 record on home ice this season. They played an excellent road game in Calgary on Saturday, earning two points. They now sit three points back of the Knights for first in the division.
The Devils own a drastically worse winning percentage than the Canucks, but they're only slight underdogs on the road at most books.
Let's dive into the Devils vs. Canucks odds and find an NHL prediction for Tuesday's showdown.
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New Jersey Devils
The Devils' 11-10-1 record is a clear disappointment considering the preseason expectations warranted by their stacked roster. They were among the outright favorites to win the Stanley Cup, which was something I fully agreed with.
The greatest strength of the Devils' roster relative to most teams is the 1-2 punch of Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier at the crucial center ice position.
A lengthy period where both Hughes and Hischier were out of the lineup at the same time is a significant excuse for their unexpected record, but the concerns go beyond that.
New Jersey's defensive play has taken a step backward compared to what we saw last season, as there have been too many defensive zone breakdowns and poor puck management. That can often be the case for teams that look to drive play aggressively with a puck-possession game.
Still, the Devils' overall game has improved with Hughes and Hischier back in the mix. In recent games, they've put up a league-leading 37.4 shots per 60 minutes, with a 60.9% expected goals rating.
Given all of the talent left on the roster, it's not surprising to see the Devils generate far more chances than their opposition on average.
Dougie Hamilton is going to be sidelined for a significant period of time after receiving surgery for a torn pectoral muscle.
He leaves a significant hole on the Devils' blue line, but his loss could be somewhat negated by highly-touted prospect Simon Nemec, who looked fantastic in his NHL debut. He's an important add in deeper fantasy hockey leagues.
The Devils have received arguably the league's worst goaltending from Vitek Vanecek and Akira Schmid, who have combined for a -10.9 GSAx this season. It will likely be Vanecek who gets the start Monday. He holds an .879 save percentage and -6.6 GSAx in 15 appearances this season.
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Vancouver Canucks
The story of the Canucks' season has essentially been the opposite of the Devils to this point. Rick Tocchet has gotten the absolute most out of a relatively modest roster and has his side playing fundamentally sharp team hockey in all areas.
Thatcher Demko has been fabulous in goal and would likely win the Vezina Trophy if the season ended today.
The Canucks have overachieved on the offensive side of things, in particular, with an average of 3.8 goals per game. Their power play has been downright scary, clicking 26.9% of the time thus far. That should be sustainable, as the unit holds a tremendous combination of shooters who offer several different wrinkles.
What might be less sustainable is the Canucks' league-best 10.9% shooting percentage at even strength. That's a clear area due for negative regression, and in time, this offense will likely perform closer to preseason expectations at even strength.
Vancouver could potentially start backup goaltender Casey DeSmith in this matchup, as he hasn't played since Nov. 25, and there's not a natural backup spot coming up.
Keep your eye out for news from the morning skate if you're betting a side in this matchup, particularly the Canucks.
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Devils vs. Canucks
Betting Pick & Prediction
This is an interesting matchup from a handicapping perspective, as there's a strong case to be made for either side. Many NHL games feature one side with the value at open, which always appears likely to hog the majority of sharp money.
That's not the case here, and I'm interested to see where this price goes.
My belief in the strength of the Devils' roster has me thinking that they're still a good bet as slight underdogs in this spot, though.
Even without Hamilton, the Devils have a ton of talent in the lineup and should continue to generate chances at an elite level. Their recent underlying numbers have been excellent and suggest this team is due for a significant upswing given modest goaltending.
A healthy Devils team has the upside to play at a 105+-point pace, and I think they can still prove to be the better of these two sides moving forward.
It's scary to take on New Jersey here because of the significant goaltending edge the Canucks hold, but I can live with that given my belief the Devils will carry play as an underdog.
The outside chance that DeSmith might start for Vancouver here also works in favor of the Devils at the current prices.
I would play New Jersey to win down to -108 and would go to -115 if DeSmith gets the start for the Canucks.
Pick: New Jersey Devils ML +100 (Play to -108)
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