NHL Odds, Preview, Expert Pick & Prediction: Sharks vs. Jets (April 10)

Sharks vs. Jets Odds

Winnipeg has won three of its last four games, but with the Jets' hold on a wild-card spot still tenuous, they have a lot riding on their final three contests. Their last two games will be on the road against Minnesota and Colorado, so the easiest two points they have left is against San Jose on Monday.

Will Winnipeg be successful in besting the Sharks, or can San Jose step up in its spoiler role? Find out in my Sharks vs. Jets game preview.

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San Jose Sharks

The Sharks have been terrible this season, but the Jets haven't exactly enjoyed the head-to-heads against them. San Jose managed a 3-2 overtime victory over the Jets on March 6, and then secured a 3-0 win on March 28. In both games, James Reimer played a big role, stopping a combined 77-of-79 shots.

Reimer isn't having a good campaign overall, posting a 12-19-8 record, 3.37 GAA and .893 save percentage through 41 outings. He also surrendered six goals on 35 shots in a 6-1 loss to Edmonton on Saturday. Still, given that he's had the Jets' number lately, Reimer might get the nod.

After all, it's not like the Sharks have a better option. Kaapo Kahkonen has a 9-19-7 record, 3.90 GAA and .879 save percentage in 36 contests. Kahkonen has allowed eight goals on 61 shots over his last two appearances, so he's trending in the wrong direction.

If Reimer does start and has another strong performance, then San Jose might be able to sweep the season series. Otherwise, the Sharks will have a tough time securing the victory given the state of their offense. They have averaged just 2.89 goals per game in 2022-23, which is 25th in the league.

Erik Karlsson is having a magical season with 23 goals and 98 points in 79 contests, but the 32-year-old defenseman's efforts have been wasted on the Sharks. The problem is a lack of scoring depth. They have Karlsson, Logan Couture (27 goals, 66 points) and Tomáš Hertl (22 goals, 61 points), but not much else.

Timo Meier was dealt to New Jersey and Alexander Barabanov is out with a lower-body injury, so outside of the Sharks' main three offensive threats, their next-best scorer is Kevin Labanc, who has 15 goals and 33 points in 69 contests. It only goes downhill from there.

Winnipeg Jets

To be fair, Winnipeg has a similar problem. The Jets rank 21st offensively with 2.97 goals per game this season. They are projected to dress five players with over 50 points, so they at least beat the Sharks there. But after that, the team's production takes a significant step back with no other players who have contributed at least 15 goals or 40 points.

These teams aren't so different in terms of defense either. San Jose ranks 22nd with 267.77 expected goals against, per Moneypuck, while Winnipeg is 15th with 241.77 expected goals against.

The Jets have done a bit better offensively and defensively, but it's not night-and-day, so why is it that the Sharks have one of the worst records in the league while Winnipeg might make the playoffs? The simple answer is Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck.

While Reimer has done well against the Jets this season, on a normal night, the Sharks' goaltending can't make up for the team's defensive shortcomings. Hellebuyck, though, elevated Winnipeg's mediocre defense, posting a 35-25-2 record, 2.53 GAA and .919 save percentage through 62 games this season. The 29-year-old is also red hot heading into Monday's action, recording a 1.51 GAA and .950 save percentage over his last four starts.

Sharks vs. Jets Pick

Oddsmakers clearly think the third time will be the charm, because Winnipeg is being treated like the overwhelming favorite on the moneyline. In fact, you could get a decent return if you took the Sharks on the puck line — the spread is 1.5 goals in favor of San Jose.

That's a tempting bet, given San Jose's recent success against Winnipeg. This also could be a pretty low-scoring affair based on the state of these offenses, which further supports the idea that this game might be decided by just a goal, thus allowing the Sharks to beat the spread even if they lose.

If you're feeling bold, that's a solid bet, but I'm going to take under 6.5 goals instead. The potential payout is only marginally worse, and I see it as a lot safer than relying on the Sharks.

Pick: Under 6.5 (-115 | Play to -130).

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