This is a big season for the Oilers and Jets. The Oilers were a win away from winning the Stanley Cup last year. Returning to the Finals is an expectation for them this season. The Jets, meanwhile, had a bit of a surprisingly successful season last year that came to a hard stop in the playoffs. Their window is still open, but it may not be very long.
Wednesday night’s season debut between Edmonton and Winnipeg will feel like there are more implications than otherwise exist for Game 1 of 82. This will be great for hockey fans who stay up into the night.
- OILERS -1.5 (+150)
- OVER 6.5 TOTAL GOALS (+105)
- CONNOR MCDAVID 2+ POINTS (-130)
Oilers -1.5 (+150)
As mentioned, the Oilers expect to win the Stanley Cup this year and rightfully so. They have the best player and arguably second best player in the world. The wounds of losing the Stanley Cup in Game 7 likely linger and provide this team with plenty of fuel entering this season. The Oilers are already the better team in this game. The chip on their shoulder only amplifies their advantage.
From a pure matchup standpoint, the Jets do not have the top-end talent to go toe to toe with the Oilers. Granted, not many teams in the NHL do. The Oilers will not go undefeated this season. But, if their best players play to their averages, it will be tough for teams like Winnipeg to hang. The Oilers will come out looking to make a statement.
Game Total Over 6.5 (+105)
The Oilers have been a very offensively talented team for years now. Any game featuring Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Zach Hyman, Evan Bouchard, and more talented players will have a good chance to go over the total. Wednesday night is no exception. The pure strength of the Edmonton Oilers gives plenty of appeal to the over.
If the Oilers can produce and take the lead, it may force the Jets to take some chances offensively to stay in the game. The game script, in addition to the offensive talent in this game, makes the over at plus odds extremely attractive.
Connor McDavid 2+ Points (-130)
Connor McDavid is fresh off another season in which he put up 30+ goals and 100+ points. In the past 4 seasons, McDavid has 513 points in 294 games with zero signs of slowing down. This year, fans may see the most determined version of McDavid yet, given the sting of last season’s Stanley Cup Final.
This is a man on a mission who also happens to be the best player on the planet. The raw talent of McDavid and those around him give his props appeal game in and game out. This game has the makings of a big McDavid performance to jumpstart the season.
