NHL Picks: Bruins and Maple Leafs headed for Pre-All Star Game Showdown

NHL Schedule Breakdown

Simply, here are the number of hockey games by night. 

• Monday - 1
• Tuesday – 3
• Wednesday – 2
• Thursday – 0

Alas, none of these slates carry four games. Thankfully, this is only for one week. 

On the bright side, only Carolina plays on a back-to-back (Tuesday and Wednesday). That Wednesday night game will be the Hurricanes’ third game in four nights. 

Finally, we get a classic Boston and Toronto game on Wednesday night with a few twists. 

How to Bet the Jets vs. Blues

The schedule fans out in a peculiar way. For example, Monday night looks like those early October Mondays where one or two games occur. This week tests many bettors, and understandably far fewer will wager on these contests. 

Monday night’s game between St. Louis and Winnipeg could be a real head-scratcher. The Blues are in disarray. That is being kind. It looks like the team is fighting itself and the world. Jordan Binnington looked downright unhinged again on Saturday versus Colorado. The Blues have lost four straight games. 

In the past week, Winnipeg looked like the team some pundits expected. The Jets dropped three consecutive games, including a loss to Philadelphia at home that has to be as low as it gets. Scoring three goals in those three games is strange. Winnipeg faces a team that gives up three or more goals regularly. 

The Jets have become a little all-or-nothing when it comes to scoring lately. Winnipeg scored five or more goals in three straight then this drought. This yo-yo-like pattern can frustrate bettors.

Now, the Jets lay around 1.5 to 1.48 on the moneyline. Consider that St. Louis typically loses by more than one goal (their last six defeats). It may be wise to try the Puckline at around 2.25 for Winnipeg. Winning by two or more goals is not that outrageous of an ask. 

Boston vs. Toronto is Wednesday's Main Event

Tuesday features three games, but Wednesday has that headline contest people will discuss, the Boston Bruins play the Toronto Maple Leafs. Boston gets two days off after a rough patch. This is the Bruins’ first stretch of adversity all season and a three-game losing streak. 

While Toronto comes in missing Auston Matthews, the Maple Leafs did not miss a beat on Sunday as they erupted for five unanswered goals at home against the Washington Capitals. Toronto clicked immediately when they stopped getting cute with longer passes and started moving faster in transition. Washington had no answers to slow them down. 

We remembered Carolina plays Tuesday and Wednesday. That meeting in Buffalo on Wednesday has fans and experts talking. Goals could come in bunches as Carolina plays its third game in four nights. Buffalo saw its five-game winning streak snapped over the weekend but has a chance to bounce back.   

Some Quick Points To Be Mindful Of

• Does Carolina suffer a letdown this week?
• Toronto vs. Boston, even without Matthews, is must-see TV on TNT.
• Montreal and Ottawa could be unexpectedly entertaining.
• Watch out for injuries closer to the All-Star Break. That will affect some lines.

Good luck, and once again, thanks for reading! We will have a few more plays on social media as conditions warrant.

Thanks to BetMGM for their great early-week lines and TSN for the convenient schedule.