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There are only three games on the docket for a quiet Friday night in the NHL. Let's take a closer look at a few of the best ways to attack them.
Kyle Connor: Over 3.5 shots
Connor has played in only 38 games this season due to injury. He still leads the Jets in goals and expected goals and is right on the tail of Nikolaj Ehlers - who's played 54 games - in terms of shots on goal.
Connor is clearly the focal point of the offense at even strength, as well as on the power play.
As a result, his shot-generation outputs have been very consistent. The longest Connor has gone without recording four shots is three straight games, which just so happens to be the streak he's riding right now.
Connor is in a very good spot to snap out of it on Friday night. The Blackhawks are a horrendous five-on-five team that spends a lot of time chasing in the defensive zone. That generally leads to high opposing shot totals - especially for wingers.
The Blackhawks rank dead last in shots allowed versus wingers over the past 10 games. No team is giving up more to the position.
Connor has gone quiet of late, scoring in just two of the past 11 games while going under his shot total in five of six. This is a great matchup for him to snap out of this funk and get back on track.
Odds: +107 (playable to -125)
Seth Jones: Under 2.5 shots
Jones hasn't enjoyed much success shooting the puck. He's averaged just 2.3 shots per game this season and failed to clear his line 62% of the time.
Although Jones plays a ton of minutes, that shouldn't be surprising. The Blackhawks just don't have many players who can help the team transition to the offensive zone, let alone make something happen when they get there. Jones has to spend the bulk of his time defending, which will no doubt be the case against the Jets.
The Jets have done a great job of suppressing shots all season long, and that continues to be the case. They've been especially hard on opposing defensemen.
Winnipeg has conceded just 6.4 shots on goal per game to defenders over the last 10, one of the best marks in the NHL.
That's bad news for Jones, who's struggled to generate much against the Jets since Rick Bowness took over as head coach. Jones has recorded only seven shots over four games while posting mediocre attempt numbers.
Odds: -150 (playable to -160)
Connor McDavid: Over 0.5 power-play points
The Wild have played very good hockey of late, but they're still vulnerable in one key area: the penalty kill.
It's not so much that they've struggled in undermanned situations; the team simply can't stay out of the box.
The Wild have paraded to the sin bin on a nightly basis, with only the Kings spending more time shorthanded over the last 10 games.
Taking penalties is a recipe for disaster against the Oilers. Led by McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and Evan Bouchard, the Oilers possess the league's most dangerous power play. They lead the league in expected goals generation and sit third in terms of goals per minute. They're lethal.
McDavid is the team's leader in assists and points on the power play and is as puck-dominant as anybody in the offensive zone. Almost every possession runs through him, offering ample opportunity to get involved in the buildup of goals.
With team discipline an issue, the Wild will no doubt take their share of penalties trying to slow down the high-flying Oilers. Look for McDavid and Co. to take advantage at least once.
Odds: +110 (playable to -115)
Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X at @ToddCordell.
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