The New York Islanders are clinging to a playoff spot, and are expected to be missing five key forwards when they host the Winnipeg Jets on Wednesday. Here is sports betting analyst Scott Cullen's top NHL pick for the showdown based on the best NHL odds.
A 6-2-2 record in the past 10 games has propelled the New York Islanders into playoff position – but their grasp on that first wild-card spot is tenuous. Five teams are within five points of the Isles, and three of those clubs have played at least four fewer games.
The Jets, meanwhile, are in second place in the Central Division with 71 points in 57 games, one point behind the division-leading Dallas Stars. Both teams are coming off Monday wins, with New York upending Pittsburgh 4-2 and Winnipeg defeating the Rangers 4-1.
Here is our best Jets vs. Islanders NHL pick (odds via D raftKings Sportsbook; pick confidence based on a 1-to-5-star scale).
Jets vs. Islanders pick
Elite goaltenders drive the results for both teams – but a major lack of forward depth might very well be the Islanders' undoing in this one.
New York's Ilya Sorokin and the Jets' Connor Hellebuyck rank first and second in terms of goals saved above expected, according to Natural Stat Trick. And their respective teams do them no favors here, with both sides ranking below average in possession league-wide.
Both teams excel while shorthanded, thanks largely to their goalies The Jets (5.29 GAA) rank third and Islanders (5.52 GAA) fourth in goals allowed per 60 minutes of four-on-five play.
The Jets do hold an edge when it comes to the power play: They rank 21st with 6.55 goals per 60 minutes of five-on-four play, while the Islanders (5.27 ) are second-last.
Special teams is where the Islanders face an added challenge due to their injuries up front.
Mathew Barzal, Jean-Gabriel Pageau, Josh Bailey, Cal Clutterbuck, and Oliver Wahlstrom are all out – and those absences have a significant impact on both sides of the special teams ledger. Pageau, Clutterbuck, and Bailey kill penalties, while Barzal leads the Isles with 19 power play points and Pageau is tied for the team lead with five power play goals.
Those holes are not easily filled with call-ups from the AHL, so Winnipeg has a good opportunity to pick up a road win on Wednesday. I have the game as a pick 'em, so the Jets are offering better value as the underdogs.
Check out our latest Stanley Cup odds.
Jets vs. Islanders best odds
| DraftKings | FanDuel | BetMGM | Caesars | PointsBet |
| Jets ML | Jets ML | Jets ML | Jets ML | Jets ML |
| -105 | -106 ?? | -105 | +100 ?? | -105 |
Pricing is tight for this matchup, but Caesars has been slower to move toward the Jets, so it is still possible to get them at even money. That is an edge that makes it worth while to shop for the best price among the top sportsbooks.
Otherwise, the market has started to drift towards the Jets after opening with the Islanders favored at -125 and Winnipeg at +105.
Jets vs. Islanders odds
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Jets vs. Islanders odds analysis
FanDuel opened with the Islanders as a -134 favorite on the moneyline while the Jets were priced at +112.
Even though 62% of wagers are on the Islanders, the line movement has headed in the other direction, with the Islanders now at -113 and Winnipeg at -106.< /p>
The total has been steady at 5.5, with opening odds at -114 for the Over and -106 for the Under. That low total has resulted in 62% of the consensus wagers coming in for the Over, and yet the Under is now -124 with the Over at +102.
Check out our Stanley Cup odds!
Jets vs. Islanders game info
- Date: Wednesday, Feb. 22, 7 p.m. ET
- TV: NHLPP, ESPN+, Sportsnet, MSGSN
- Location: UBS Arena, Elmont, NY
Jets-Islanders pick made 2/22/2023 at 10:45 a.m. ET.
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