NHL betting preview (April 7): Blues vs. Jets odds
Join Daily Faceoff’s Andy MacNeil as he handicaps Monday’s NHL Central Division matchup between the St. Louis Blues and Winnipeg Jets.
Blues vs. Jets Odds
- St. Louis Blues Moneyline: +140
- Winnipeg Jets Moneyline: -165
- Puck Line: Blues +1.5 (-190), Jets +1.5 (+160)
- Game Total: 5.5 (Over +105, Under -125)
Game odds via Sports Interaction.
Handicapping the Blues (43-35 SU, 45-33 ATS, 33-40-5 O/U)
The St. Louis Blues set a new franchise record on Saturday with their 5–4 win over the Colorado Avalanche. Now, they’ll look to extend their winning streak to 13 games when they face another Central Division rival, the Winnipeg Jets, on Monday.
Since Jim Montgomery took over as head coach, only two teams have posted better records than St. Louis. The Blues are 34-16-6 under Montgomery, with a points percentage identical to Winnipeg’s—who are likely to win the Presidents’ Trophy this season.
Robert Thomas, who had a four-point effort on Saturday against Colorado, has been leading the way for St. Louis. The 25-year-old has recorded 21 goals and 75 points in 66 games this season, including 20 goals and 66 points since the coaching change.
Dylan Holloway has also emerged as an effective top-six forward under Montgomery, tallying 22 goals and 33 assists in 55 games. However, he is currently sidelined with an injury.
According to Evolving Hockey, only six teams have posted a better expected goal share at five-on-five since the NHL returned from the break on Feb. 22. St. Louis also ranks fourth in goals per 60 minutes (all situations) since Feb. 1, and just five teams have allowed fewer goals in that span.
While the Blues’ power play has been mediocre for most of the season, they rank fifth on the man advantage (27.7 percent) since the start of February. However, Montgomery has yet to fix the penalty kill, which remains below average.
Handicapping the Jets (52-25 SU, 39-38 ATS, 32-42-3 O/U)
Winnipeg returns home after dropping two of three games on its recent road trip. The Jets opened the trip with a 4–1 loss to the Los Angeles Kings, rebounded with a 4–0 shutout win over the Vegas Golden Knights, but closed it out with a 4–1 defeat against the Utah Hockey Club. Following Monday’s game against the Blues, Winnipeg will hit the road again for matchups in Dallas and Chicago before wrapping up the regular season with two games at home.
As mentioned, the Jets are now the favorites to win the Presidents’ Trophy, with sportsbooks like Sports Interaction projecting them to finish with 114.5 points. Still, while they’re in a strong position to claim the league’s best record, the Central Division remains tight—just three points separate Winnipeg and the Dallas Stars.
Monday’s game against St. Louis could serve as a potential first-round playoff preview, though that would require the Blues to claim the second wild-card spot, currently held by the Minnesota Wild. The Wild trail St. Louis by two points.
The Jets lead the season series 2–1. They won the first meeting 3–2 on Oct. 22, while the Blues responded with a 4–1 win on Dec. 3. The most recent matchup, on Feb. 22, ended in a shootout with Winnipeg coming out on top 4–3. The Jets have won eight of their past 10 games against St. Louis.
According to Evolving Hockey, Winnipeg ranks fifth in expected goals percentage at five-on-five this season. And thanks to Connor Hellebuyck’s Vezina-caliber performance, no team has posted a better five-on-five goal share. Offensively, the Jets have also been strong, ranking fourth in goals per 60 minutes—though their scoring pace has dropped off over the last month.
On the injury front, forward Nikolaj Ehlers, who is battling a foot injury, did not play on Saturday. He was a full participant at Monday’s morning skate, though. As a result, Ehlers will be a game-time decision on Monday. However, Gabriel Vilardi is still considered week-to-week due to an upper-body injury.
Best bet for Blues vs. Jets
- Jordan Kyrou Over 2.5 Shots On Goal (+100) at Sports Interaction
Jordan Kyrou hasn’t been quite as hot as Thomas or Holloway, but he’s by far the Blues’ most frequent shooter. Kyrou has registered 223 shots on goal this season, which is 45 more than the next-best player. The 26-year-old has registered three or more shots on goal in nine of his last 13 games, and he’s also done so in 10 of 14 games against the Jets since the start of the 2021-22 season.