NHL Best Bets: Maple Leafs vs. Red Wings Game Picks

Two Atlantic division foes will collide tonight from Little Caesar’s Arena, with the Toronto Maple Leafs visiting the Detroit Red Wings.

All Odds Courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook

The Maple Leafs are set to play for the second consecutive night after defeating the Nashville Predators 2-1 yesterday. Toronto is currently playing well, winning three straight and posting a 7-2-1 record. The same can’t be said for the Red Wings, who sit at 4-5-1 over that same sample size. Not much has changed in terms of the expectations both teams have had, with the Maple Leafs challenging for one of the top records in the league, while the Red Wings haven’t been able to find much consistency at all. 

These teams are set to meet for the third of four games, with the Maple Leafs winning the first two matchups. Toronto picked up 4-2 and 4-1 victories, demonstrating they’re in a different class than the Red Wings. It’s hard to see that changing, even with the Maple Leafs playing for the second consecutive night.

Looking toward the projected goalie, the visiting Maple Leafs are expected to start Ilya Samsonov, while the Red Wings will turn to Ville Husso. The Maple Leafs’ netminder has a 12-3-1 record with a .916 save percentage, while Husso is 13-8-5 with a .901 save percentage. Each goalie has struggled lately, so it’s hard to find a significant edge in the net. 

The Maple Leafs are the better team, even if they’re dealing with some key injuries. They’ve done an excellent job defensively, so there’s some value in targeting the Maple Leafs’ moneyline price of -154. 

Best Bet: Maple Leafs moneyline (-154) 

The Red Wings sit in the bottom third in goals scored and allowed per game, while the Maple Leafs are in the top ten in both categories, including the second spot in goals allowed. The Leafs have held the Red Wings to just three goals in two games, a trend that will be difficult to buck for Detroit. Over the Red Wings’ last five games, just one has seen seven or more goals scored, while the Leafs have seen that transpire twice. With both previous games falling under the number and the Leafs’ strong defensive play, it’s hard to look away from the under 6.5 at -130. 

Best Bet: Under 6.5 (-130) 

The Leafs have found their offensive footing over the last two months, with William Nylander being a significant reason. The Swedish forward has tallied 47 points in 42 games, including leading the team with 22 goals. If you had told someone Nylander would lead the team in scoring at the halfway point, they’d have called you crazy. Still, this is the exact type of game that Nylander thrives in, meaning there’s value in backing him to score at +160. 

Best Prop: William Nylander to Record Over 0.5 Goals (+160)