Two teams headed in opposite directions collide tonight, with the Chicago Blackhawks visiting the Toronto Maple Leafs.
All Odds Courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook
Chicago Blackhawks (+440) vs. Toronto Maple Leafs (-610) Total: 6.5 (O -104, U -118)Let’s not sugarcoat it; the Chicago Blackhawks are bad. They’re in the running for the top overall draft pick and are in the starting stages of what could be a lengthy rebuild. Meanwhile, the Maple Leafs’ Stanley Cup window is open, but they haven’t been able to win a playoff round. Still, the Leafs are massive favorites in this matchup, priced at -610 on the moneyline, while the Blackhawks are +440. Toronto hasn’t done great as a big favorite, but the Hawks played last night, and the Leafs should be able to take advantage.
The Hawks enter this matchup with a 4-5-1 record over their last ten games, while the Maple Leafs are 6-3-1.
Looking toward the projected goalie matchup, the Blackhawks are expected to start Petr Mrazek, while the Maple Leafs should do the same with Ilya Samsonov. The Blackhawks netminder has a 5-14-2 record with a .885 save percentage, while Samsonov is 18-6-2 with a .917 save percentage. Toronto should have a sizable advantage between the pipes.
Toronto is much better than Chicago and is listed as a -2.5 favorite on the puck line. Although that’s a significant number, the Maple Leafs are in a different class and should be able to cover the lowly Blackhawks.
Best Bet: Maple Leafs Puck Line -2.5 (-122)
The Blackhawks sit in the bottom third in goals scored and allowed per game, while the Maple Leafs are in the top ten in both categories. Over the Blackhawks’ last five games, they’ve seen seven or more goals scored in two, while the Maple Leafs have seen that in three. It’s hard to see the Blackhawks limiting the Maple Leafs’ offense, so siding with the over 6.5 should have some value in this matchup at -104.
Best Bet: Over 6.5 (-104)
The Leafs have multiple players who have value in the goal-scoring department. Mitch Marner has 64 points in 54 games while leading the club with seven points over their last five contests. This is the type of matchup where Marner has a ton of value to light the lamp, and he’s priced at a very generous +140.
Best Prop: Mitch Marner to Record Over 0.5 Goals (+140)
