Much is expected of the Devils after a promising last season. Detroit, on the other hand, is hoping for results from their several summer reinforcements.
The young and fast Devils
The New Jersey Devils were among the most entertaining teams last season with their fast-paced offensive play. The young squad is full of players who are enjoying their prime or about to hit that phase of their career. Especially Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier are already elite players the Devils can build on for years to come. Jack’s 20-year-old younger brother, Luke Hughes, showed flashes of his potential last spring and is starting his first full NHL season.
A plethora of quality players left New Jersey in the summer. The departures of Damon Severson and Ryan Graves are felt defensively, although Colin Miller is an underrated veteran who can compensate for the void created by these departures. New Jersey’s offence lost some depth pieces (namely Yegor Sharangovich, Tomas Tatar, and Miles Wood) who were replaced by top-line winger Tyler Toffoli. The Devils’ top 6 has more firepower than last year, especially since Timo Meier now suits up for a full season as a Devil. The roster situation is good at the start of the season, as the only questionable player is third-line center Erik Haula who will be a game-time decision today.
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The Red Wings are better than last season
The Detroit Red Wings office had a busy summer with doors swinging both ways. Especially their defensive outlook was tweaked and at the same time the goalkeeping department was altered behind starter Ville Husso. Of those leaving, the most significant role was played by middle-six winger Dominik Kubalik. There is no need to miss the effective goal-scorer for long, as Detroit acquired Alex DeBrincat, a younger and better player of the same profile.
Defensively, the Red Wings improved especially with the acquisitions of veteran defenseman Jeff Petry and second-line center J.T. Compher. Detroit should be a more consistent group than it was at the end of last season. In the preliminary rankings of probable playoff teams, the Red Wings are still expected to be on the outside looking in as the team lacks clearly distinguishable strengths unlike today’s opponent. In terms of injuries, the season starts from the best possible situation with a healthy roster.
Detroit slightly underrated
These two teams have completely different expectations for the season. There is no question about the Devils having a significant advantage as one of the favorites in the East. Still, the Red Wings were no joke last year and they improved in the offseason. This team is far better than some of the lowest-ranked teams such as Anaheim, Chicago, Columbus, and Montreal.
Unibet is offering -117 for the +1.5 puck line which is just enough for a small investment. On average, we expect the Red Wings to cover this line slightly over 55 percent of the time. The great thing about this selection is obviously the fact that 1-goal losses also count for winning wagers. Since we are operating with a somewhat narrow edge, a modest bet size is recommended for today’s pick.
Tip: Detroit Red Wings +1.5 @ -117
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Units: 2/10
The match will start on 10/12/2023 at 7.30 PM EDT.
The odds are from the time of publication of this article and are subject to change.
Esa Kostet
X: @konekostet
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