The surging Detroit Red Wings will be looking to capture their fourth win in a row on Wednesday night when they head up to Alberta to face Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers in a cross-conference matchup at Rogers Place. The puck drops at 9:30 PM ET in Oil Country. The Wings just beat up the Vancouver Canucks on Monday in Motown by a score of 6-1, their second straight victory over the Nucks. Edmonton, meanwhile lost 6-2 to the lowly Montreal Canadiens on Saturday evening and will certainly be hungry to bounce back here. Read on for the Red Wings vs. Oilers prediction.
Before diving into the NHL picks, make sure to check out our top hockey betting sites, as well as the Vegas odds for the NHL in the 2022-23 season.
The Oilers are heavily favored at odds well over -200 at all three sportsbooks listed above, while the Red Wings are a clear underdog. After all, Edmonton has won back-to-back meetings with Detroit.
It hasn’t been a great campaign for the Red Wings, but their improving play is a reason for optimism. Detroit is now up to 24-20-8, which puts them in 12th place in the Eastern Conference. That said, they’re just five points off the Pittsburgh Penguins for that final playoff spot with lots of time left. Perhaps not all is lost yet. The Wings are 6-3-1 in their last 10 outings, beating the likes of Vancouver, Calgary, Vegas, and San Jose. The offense is led by Dylan Larkin, who has produced 20 goals and 30 assists in 51 games played in 2022-23. Lucas Raymond and Dominik Kubalik are also doing their part, but Raymond just landed on the IR, which is a big blow. Larkin played hero on Monday versus the Canucks as he scored twice. Four others also got on the scoresheet, while Michael Rasmussen tallied two assists as well. While Detroit did lose to Edmonton recently, they’re hot right now.
After making a run to the Conference Finals last season, Edmonton is fighting for its playoff lives this year. While the Oilers occupy sixth, they’re only four points ahead of eighth-place Calgary. Consistency is needed to stay in the mix. And while Edmonton is just 2-2 since the All-Star break, the team is 7-1-2 in their previous 10 appearances. Saturday’s defeat to Montreal was one they’ll want to quickly forget, though. McDavid looked non-existent, and the defense was awful. Just like in past years, that’s Edmonton’s problem again, ranking 20th in goals allowed while sitting first in goals scored. Perhaps the Oilers can find another defenceman at the trade deadline because it’s needed. Rogers Place isn’t exactly where Edmonton plays that well either, posting a 13-11-3 record. The Oilers are a mile better on the road, which is slightly surprising. After posting a -3 against the Canadiens, you can almost bet on McDavid responding on Wednesday. After all, he is the best player in the NHL and leads the league in goals (42) and points (97).
I have a hard time believing Edmonton will lose to an opponent beneath them again after that horrid performance in Quebec. Expect McDavid to star and lead the Oilers to a much-needed win on home ice. The moneyline is best here but go with BetOnline. It’s the lowest odds.
Before digging deep into this matchup, check out our top sportsbook reviews below, which have plenty of information to help you find the best options.
