Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the NHL regular season match.
The Winnipeg Jets remain undefeated this season with an impressive streak of eight wins in eight games. They kick off the new week at home in the Canada Life Centre, hosting a Toronto Maple Leafs side desperate for a morale boost following three consecutive defeats.
Winnipeg Jets
While the Jets' early successes are noteworthy, it's essential not to overstate them. Several factors have worked in their favour. Firstly, the schedule—out of the eight teams they've faced, only two qualified for last season's playoffs. Secondly, they’ve had the rub of the green at both ends of the ice. Their PDO (a combination of shooting percentage and save percentage) has reached new heights this season at 107.2, compared to the previous high of 102.3. Simultaneously, the Jets' control during even-strength play has been mediocre (46.9 xGF%), putting them alongside the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Chicago Blackhawks in this metric.
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Maple Leafs aren't as poor as their recent form might suggest. Their weekend overtime loss to the Boston Bruins (3:4 OT) was the result of individual errors in critical moments, which their opponents capitalised on with clinical precision. Despite this, Mitch Marner continues to dazzle in the offensive zone, notching his second hat trick of assists this month. Additionally, the Leafs’ penalty kill ranks in the league’s top 10 (83.8%), which could effectively counter Jets' primary advantage, as nearly a third of their goals come from power plays (10 out of 36).
Winnipeg Jets vs Toronto Maple Leafs Prediction
The Winnipeg Jets have accumulated several 'extra' points in closely contested encounters. They have secured victories by a single goal margin in four games, and their last outing against the Calgary Flames(5:3) saw a final-goal advantage courtesy of an empty-netter. Crucially, the Toronto Maple Leafs swept last year’s season series against the Jets (3:0) with an aggregate score of 2:9. Moreover, Connor Hellebuyck has struggled historically against the Leafs, holding a losing record (7:9) with a goals-against average of 3.07. The value lies with the visitors, so we’re backing the underdog for the win.
