Devils vs Canucks

Jack Hughes and the Devils arrive at Rogers Arena on a three-game road winning streak and four wins in their last five, while the Canucks have only just snapped an 11-game winless skid and remain 1-8-1 over their past 10 despite a much-needed 4-3 home win against Washington. espn.com With active rosters confirmed, New Jersey still leans on a healthy core of Hughes, Nico Hischier, Jesper Bratt and Dougie Hamilton, whereas Vancouver counters with Elias Pettersson, Brock Boeser, Jake DeBrusk and Evander Kane but is thinned by absences to Thatcher Demko, Filip Chytil, Marco Rossi and Derek Forbort, plus the Devils’ own loss of Luke Hughes on long-term injured reserve. espn.com Historically strong production from Kane, DeBrusk, Conor Garland and Pettersson against New Jersey keeps the Canucks dangerous, yet their season profile — last in the league at 39 points with a 3.64 goals-against mark and 32nd-ranked penalty kill — contrasts sharply with a Devils group sitting on 54 points, just four back of a wild-card spot, and owning the more respectable defensive and special-teams metrics. nhl.com Given New Jersey’s form, superior five-on-five structure, and playoff urgency against a Vancouver team that has struggled badly at home and is still without its number-one goalie, backing the Devils at -150 on the moneyline is my preferred side, graded a B for a solid edge at a reasonable price. espn.com Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 23/01/2026 09:41

Recent form hints at volatility more than a defensive grind: over their last 10, Devils games have averaged 5.3 total goals 2.2 scored, 3.1 allowed, while the Canucks’ slump has featured only 1.8 goals for but a leaky 4.1 against per night, often a recipe for higher totals when a struggling home team chases the game. On the injury front, Vancouver remains without Demko plus multiple skaters and is leaning on backup goaltending and depth defenders, while New Jersey loses Luke Hughes’ puck-moving but keeps its primary offensive core intact, a combination that generally favors chances over suppression. Matchup-wise, the Canucks bring Kane, DeBrusk, Garland and Pettersson — all with solid career production versus New Jersey — against a Devils top unit of Hischier, Hughes, Bratt and Hamilton that drives a 20.3% power play, facing the league’s worst penalty kill and a defense ranked 32nd in goals against per game. With New Jersey pushing hard for a wild-card spot after 50 games and Vancouver stuck at the bottom of the standings and more likely to trade chances than sit in a shell, I lean to Over 6 at -125, but the Canucks’ recent scoring drought tempers confidence, so I grade this total play a cautious C+. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 23/01/2026 09:41

New Jersey’s three-game road winning streak and four wins in its last five, set against Vancouver’s 5-14-3 home record and long stretch of poor results, suggest that if the Devils get out in front again, they’re well-positioned to control this matchup rather than let a fragile Canucks team hang around. The injury ledger widens the gap in potential margin: Vancouver is still missing its number-one goaltender and several regulars, while New Jersey’s key absence is Luke Hughes on the back end, leaving a more intact core skating in front of experienced netminders. With active rosters featuring finishers like Hischier, Hughes and Bratt for the visitors and Pettersson, Boeser, DeBrusk and Kane for the hosts — the latter group boasting strong career numbers versus New Jersey — the combination of Vancouver’s 32nd-ranked goals-against and penalty kill against a competent Devils power play raises the likelihood that New Jersey can turn territorial edge into a multi-goal win rather than simply squeaking by. Given the Devils’ position in the playoff chase versus a last-place Canucks side, I’m willing to embrace the added variance and recommend New Jersey -1.5 at +150 on the puckline with a B- grade, acknowledging the attractive payout but also the extra risk required to clear a two-goal margin. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 23/01/2026 09:41