Vancouver Canucks vs Detroit Red Wings

The Canucks arrive in Detroit on a four-game losing streak and a -28 goal differential, while the Red Wings have steadied themselves with six wins in their last 10 and a strong 14-8-1 mark at Little Caesars Arena. With Vancouver already thin down the middle — Filip Chytil, Teddy Blueger and Marco Rossi are all on injured reserve and Conor Garland is sidelined on the wing — they’re asking a lot of Elias Pettersson to drive offense against a deeper Detroit forward group that still includes Dylan Larkin, Alex DeBrincat and Lucas Raymond despite Patrick Kane’s absence. Pettersson has traditionally hurt the Wings (5 goals and 13 assists in 12 career matchups), but John Gibson has dominated Vancouver even more, posting four career shutouts against them, including last month’s 4-0 road win that underscored the gap between these rosters right now. Given Detroit’s healthier lineup, superior five-on-five profile and elite special teams edge, laying the current -162 moneyline with the Red Wings is my preferred side, graded A- for combining a high win probability with a price that’s still reasonable for a home favorite. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 08/01/2026 09:30([espn.com](https://www.espn.com/nhl/game/_/gameId/401803035/canucks-red-wings?utm_source=openai))

Vancouver’s current skid hasn’t exactly been low-event hockey: the Canucks have struggled defensively all season, allowing 148 goals in 42 games (3.52 per game), while Detroit has scored 136 in 44 (3.09 per game), and both clubs sit in the bottom half of the league in goals against. Even with some Canucks forwards out, they still dress Pettersson, Brock Boeser and a hot Kiefer Sherwood, and Detroit can roll Larkin, DeBrincat and Raymond, so there’s more than enough finishing talent on both sides — especially when you factor in a Red Wings power play around 24–25% against a Vancouver penalty kill hovering in the mid-70s. Detroit games have cleared 5.5 goals in well over half their contests this year, and Vancouver’s combination of middling shot volume but poor goals-against numbers has produced a similar pattern, suggesting that a total of 6 will often land on 6 or 7 rather than 4 or 5. The presence of quality goalies like Gibson and Thatcher Demko keeps a full shootout from being a lock, but the statistical tilt toward higher totals and the matchup of potent Red Wings special teams versus a leaky Canucks back end make Over 6 at -125 a solid B-grade play: not cheap, but backed by both recent trends and season-long numbers. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 08/01/2026 09:30([en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025%E2%80%9326_Vancouver_Canucks_season?utm_source=openai))

While Detroit is the rightful favorite, the puckline calculus shifts once you factor in how both teams tend to play close games: the Red Wings already lead the league with 14 one-goal victories this season, and Vancouver historically skews toward tight scorelines as well, with a large share of last year’s schedule decided by a single goal. The Canucks’ overall record is ugly and they come in on a losing streak, but a 12-9-2 road mark shows they compete better away from Vancouver, and having Thatcher Demko available behind a still-skilled core of Pettersson, Boeser and Sherwood gives them a reasonable chance to stay within one even if Detroit ultimately takes the two points. Detroit’s superior depth — especially down the middle — and healthier roster outside of Kane’s absence mean they’re more likely to find a way to win, but their comfort in grinding out one-goal results actually supports grabbing Vancouver at +1.5 on the puckline, even with the expensive -175 price. I’ll grade Canucks +1.5 as a B-: the cover probability is high given both teams’ tendency for tight finishes, but the heavy juice caps the overall value. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 08/01/2026 09:30([detroithockeynow.com](https://detroithockeynow.com/2025/12/31/red-wings-keep-making-close-count-mclellan-appleton/?utm_source=openai))