Jets vs Blackhawks

Connor Bedard’s Blackhawks limp into this one on a three-game skid while the Jets, who have taken points in five straight and four wins over that span, arrive with a bit of momentum despite sitting last in the Central right behind Chicago in the standings. With Teuvo Teravainen and Frank Nazar sidelined, Chicago’s forward depth behind Bedard, Tyler Bertuzzi and Andre Burakovsky is thinned out, whereas Winnipeg’s top six of Kyle Connor, Mark Scheifele and Gabriel Vilardi is intact, even if the Jets are patching a blue line missing Colin Miller, Neal Pionk and Haydn Fleury. Recent history between these clubs is heavily tilted toward Winnipeg — the Jets have dominated the matchup, including a 6-3 home win over Chicago back in October and a string of victories over multiple seasons — and Connor Hellebuyck’s presence in goal is a clear edge against a Hawks tandem that has been more volatile. Both teams are hovering around the playoff fringe after roughly 47–48 games, so urgency should be high, but Winnipeg’s superior five-on-five play and finishing talent plus its strong recent form make the road favorite at around -138 (implied win probability in the high‑50s) a justifiable side, even if the price isn’t cheap. This is a solid but not slam-dunk position given Winnipeg’s defensive injuries and travel, so the Jets moneyline gets a Grade B for a reasonable blend of likelihood and value. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 19/01/2026 09:43([espn.com](https://www.espn.com/nhl/team/roster/_/name/wpg/winnipeg-jets))

The total is sitting at 6 goals with the Over around -101 and the Under about -115, and this sets up as a game where offensive talent and scheduling could lean us toward goals despite capable goaltending on both sides. Winnipeg games have been trending high-scoring, with the Jets allowing more than three goals per night while still scoring just over three themselves, and they’ve been cashing Overs at one of the league’s better clips, while Chicago’s defensive numbers at home — over three goals against per game — are soft enough that Bedard’s line plus secondary pieces like Bertuzzi and Burakovsky often have to trade chances to keep the Hawks in it. Both clubs are also in the middle of compact stretches (third game in five nights for each), which tends to erode structure more than skill, and we’ve already seen this matchup play fast this season with a 6-3 Jets win in Winnipeg plus a broader trend of Winnipeg and Chicago combining to land above the mid‑5s total in a good share of their games. The risk here is that Hellebuyck steals one or Spencer Knight/Drew Commesso overperforms in a spot where Chicago is desperate to stop the bleeding, but with Winnipeg’s recent Over streak, the Blackhawks’ leaky blue line, and key defensive absences on the Jets’ side, I’ll lean Over 6 at roughly -101 and grade it a B- due to the push risk and dependence on game flow. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 19/01/2026 09:43([sportsinsider.com](https://www.sportsinsider.com/nhl/odds/2474509-wpg-vs-chi?utm_source=openai))

Even while Winnipeg has owned the win-loss column in this series, Chicago has quietly been a strong puckline team at the United Center, covering +1.5 in a long run of recent divisional home games, and that profile meshes with how this matchup often plays out: Jets tilt the ice, but Hellebuyck faces enough volume from Bedard’s line and Chicago’s power play to keep margins tight. The Jets’ moneyline favoritism and recent surge are offset somewhat on the spread by a banged-up defense corps missing multiple regulars, which can invite late goals against and backdoor covers, and by the fact that both teams are scrapping for every point with the Central’s middle tier clustered near the wild-card cut line. Chicago’s recent three-game losing streak adds a bit of urgency in front of what should be a charged home crowd for Bedard and a return visit from former captain Jonathan Toews, and that extra push, combined with the Blackhawks’ decent record in one-goal games and Winnipeg’s tendency to play tight when closing out leads, nudges the probability that Chicago stays within a goal above what the -210 price suggests. Given that the Jets still have clear edges in overall quality and goaltending, this isn’t a premium edge, but Blackhawks +1.5 on the puckline earns a Grade B as a relatively safe way to back a competitive effort from the home side while allowing Winnipeg to squeak out another narrow win. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 19/01/2026 09:43([espn.com](https://www.espn.com/nhl/team/roster/_/name/chi/chicago-blackhawks))