NHL Betting Preview (May 8): Oilers vs. Canucks Game 1 Odds
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Edmonton and Vancouver will meet in the playoffs for the first time since 1992. The Canucks won the Pacific Division with 109 points and defeated Edmonton in all four regular season meetings. In this article, we’ll analyze the odds and trends to help inform your betting decisions heading into Game 1.
Oilers vs. Canucks Game 1 Odds
- Vancouver Canucks Moneyline Odds: -135
- Edmonton Oilers Moneyline Odds: +115
- Puck Line Odds: Oilers -1.5 (+180), Canucks +1.5 (-220)
- Game Total: 6 goals (over -120, under +100)
All odds courtesy of Bet365.
Oilers vs. Canucks Futures
Edmonton is a -270 series favourite, which implies that they have about a 73 percent chance of defeating Vancouver (+220) and advancing to the Western Conference Final. The Oilers are currently listed as a co-favourite to win the Stanley Cup at +350, along with the New York Rangers, who are already up 2-0 in their series. Meanwhile, the Canucks have the worst Stanley Cup odds (16/1) of any playoff team.
Handicapping the Oilers (53-34 SU, 40-47 ATS, 39-45 OU)
Edmonton eliminated the Los Angeles Kings in five games for the third consecutive year. Now, the Oilers aim to become Canada’s last hope for a Stanley Cup by defeating the Canucks in round two. Starting the series on the road, Edmonton remains the favourite for Game 1 with -135 odds.
Despite closing -158 and -114 in two road games versus Vancouver earlier this season, the betting market seems to have settled between those two data points for the series opener. However, one could argue that Edmonton should be a bigger favourite. The Oilers outperformed Vancouver offensively and defensively in the latter part of the season and they possess more than one scoring line, unlike Nashville. Like the Oilers, the Kings were a top-10 team in generating shots on goal during the regular season. They now face a Canucks team that ranked 23rd in shots per 60 minutes and managed only 20 shots per 60 minutes in the playoffs so far.
Although the Canucks are stronger offensively than the Kings, Los Angeles matched Vancouver’s defensive prowess during the 82-game regular season, but they couldn’t handle Edmonton’s offensive firepower. In other words, the Canucks will need to improve defensively from their regular season performance, which won’t be easy as Vancouver will rely on backup goaltender Artur Silvos until star goalie Thatcher Demko returns. Demko sustained a knee injury in Game 1 against the Nashville Predators. Silvos performed well in round one, boasting a .938 save percentage in three games and allowing only five goals in three starts. Despite his impressive performance, the 23-year-old goaltender has only played 12 career NHL games and is now facing off against two of the most prolific playoff scorers of all time, Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.
Handicapping the Canucks (54-34 SU, 46-42 ATS, 43-41 O/U)
What worked for the Canucks in round one, isn’t going to work in round two. The Canucks did a good job defending against Nashville, allowing just 1.84 goals per 60 minutes during even-strength play. Vancouver was able to slow the game down and hold Nashville to just 53 shot attempts (per 60), but it came at a price. The Canucks scored just 1.63 goals per 60 minutes at even strength versus the Predators. That’s not going to cut it against Edmonton, despite what some in the Vancouver media might have you believe.
This isn’t new, either. Vancouver scored two or fewer even strength goals in 21 of their final 25 regular season games, and they scored just one even strength goal or fewer in four out of six games versus Nashville. The Canucks power play was good overall in the regular season, but it struggled with consistency down the stretch and went 2-13 (15.38 percent) in the first round. The Canucks have killed off 20 of 22 penalties in the playoffs so far, but Edmonton didn’t miss against the Los Angeles Kings in round one.
It seems unlikely that the Canucks will outscore the Oilers at 5-on-5, and it seems even more improbable that their special teams will be able to outscore Edmonton unless Elias Pettersson comes alive. Pettersson has been a top-25 player over the last few seasons from a production standpoint, but he was dreadful in the first round. J.T. Miller will likely have his hands full with one of the Oilers’ top two forward lines, which puts even more pressure on Pettersson to step up offensively. To make matters worse, Pettersson missed Monday’s practice due to an illness.
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Team Betting Trends
- Although the Oilers lost both games at Rogers Arena this season, Edmonton is 7-3 straight up in its last 10 road games against the Canucks. However, the Canucks are 4-1 in their last five games as an underdog versus the Oilers.
- The Canucks have gone 7-3 to the under in their last 10 home games, while the Oilers are 5-5 against the total in their last 10 games away from Rogers Place.
- Vancouver has covered the puck line in five out of their last 10 games as an underdog. Meanwhile, Edmonton is 4-6 against the puck line in its last 10 games as the favourite.
Player Prop Betting Trends
- Connor McDavid finished round one with one goal and 11 assists. McDavid now has 30 goals and 57 assists in 54 career playoff games, but he’s scored 1.97 points per game since 2022. The Oilers’ captain is priced at +140 to score a goal in Game 1, and he’s listed at -150 to score at least two points.
- Leon Draisaitl isn’t far behind in terms of production. With five goals and five assists in round one, Draisaitl now has 36 goals and 51 assists in 54 career playoff games. He’s scored 1.82 points per game since 2022. Draisaitl is also priced at +140 to score a goal, but he’s listed at +125 to register at least two points in Game 1.
- Brock Boesser finished round one with four goals and two assists. Also leading the way was his linemate J.T. Miller, who posted one goal and five assists. Boesser is priced at +175 to score a goal, while Miller is listed at +190 and -130 to register at least one assist.
- Captain Quinn Hughes finished the first round with five assists in six games. Hughes is listed at +375 to score a goal and -120 to register an assist.
Best Bets for Oilersnation
Edmonton came out on top in Game 1 of the first round, but that has not been the case historically. At least not in the McDavid era. Not to mention, the Canucks might have the Oilers’ number. However, the distractions of the regular season are no longer present and it doesn’t seem like the betting market has adjusted enough for Vancouver’s goaltending situation. Too much credit is being given to Silvos and the Canucks for shutting down the Predators, and that makes the Oilers an attractive moneyline bet at -135.
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