If the New Jersey Devils are going to make a long-shot run at a playoff position, it will need to start with a win over the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday.
The Devils are 11 points out of a playoff position, 12 behind the Sabres, and realistically need to win all five of their games before the Trade Deadline to give themselves any illusion of making a push.
The oddsmakers are lukewarm on the notion, as the Devils are the slightest of favorites at home on Wednesday night.
FanDuel has tagged New Jersey with -115 odds, with the Sabres coming back at -105.
Devils vs. Sabres odds, prediction
The elephant in the room here is the status of Jack Hughes for the Devils and Tage Thompson for the Sabres. The star forwards are just a few days removed from winning the gold medal at the Winter Olympics, and just hours removed from attending the State of the Union after a few late nights on South Beach.
Both players are questionable to suit up, and it’s anybody’s guess what kind of shape they’ll be in if they do get into the action at the Prudential Center.
It’s also anybody’s guess how these teams will come back after a long break. The Devils wilted into the hiatus, while the Sabres saved their season and then some by going 18-5-2 in their final 25 games before the schedule was paused. Only Tampa Bay had a better points percentage in that span.
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Another interesting wrinkle here is that Buffalo’s statistical profile suggests it is due for some negative regression, while New Jersey’s goes the opposite way.
All that said, it does seem peculiar that we’re getting what looks to be a discount on the better team on Wednesday night. The Devils showed some serious flaws in between the holidays and the Olympics, and it’s hard to just wash your hands of that and expect them to come back a more motivated, crisper team just because they got a few weeks off.
Buffalo should be favored in this one.
The Play: Sabres moneyline (-105, FanDuel)
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Michael Leboff is a long-suffering Islanders fan, but a long-profiting sports bettor with 10 years of experience in the gambling industry. He loves using game theory to help punters win bracket pools, find long shots, and learn how to beat the market in mainstream and niche sports.
