Jets vs Canadiens Odds & Picks: Winnipeg Fighting For Wild-Card Survival

The Winnipeg Jets (34-28-11) are desperately fighting to stay in the wild-card hunt as they visit the Montreal Canadiens (20-41-11) in the lone NHL game on the slate Monday night. Both sides have incentive to be the winning Jets vs Canadiens prediction with the Habs seeking retribution after Winnipeg won the first meeting of the season 8-4 on March 1.

Jets vs Canadiens Odds & Analysis

Sportsbook Odds

The odds for this matchup have shifted since Sportsbook as the Jets have gone from +100 favorites to -140 chalk on the road. Meanwhile, Montreal’s odds of picking up two points have improved from +200 to +132, with the Jets vs Canadiens prediction suggesting a tight encounter.

Get the best Jets vs Canadiens odds and lines available from our recommended sportsbooks for your favorite picks of the night.

Jets In Search Of Second Straight Road Win

Winnipeg was firmly entrenched in the wild-card race in the Western Conference at the end of March but a string of four consecutive losses has put their postseason aspirations in serious jeopardy.

The Jets, well off the pace in the Central Division in sixth place, are fifth in the wild-card standings and sit seven points behind the Dallas Stars, who currently hold down the second wild-card spot.

Winnipeg snapped its four-game slide with a 4-3 victory in Ottawa on Sunday as Nikolaj Ehlers recorded three points and Kyle Connor, Pierre-Luc Dubois and Paul Stastny had two each.

Resilient Montreal Continues To Play Hard

Although the Canadiens are last in the Eastern Conference, some recent results prove that they’re willing to play hard until the end of the season, including a road victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning on April 2 and a 3-2 loss to the Maple Leafs on Saturday night.

While that’s food for thought in making a Jets vs Canadiens prediction, it’s also tough to overlook the Canadiens’ woeful record as a whole. Montreal sits 31st in the overall league standings, two points ahead of Arizona, and also ranks second from the bottom in power-play efficiency and goals surrendered.

Montreal is on pace to give up the most goals in a season in franchise history and could be without Jake Allen tonight after the Habs netminder picked up an injury Saturday night that puts his involvement in doubt. If he isn’t ready to go, expect to see Samuel Montembeault get the start.

Jets vs Canadiens Pick & Insights

Jets: Keys To Victory

Nikolaj Ehlers has produced five goals and 10 points in his last five games and is a player to keep an eye on. Given Montreal’s abysmal performances on the power play and in the penalty-killing department, the Jets could have the edge in special teams, though their PK has been equally ineffective.

Canadiens: Keys To Victory

Since he took the reins behind the Canadiens bench, Martin St. Louis’ influence on Cole Caufield has been transformative. Caufield has looked like a different player under St. Louis and continues to produce on the top line. Three of Montreal’s last four games have produced at least nine goals. Given their defensive frailty, the Canadiens need to find themselves on the right side of a goal-fest.

Odds Shark’s Computer Jets vs Canadiens Prediction: Jets -145

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