NHL Hockey Betting: Winnipeg Jets at Chicago Blackhawks

Things aren’t going well for the Winnipeg Jets this season. They’re not going as badly as they are in Denver where the Colorado Avalanche are by far the worst team in hockey but the Jets’ fans expected so much more this year. They’ve got a tough challenge to finish up the pre-All Star break schedule as they travel to the United Center to take on the Chicago Blackhawks. The Hawks are playing well with a 7-3-0 record in their last ten games and for now at least keeping pace with red hot Minnesota. The Wild currently hold the lead in the Central Division with 67 points, the Blackhawks are right there with 65 points. Chicago has been excellent at home this season (18-6-4) and for now at least don’t have to worry about any pressure from behind with the Nashville Predators 11 points back in third place.

The Jets are 22-25-4 for the season and are 3-6-1 in their last ten games. They’ve lost two straight heading into this matchup. They did get some much needed good news last time out as rookie sensation Patrik Laine returned to the lineup after missing time with a concussion. Now if they can just get their goaltending issues worked out. For now, the team is carrying three goalies after bringing Ondrej Pavelec back from the AHL. They did that partially because starter Connor Hellebuyck was struggling but also because someone must have thought better of paying Pavelec $3.5 million per year to backstop the Minnesota Moose. Pavelec hasn’t exactly dominated since rejoining the NHL team but he’s played reasonably well and for now that will keep him in front of Hellebuyck and Michael Hutchinson.

Just can’t find much of a reason to play on the bumbling Jets at this point and particularly against the formful Chicago Blackhawks. There’s even less of a reason to do so at the United Center where the Hawks have played so well this season. The Minnesota Wild have a challenging home game against the St. Louis Blues tonight so there’s a decent chance that Chicago could go into the All Star Break tied for the division lead.

BET CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS -155 OVER WINNIPEG JETS