Home / NHL / Carolina Hurricanes vs Edmonton Oilers Picks - Carolina Control the Puck, McDavid and Draisaitl Still Score
Carolina Hurricanes vs Edmonton Oilers Picks - Carolina Control the Puck, McDavid and Draisaitl Still Score
- Carolina outshoots opponents and holds a key advantage in puck control.
- Edmonton relies on McDavid and Draisaitl for scoring, but faces a tough Carolina penalty kill.
- Special teams and shot volume are expected to decide the outcome, favoring Carolina.
Carolina Hurricanes vs Edmonton Oilers Picks - Expert Predictions
Carolina's control of the puck should beat Edmonton's star power at Rogers Place on Thursday, even with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl getting theirs.
The Carolina Hurricanes visit the Edmonton Oilers at 9 p.m. ET. My Hurricanes vs Oilers prediction comes down to shot volume, with Carolina outshooting opponents 34.1 to 22.4 per game this season while Edmonton have been outshot 26.6 to 25.2.
Edmonton's 31% power play is the one way they can swing this, and Carolina's 89.2% penalty kill takes most of that away. Keep it at five-on-five and Carolina's volume should tell, while the Oilers' 74.1% kill gives Carolina's 22.7% power play room to finish it.
Draisaitl is the Edmonton player I want on the scoresheet. He has eight goals in nine games and has scored in four straight, and five of those eight came without the man advantage, so Carolina's kill doesn't shut him off.
McDavid has 26 points in nine games and two or more in four of his last six. At 1.74 this is pushing the limit for a two-point line against a defence this tight, but his form still clears it, and I wouldn't chase it below 1.65.
For more player bets, check out our Best NHL Props for tonight's hockey slate.
Key Stats and Trends
- McDavid is the fastest player in NHL history to reach 20 assists in a season.
- Draisaitl has scored in six of his nine games and is averaging 4.3 shots per game.
- Carolina have scored first in seven of their 11 games.
- Edmonton have won only two of their four games at Rogers Place.
Hurricanes Form
Carolina have won eight of their last nine and are 6-1 on the road, so their game travels.
Tuesday's 6-3 win in Vancouver was tied in the second before Nicolas Deslauriers, Nikolaj Ehlers and Logan Stankoven each finished with two goals on 44 shots. Sunday's 3-2 loss in Calgary came down to two late second-period goals, with Carolina still winning the shot count 36-34.
Seth Jarvis is back after being activated, per the Hurricanes' preview, adding scoring to the third line and second power play. Jordan Staal and Taylor Hall remain out, leaving the bottom six thinner. Brandon Bussi (.882) starts if the rotation holds, with Pyotr Kochetkov (6-0, .899) the stronger option if he gets the nod.
Oilers Form
Edmonton score an NHL-best 4.56 goals per game and have won seven of their last eight, though a 74.1% penalty kill keeps them beatable.
Tuesday's 4-3 overtime win over Minnesota had Draisaitl scoring twice on the power play and Bouchard winning it on another. In Saturday's 6-2 win in Utah, McDavid scored 40 seconds in and finished with five points.
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins makes his season debut as second-line centre, per the Oilers' preview, deepening Edmonton's middle six. Devon Levi (.898) or Tristan Jarry (.873) will start, and a Jarry start only helps Carolina.
Verdict
Carolina's shot share is the edge, and Edmonton's top line should still produce.
Jeremy Darke
Sports Editor & Betting Analyst • Sports Writer & Expert Betting Analyst
Jeremy is a sports journalist and analyst covering major US leagues including NBA, NHL and NFL, seeking out player props and value.
From playing rugby, ice hockey, tennis and soccer in his home country of Australia to travelling the world covering US sports, he has found a niche in betting expertise.
His interest in analytics and statistics helps him find the edge while writing previews and being a regular tipster here at ExpertPicks.com.