<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Join Daily Faceoff’s Andy MacNeil as he handicaps Thursday’s matchups between the <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/detroit-red-wings/line-combinations">Detroit Red Wings</a> and <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/edmonton-oilers/line-combinations">Edmonton Oilers</a>.</span></p>
<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Red Wings vs. Oilers Odds</span></h2>
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Detroit Red Wings Moneyline: +225</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Edmonton Oilers Moneyline: -257</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Puck Line: Red Wings +1.5 (-111), Oilers -1.5 (-101)</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Game Total: 6.5 (Over +101, Under -114)</span></li>
</ul>
<p><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Game odds courtesy of Pinnacle.</span></i></p>
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<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Handicapping the Red Wings (24-26 SU, 31-19 ATS, 24-22-4 O/U)</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/detroit-red-wings/news">Red Wings</a> kick off a four-game Western Conference road trip Thursday, aiming for their fourth straight win after defeating Montreal, Tampa Bay, and Los Angeles. Detroit is 9-10-3 on the road this season and 3-2-1 away from home under new head coach Todd McLellan. Since taking over on Dec. 27, the former Oilers bench boss has led the team to an 11-4-1 record.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Lucas Raymond has thrived under McLellan, recording 23 points in 16 games. The 22-year-old leads the team with 56 points (20 goals, 36 assists) in 50 games and is the only Red Wing averaging at least a point per game. Captain Dylan Larkin isn’t far behind, posting nine goals and 21 points in 16 games under McLellan. Veteran forward Patrick Kane has also produced at a point-per-game pace, tallying 16 points in 13 games, but he’s not expected to be available for Thursday’s game in Edmonton.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Former Oilers goaltender Cam Talbot has been solid, going 8-2 under McLellan, though he’s been reliable all season. According to Evolving Hockey, Talbot has saved roughly six goals above expected, ranking 17th among goaltenders who have faced at least 1,000 unblocked shots. He seems likely to start in Edmonton on Thursday, with Detroit playing back-to-back games in Calgary and Vancouver over the weekend.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Despite their improved shot share under McLellan, the Red Wings haven&#8217;t significantly boosted their goal share or expected goals percentage at even strength. They ranked 27th in goal differential and 28th in expected goal differential per 60 minutes under Derek Lalonde; under McLellan, they sit 24th and 27th, respectively. Scoring at even strength remains an issue, as Detroit ranks 27th in goals per 60 minutes since Dec. 27.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">One major improvement has been the power play. Detroit leads the league with a 37.7% conversion rate under McLellan after a sluggish start to the season. However, special teams remain a concern, with the penalty kill ranking 24th since the coaching change—better than 31st under Lalonde but still a weakness.</span></p>
<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Handicapping the Oilers (32-18 SU, 20-30 ATS, 21-28-1 O/U)</span></h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Edmonton’s six-game homestand continues as the <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/edmonton-oilers/news">Oilers</a> look for their fourth straight win. They are 12-6-1 against Eastern Conference teams this season, including 9-3-1 at home. Edmonton defeated Detroit 3-2 in overtime on Oct. 27 and is 5-1-1 against the Red Wings since 2021-22.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This marks the Oilers&#8217; 11th home game with moneyline odds of -200 or greater, where they have gone 8-2 straight up. However, they have won just five of those in regulation and covered the puck line only three times, a concern from a betting perspective.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">One issue has been Edmonton’s <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/instant-reaction-oilers-overcome-slow-start-and-beat-kraken-for-third-consecutive-win">slow starts</a>, as they rank among the bottom 10 teams in first-period goals against. The Oilers have trailed after the opening period 19 times this season, going 9-9-1 in those games. They are also 4-11-0 when trailing after two periods. Last season, they went 9-15-1 when behind after one and 7-20-3 when trailing after two.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The concern isn’t just their struggles to come back but their inability to take control early. Edmonton has outscored opponents in the second (70-38) and third (46-43) periods this season but has been outscored 51-43 in the first. That’s a notable drop-off, considering they outscored opponents in all three periods in each of the last three seasons.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Something has to give sooner or later, though, as Edmonton ranks first in even-strength expected goals percentage and second in shot share over the last month. Since Jan. 30, no team has generated more shots or scored more goals per 60 minutes at even strength than the Oilers. With Connor McDavid back in the lineup, they should be better equipped to start games on time.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">However, Edmonton has some question marks heading into Thursday’s game, as both Mattias Ekholm and Kasperi Kapanen missed Wednesday’s practice with an illness. That’s no surprise given the time of year, but from a handicapping perspective, a bug spreading through the locker room could impact other players as well.</span></p>
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<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Best Bets for Red Wings vs. Oilers</span></h2>
<h3><span style="font-weight: 400;">First Period &#8211; Over 1.5 Goals (-133) at Pinnacle</span></h3>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Oilers and Red Wings rank among the top five teams in first-period goals since Dec. 1, but they also rank among the bottom five in first-period goals against. Edmonton is 9-1 to the over in the first period over its last 10 games, while Detroit is 7-3 to the over in that span.</span></p>
<h3><span style="font-weight: 400;">Connor McDavid Anytime Goal (+136) at Pinnacle</span></h3>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/dave-tippett-reflects-on-his-time-with-the-oilers-covid-19-and-interacting-with-fans">McDavid</a> has scored six goals in his last eight games, and 11 of his 21 goals this season have come against Eastern Conference opponents. Edmonton should control play at even strength, and although McDavid has logged just 45:01 with Connor Brown and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins at five-on-five, the trio has generated 3.4 expected goals and 4.00 goals per 60 minutes in that time.</span></p>
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<span style="font-weight: 400;">Join Daily Faceoff’s Andy MacNeil as he handicaps Thursday’s matchups between the <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/detroit-red-wings/line-combinations">Detroit Red Wings</a> and <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/edmonton-oilers/line-combinations">Edmonton Oilers</a>.</span>
<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Red Wings vs. Oilers Odds</span></h2>
<ul>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Detroit Red Wings Moneyline: +225</span></li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Edmonton Oilers Moneyline: -257</span></li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Puck Line: Red Wings +1.5 (-111), Oilers -1.5 (-101)</span></li>
 	<li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Game Total: 6.5 (Over +101, Under -114)</span></li>
</ul>
<i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Game odds courtesy of Pinnacle.</span></i>
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<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Handicapping the Red Wings (24-26 SU, 31-19 ATS, 24-22-4 O/U)</span></h2>
<span style="font-weight: 400;">The <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/detroit-red-wings/news">Red Wings</a> kick off a four-game Western Conference road trip Thursday, aiming for their fourth straight win after defeating Montreal, Tampa Bay, and Los Angeles. Detroit is 9-10-3 on the road this season and 3-2-1 away from home under new head coach Todd McLellan. Since taking over on Dec. 27, the former Oilers bench boss has led the team to an 11-4-1 record.</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">Lucas Raymond has thrived under McLellan, recording 23 points in 16 games. The 22-year-old leads the team with 56 points (20 goals, 36 assists) in 50 games and is the only Red Wing averaging at least a point per game. Captain Dylan Larkin isn’t far behind, posting nine goals and 21 points in 16 games under McLellan. Veteran forward Patrick Kane has also produced at a point-per-game pace, tallying 16 points in 13 games, but he’s not expected to be available for Thursday’s game in Edmonton.</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">Former Oilers goaltender Cam Talbot has been solid, going 8-2 under McLellan, though he’s been reliable all season. According to Evolving Hockey, Talbot has saved roughly six goals above expected, ranking 17th among goaltenders who have faced at least 1,000 unblocked shots. He seems likely to start in Edmonton on Thursday, with Detroit playing back-to-back games in Calgary and Vancouver over the weekend.</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">Despite their improved shot share under McLellan, the Red Wings haven't significantly boosted their goal share or expected goals percentage at even strength. They ranked 27th in goal differential and 28th in expected goal differential per 60 minutes under Derek Lalonde; under McLellan, they sit 24th and 27th, respectively. Scoring at even strength remains an issue, as Detroit ranks 27th in goals per 60 minutes since Dec. 27.</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">One major improvement has been the power play. Detroit leads the league with a 37.7% conversion rate under McLellan after a sluggish start to the season. However, special teams remain a concern, with the penalty kill ranking 24th since the coaching change—better than 31st under Lalonde but still a weakness.</span>
<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Handicapping the Oilers (32-18 SU, 20-30 ATS, 21-28-1 O/U)</span></h2>
<span style="font-weight: 400;">Edmonton’s six-game homestand continues as the <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/edmonton-oilers/news">Oilers</a> look for their fourth straight win. They are 12-6-1 against Eastern Conference teams this season, including 9-3-1 at home. Edmonton defeated Detroit 3-2 in overtime on Oct. 27 and is 5-1-1 against the Red Wings since 2021-22.</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">This marks the Oilers' 11th home game with moneyline odds of -200 or greater, where they have gone 8-2 straight up. However, they have won just five of those in regulation and covered the puck line only three times, a concern from a betting perspective.</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">One issue has been Edmonton’s <a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/instant-reaction-oilers-overcome-slow-start-and-beat-kraken-for-third-consecutive-win">slow starts</a>, as they rank among the bottom 10 teams in first-period goals against. The Oilers have trailed after the opening period 19 times this season, going 9-9-1 in those games. They are also 4-11-0 when trailing after two periods. Last season, they went 9-15-1 when behind after one and 7-20-3 when trailing after two.</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">The concern isn’t just their struggles to come back but their inability to take control early. Edmonton has outscored opponents in the second (70-38) and third (46-43) periods this season but has been outscored 51-43 in the first. That’s a notable drop-off, considering they outscored opponents in all three periods in each of the last three seasons.</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">Something has to give sooner or later, though, as Edmonton ranks first in even-strength expected goals percentage and second in shot share over the last month. Since Jan. 30, no team has generated more shots or scored more goals per 60 minutes at even strength than the Oilers. With Connor McDavid back in the lineup, they should be better equipped to start games on time.</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">However, Edmonton has some question marks heading into Thursday’s game, as both Mattias Ekholm and Kasperi Kapanen missed Wednesday’s practice with an illness. That’s no surprise given the time of year, but from a handicapping perspective, a bug spreading through the locker room could impact other players as well.</span>
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<h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Best Bets for Red Wings vs. Oilers</span></h2>
<h3><span style="font-weight: 400;">First Period - Over 1.5 Goals (-133) at Pinnacle</span></h3>
<span style="font-weight: 400;">The Oilers and Red Wings rank among the top five teams in first-period goals since Dec. 1, but they also rank among the bottom five in first-period goals against. Edmonton is 9-1 to the over in the first period over its last 10 games, while Detroit is 7-3 to the over in that span.</span>
<h3><span style="font-weight: 400;">Connor McDavid Anytime Goal (+136) at Pinnacle</span></h3>
<span style="font-weight: 400;"><a href="https://oilersnation.com/news/dave-tippett-reflects-on-his-time-with-the-oilers-covid-19-and-interacting-with-fans">McDavid</a> has scored six goals in his last eight games, and 11 of his 21 goals this season have come against Eastern Conference opponents. Edmonton should control play at even strength, and although McDavid has logged just 45:01 with Connor Brown and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins at five-on-five, the trio has generated 3.4 expected goals and 4.00 goals per 60 minutes in that time.</span>

&nbsp;

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