NHL Prediction: Winnipeg Jets vs Montreal Canadiens Match Preview
Winnipeg Jets
Montreal CanadiensMatch result
Winnipeg Jets 1:2 Montreal Canadiens (0:0, 0:2, 1:0)
In the NHL match, the Winnipeg Jets played against the Montreal Canadiens, ending in a final score of 1:2. The period breakdown was 0:0, 0:2, and 1:0. Our prediction for this game was Total Over (5.5), and the bet lost.
Our prediction: Total Over (5.5) at 1.8 — the bet lost.
Winnipeg Jets host Montreal Canadiens at Princess Auto Stadium on 25 October, with both clubs around the playoff race. Winnipeg is sixth in the Eastern Conference with 11 points, while Montreal is ninth with 12 points from 10 games.
Winnipeg Jets: home pressure and a weakened core
Recent form and scoring profile
Winnipeg has lost four consecutive games and won one of its last five. The Jets scored in every game but allowed at least two each time. Their only victory came at home against Minnesota, 5:2; their three latest defeats were 2:3 at home against Carolina Hurricanes, 1:2 away at St. Louis and 2:3 away at Dallas.
Strengths, weaknesses and expected personnel
- Josh Morrissey, Vladislav Namestnikov and Garrett Brown are unavailable through injury, according to media reports.
Connor Hellebuyck was traded to New Jersey on 24 October, removing Winnipeg’s goaltender one day before this game. Elias Salomonsson is beginning a conditioning assignment in the AHL, while Walker Duehr and Bradyn Jaeger were directed toward the Manitoba Moose.
- Dallas Starsaway2:3
- St. Louis Bluesaway1:2
- Carolina Hurricaneshome2:3
- Chicago Blackhawksaway3:4
- Minnesota Wildhome5:2
Montreal Canadiens: better results with major absences
Recent form, attack and defensive trends
Montreal has won three of its last five games. The Canadiens scored and conceded in all five, hitting four goals in each of their two latest victories. Their last result was a 4:1 away win over Chicago; their defeats were 4:5 at Washington and 3:4 against San Jose at home.
Lineup changes and tactical balance
- Montreal averaged 3.8 goals across the last five games.
- Captain Nick Suzuki will miss two to four weeks with an upper-body injury, according to media reports.
- Ivan Demidov is out with a lower-body injury, while Florian Xhekaj is on injured reserve.
Oliver Kapanen returned and centered the first line with Cole Caufield and Juraj Slafkovsky after Suzuki’s injury. Mike Matheson and Owen Beck were set to return against Chicago. Sam Montembeault was expected back from injured reserve around 20 October, but Montreal’s starter against Winnipeg remains unconfirmed.
- Chicago Blackhawksaway4:1
- San Jose Sharkshome3:4
- Buffalo Sabreshome4:3
- Washington Capitalsaway4:5
- Buffalo Sabreshome4:3
Head-to-head record favors a close matchup
Across 11 official meetings in the last five years, Winnipeg has six wins and Montreal five, with no draws. Montreal won five of the latest eight meetings, including a 5:1 victory in Winnipeg on 4 February 2026.
Those eight meetings produced 27 goals for Winnipeg and 24 for Montreal, averaging 6.4 combined goals per game. Montreal scored at least three in six of those games; Winnipeg reached three in four.
- 05.02.2026Winnipeg Jets1:5Montreal CanadiensNHL
- 04.12.2025Montreal Canadiens3:2Winnipeg JetsNHL
- 29.01.2025Montreal Canadiens1:4Winnipeg JetsNHL
- 15.12.2024Winnipeg Jets4:2Montreal CanadiensNHL
- 19.12.2023Winnipeg Jets2:3Montreal CanadiensNHL
News, motivation and the special-teams gap
Coach Scott Arniel said his focus was on upcoming games and correcting mistakes rather than the Hellebuyck situation.
Martin St. Louis said lineup changes were intended to give young players maximum NHL opportunities. He also criticized Montreal for leaving points unclaimed after surrendering a two-goal third-period advantage. No suspensions are confirmed. Without power-play and penalty-kill figures or goaltender save percentages, neither team has an established edge in those areas.
Line-ups
Winnipeg Jets
Substitutes: 33. Clay Stevenson
Coach: Scott Arniel
Montreal Canadiens
Substitutes: 75. Jakub Dobes
Coach: Martin St. Louis
Our pick: goals over the result
Our bet for Winnipeg Jets against Montreal Canadiens is Total Over (5.5) 1.8. Montreal has scored at least three goals in each of its last five games, producing 19 in total. Its opponents scored 16 across that stretch: the visitors' attacking output is paired with enough defensive exposure for Winnipeg to contribute.
The Jets have traded Connor Hellebuyck and are without injured defenseman Josh Morrissey, weakening their protection against Montreal's attack. The main counterweight is the absence of Nick Suzuki and Ivan Demidov, although the Canadiens still scored four against Chicago on 23 October. Four of Montreal's last five games reached six goals; only two of Winnipeg's five did, so this is primarily a bet on the visitors driving the scoring rather than two equally prolific attacks. A plausible score is 3–4.
Final betting verdict
Total Over (5.5) 1.8 is our selection, with Montreal's scoring pace and Winnipeg's depleted defensive core the decisive factors. The hosts need to contribute too, making their attacking response the principal risk.
Chances by market estimate
Team form
- Dallas Starsaway2:3
- St. Louis Bluesaway1:2
- Carolina Hurricaneshome2:3
- Chicago Blackhawksaway3:4
- Minnesota Wildhome5:2
- Chicago Blackhawksaway4:1
- San Jose Sharkshome3:4
- Buffalo Sabreshome4:3
- Washington Capitalsaway4:5
- Buffalo Sabreshome4:3
Standings · Central Division
| # | Team | P | W | D | L | Goals | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Minnesota Wild | 13 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 41:30 | 18 |
| 2 | Utah Mammoth | 12 | 7 | 0 | 4 | 46:40 | 16 |
| 3 | Dallas Stars | 11 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 32:20 | 15 |
| 4 | Colorado Avalanche | 12 | 6 | 0 | 5 | 49:40 | 13 |
| 5 | Nashville Predators | 11 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 31:35 | 12 |
| 6 | St. Louis Blues | 11 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 35:35 | 11 |
| 7 | Winnipeg Jets | 11 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 27:31 | 11 |
| 8 | Chicago Blackhawks | 11 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 24:43 | 6 |
Head-to-head
- 05.02.2026Winnipeg Jets1:5Montreal CanadiensNHL
- 04.12.2025Montreal Canadiens3:2Winnipeg JetsNHL
- 29.01.2025Montreal Canadiens1:4Winnipeg JetsNHL
- 15.12.2024Winnipeg Jets4:2Montreal CanadiensNHL
- 19.12.2023Winnipeg Jets2:3Montreal CanadiensNHL
About the match
- 25 October · 19:00 New York
- Venue: Princess Auto Stadium (Winnipeg)
Odds
odds before kick-off
Market view and goal-total signals
The 1X2 market gives Montreal a narrow implied edge at 39.8%, against 37.2% for Winnipeg and 23% for the draw. The home-win odds have drifted, while the away-win odds have shortened.
Over is marginally favored at 52.8%, although its odds are drifting upward; Under has shortened at 47.2%. The market assigns 89.9% to BTTS (both teams to score), with that figure moving slightly downward. Recent combined scoring averages are 5.4 in Winnipeg’s games and 7.0 in Montreal’s.
Winnipeg played on 20 and 22 October, while Montreal played on 20 and 23 October. Both teams have traveled during this sequence; travel distances are unspecified.
Our prediction
- Market
- Total Over (5.5)
- Odds
- 1.8
- Confidence
- Our estimate
- 58%
- Market estimate
- 53%
- Stake amount
- 100 $ · 1.8
- Potential win
- 80 $
- Odds at kick-off
- 1.78
- Status
- lost
- Profit
- −100 $
