The Winnipeg Jets visit the Florida Panthers on Friday night, with puck drop set for 7:00 p.m. ET at Amerant Bank Arena. On DraftKings Sportsbook, Florida is a -225 favorite on the Moneyline, while the total is set at O/U 6.5 goals.
Below, I’ll break down the matchup and provide my top Panthers vs. Jets prediction and best bet.
Panthers vs. Jets Odds
| Market | Winnipeg Jets | Florida Panthers |
|---|---|---|
| Moneyline | +185 | -225 |
| Puck Line | +1.5 (-135) | -1.5 (+114) |
| Total | Over 6.5 (+114) | Under 6.5 (-135) |
Panthers vs. Jets Betting Preview
Florida Panthers Outlook
Florida played 10 of its first 13 games on the road, posting a 5-3-2 record, and tonight is only its fourth game at Amerant Bank Arena. Matthew Tkachuk leads the club with 20 points, and Brady Tkachuk and Carter Verhaeghe share the team lead with eight goals apiece. Florida’s defense has held up wherever it plays, allowing just 24.1 shots per game, the third-fewest, and its 2.05 xGoals against per 60 at 5v5 rank second in the NHL. Its penalty kill also sits sixth at 85.5%, which doesn’t leave Winnipeg much room to make up ground on the power play.
Akira Schmid is the confirmed starter for Florida tonight after stopping 24 of 25 shots in Tuesday’s 5-1 win in Winnipeg. He’s 4-2-1 with an .885 SV% and 2.99 GAA, and he has won each of his past two starts. His -0.7 GSAx and -0.20% SV% above expected rank 39th and 38th, respectively, among 71 goalies, so he’s been right around league average.
Winnipeg Jets Outlook
Winnipeg has scored two goals or fewer in five of its past seven outings, and the offense has bottomed out over its past 10. In that span, the Jets’ 14 high-danger shots are the fewest in the NHL and their 2.68 xGoals per 60 rank 30th. They’re also playing for the second straight night after Thursday’s 6-4 loss in Tampa Bay, their third consecutive regulation defeat.
Kyle Connor has carried what offense there is, scoring 10 goals to sit tied for third in the NHL, while Mark Scheifele and Cole Perfetti have 11 points apiece. Josh Morrissey remains on injured reserve, and the power play ranks 25th at 17.1%. Nico Daws projects to start with Stuart Skinner having started on Thursday night. Daws posted an .872 SV% across four starts with New Jersey before the trade, and his only appearance for Winnipeg came in relief of Skinner in Tampa Bay, where he stopped all nine shots he faced. Across both stops this season, his -1.5 GSAx ranks 50th among 71 goalies and his -0.74% SV% above expected ranks 48th.
Panthers vs. Jets Prediction and Best Bet
Florida held Winnipeg to one goal three days ago, and I’m not really expecting a tired Jets team with the fewest high-danger chances in the league over its past 10 games to fare much better on the second night of a back-to-back. The Panthers’ -225 Moneyline is too juiced for my liking, so I’d rather just fade the Winnipeg offense.
Best Bet: Jets Under 2.5 Team Total Goals (-125)
Advanced stats courtesy of MoneyPuck.
