Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Winnipeg Jets: Prediction, Preview, Picks & Odds - 10/22/2022

Time: 7 p.m. ET

Venue: Canada Life Centre, Winnipeg, MB

Where to watch: CBC, CITY, SNO, SNW, SNP

DraftKings: Maple Leafs -165, Jets +140

FanDuel: Maple Leafs -178, Jets +146

BetMGM: Maple Leafs -154, Jets +130

Caesars: Maple Leafs -170, Jets +143

Maple Leafs: 3-2-0

Jets: 2-2-0

Maple Leafs: won 3-2 (OT) vs. Stars

Jets: lost 5-2 at Golden Knights

When do we hit the panic button for the Toronto Maple Leafs? Because I really, really want to. Because who in the world wants to see them succeed? Watching them lose is a lot more fun and I am here for such a thing. But after a tough win over the Dallas Stars the other night, and while getting strong goaltending from Ilya Samsonov, maybe they aren’t completely horrible. Even though we want them to be.

Anyway, they’re taking on the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday in Manitoba. The Jets have had an interesting start to their season, splitting the first four and are coming off a 5-2 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday. But they’ll likely take that knowing they beat the Colorado Avalanche 4-3 in overtime, in Denver, the night prior. Connor Hellebuyck is likely to get the start Saturday after David Rittich got lit up like a Christmas tree in the first period against Vegas, a team that’s torched him before during his days with the Calgary Flames. Rittch gave up four goals in the first, had a horrendous turnover that led to a Jack Eichel goal, and Winnipeg never recovered. That game could’ve potentially ended worse if he hadn’t made stops in the second.

“It’s kind of reverse, you score four goals last night in Colorado, unfortunately you spot a team (tonight),” said Winnipeg defenseman Nate Schmidt, who played three seasons for Vegas when it joined the NHL. “Back-to-backs are tough no matter where you’re coming from, honestly. We didn’t come out with our fire in the first period, you’re down 4-0."

Winnipeg’s odds greatly increase any time Hellebuyck is in net, and he’s absolutely its best chance when facing a Toronto team that has sort of struggled coming out of the gate here. And sure, a 3-2-0 start is not the end-all, be-all for the Maple Leafs, a team that has Stanley Cup aspirations every year. It’s just hilarious that they’ve lost to the Arizona Coyotes and Montreal Canadiens already this year. I get it, parity and all that, but come on, this is just funny.

But the Leafs, to their credit, did get a 3-2 overtime win over the Dallas Stars on Thursday night thanks to the game-winning goal from Nick Robertson, getting one up on brother Jason this one time. More importantly, the much-maligned goaltending tandem of Samsonov and Matt Murray has found a way to three wins, all by Samsonov of course because why not?

“It was exciting,” Robertson said. “But now for me, it’s just to keep going and keep fighting and earning every day.”

Good on Nick for that. But it would help if he wasn’t at the forefront of trying to score goals. Auston Matthews has just one so far. He needs to pick it up. Which is weird, because for years we’ve been talking about the depth needing to pick it up around Matthews. I’m just speaking how the folks in Toronto would talk if the sky was falling tomorrow. The Toronto media would trade everyone for a shot at the Stanley Cup. Just saying.

Goaltending will be the difference. I like Hellebuyck to have a strong performance against this Toronto team that has a lot of questions right now. Time will tell. Jets win 3-2

Maple Leafs are 23-10 over the last three years following a non-conference game.

Maple Leafs are 26-13 over the last three years off two straight unders.

Maple Leafs are 9-14 over the last three years off a one-goal win at home.

Jets are 12-21 over the last three years in non-conference games.

Jets are 19-19 off a road loss over the last three years.

Maple Leafs:

Michael Bunting -- Auston Matthews -- Mitchell Marner

Nicholas Robertson -- John Tavares -- William Nylander

Pierre Engvall -- Alexander Kerfoot -- Calle Jarnkrok

Zach Aston-Reese -- David Kampf -- Nicolas Aube-Kubel

Morgan Rielly -- TJ Brodie

Rasmus Sandin -- Justin Holl

Mark Giordano -- Victor Mete

Ilya Samsonov

Jets:

Kyle Connor -- Mark Scheifele -- Mason Appleton

Cole Perfetti -- Pierre-Luc Dubois -- Blake Wheeler

Morgan Barron -- Adam Lowry -- Saku Maenalanen

Axel Jonsson-Fjallby -- David Gustafsson -- Sam Gagner

Josh Morrissey -- Neal Pionk

Brenden Dillon -- Nate Schmidt

Dylan Samberg -- Dylan DeMelo

Connor Hellebuyck

Points: William Nylander -- 5

Goals: William Nylander -- 3

Assists: Morgan Rielly -- 5

Goalie: Ilya Samsonov -- 3-0-0, 1.96 GAA, .927 SV%

Points: Neal Pionk -- 4

Goals: Neal Pionk -- 3

Assists: Josh Morrissey -- 3

Goalie: Connor Hellebuyck -- 2-1-0, 2.66 GAA, .922 SV%