It’s a new day for the Vancouver Canucks. Rick Tocchet will be behind the bench in his first game as the team’s head coach after Bruce Boudreau was let go. This makes Tocchet the third coach for Vancouver in their last 13 months. But the Canucks could not ask for a better opponent to restart against than the Chicago Blackhawks.
Thus, the NHL betting odds favor Vancouver significantly.
Let’s check the latest NHL news, stats, injury reports, and NHL lines for Blackhawks vs Canucks. We’ve got plenty of NHL picks for you to consider.
Blackhawks not Fooling Anyone
Winners of six of their last eight, the Blackhawks remain one of the worst NHL teams. The online sports betting lines continue to peg Chicago as sizable underdogs, but those looking for lucrative returns could take a shot at it. Chicago has mainly profited off some hot goaltending from the likes of Petr Mrazek and Alex Stalock.
The former has stopped 91 percent of the shots he’s faced in four of his last five starts. It’s why Chicago has won games they had no business winning and why the Blackhawks were still outshot by an average of seven per game in this eight-game span.
Petr Mrazek:
– 26 saves ✅
– 1 assist ✅
– W ✅ #BetweenThePipes pic.twitter.com/xaQ8aaUHjc— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) January 13, 2023
Mrazek did a lot of that at home. But he’s played better away and records a 90.9 save percentage on the road for a 3-5-1 record. He’s part of the reason that seven of Chicago’s last eight road games have gone under. The other is Chicago’s ineptitude on offense as this team is in the bottom three in either generating scoring chances or converting them.
Deja Vu For Canucks
The Canucks are back to where they were about 13 months ago. But instead of Boudreau coming in to save the day, he’s been made the scapegoat as Tocchet fills in. Vancouver is 27th in the NHL in point percentage thanks to some atrocious defending, namely on the penalty kill: 65.9 percent, which is dead last in the league.
The goaltending does Vancouver no favors either along with certain players like J.T. Miller and Brock Boeser, who are underachieving. The former just signed a big contract with the Canucks but is second-worst on the team with a -16.
Tocchet last coached the Arizona Coyotes for four seasons. While the team lost for the most part, the Coyotes produced some strong goaltending performances, namely from Darcy Kuemper. If Tocchet can fix the Canucks’ goaltending issues, it may go a long way in making this team worth betting online.
Blackhawks vs Canucks Game Injuries
Blackhawks vs Canucks Head-to-Head
Vancouver is 7-2-1 in its last 10 games against Chicago. Additionally, the Canucks have won five of their last six home games against the Blackhawks. The total has gone under in four of their last five games.
- Game: Blackhawks (14-27-4) vs Canucks (18-25-3)
- Day/Time: Tuesday, Jan. 24, 10:07 p.m. ET
- Location: Rogers Arena, Vancouver, BC
- Blackhawks vs Canucks Live Stream: NHL.TV
Blackhawks vs Canucks Betting Lines
Blackhawks vs Canucks Picks and Prediction
We are not wagering double our money on the Canucks to win any game. Maybe the coaching change will inject some much-needed life in this team. But the best potential bet here is to go under the total at 6½. If Tocchet can get Vancouver to play better defensively, the Canucks could neutralize Chicago.
The Chicago Blackhawks are listed at -225 in our Las Vegas NHL lines, offering a chance to win $44 on a $100 wager. The Vancouver Canucks are listed at +185, meaning if you wager $100 on the Canucks, you have a chance to win $185.
The implied probability attached to the betting lines gives the Blackhawks a 69.23% chance to win, with the Canucks at 35.09%.
Blackhawks vs Canucks Trends
Blackhawks vs Canucks Edge
Blackhawks vs Canucks Results
Blackhawks vs Canucks Game Summary
