Preview of Oilers vs Avalanche: Predictions, Odds, and Player Props for Thursday, January 16th

• The Avalanche welcome Connor McDavid and the surging Oilers on Thursday, January 16th, 2025
• We’ve made our Avalanche vs Oilers prediction for Thursday night’s showdown at Ball Arena in Denver
• Read below for Oilers vs Avalanche predictions, odds and best bets for tonight’s game on ESPN and Sportsnet 1

The Colorado Avalanche (28-13-3) welcome the Edmonton Oilers (27-17-1) to Ball Arena on Thursday night for a battle between two of the Western Conference’s top teams. Puck drop is slated for 9:30 PM EST, with national coverage available on ESPN in the United States and Sportsnet 1 in Canada.

The Avalanche enter as -120 home favorites, while the over/under is set at a lofty 6.5 goals. Can Nathan MacKinnon and the Avs take advantage of Edmonton playing the second half of a back-to-back set?

Here is our Oilers vs Avalanche prediction for Thursday night in the Mile High City.

Avalanche vs Oilers Prediction

I’m rolling with the well-rested Avalanche to edge out a tired Oilers squad at Ball Arena. Colorado has found its groove lately, going 7-2-1 in their last 10 games. Jared Bendar’s squad is all about solid defense lately, which should help them out against Edmonton’s fast-paced offense.

The Avs have locked things down defensively lately, sitting 7th in goals against (2.73 per game) and doing an excellent job limiting shots (26.4 per game, 4th in NHL). Mackenzie Blackwood has been an absolute wall between the pipes, putting up ridiculous numbers (.938 save percentage, 1.68 GAA) in his 12 starts since coming to Colorado.

https://twitter.com/Avalanche/status/1616855522306342400

While Edmonton also sports a 7-2-1 record in their last 10, this is an extremely difficult scheduling spot for the Oilers. The Oilers are playing their eighth different city this month alone, and they’ll be skating in the thin air of Denver on zero days rest after a hard-fought 5-3 win in Minnesota on Wednesday.

The Oilers are just 4-3 in the second half of back-to-backs this season, with one of those losses coming in the form of a 4-1 defeat in Colorado on November 30th. Edmonton also has a negative goal differential (-7) when playing on consecutive nights.

Having home ice, fresh legs, and that dominant 4-1 win over Edmonton back in November, the Avs are should grind out another regulation victory on Thursday night. Colorado’s solid defense and Blackwood’s impressive play should be enough to keep McDavid and Draisaitl in check.

Thursday NHL Pick:

• Avalanche ML (-120 at ESPN)

Oilers vs Avalanche Odds

The Avalanche are currently slight favorites to win this one, with the moneyline set at -120. Put simply, you’d need to risk $120 on Colorado to win $100 if they take care of business at home. Conversely, the Oilers are even-money underdogs at +100, offering a potential return of $100 on a $100 wager.

Colorado is listed at -1.5 (+190) for those interested in the puck line, while Edmonton is at +1.5 (-265). A bet on the Avalanche puck line would require them to win by two or more goals, but it would provide a significantly higher payout. The Oilers puck line bet would cash if they either win outright or lose by a single goal.

The total (over/under) for this game is set at a whopping 6.5 goals, with the over juiced to -115 and the under at -105. This suggests that oddsmakers are expecting a high-scoring affair between two of the league’s most explosive offenses.

Odds as of January 16, 2025 at ESPNBet Sportsbook. Find all available NHL betting odds for Thursday’s slate of games.

Oilers vs Avalanche Player Props

NHL player props odds as of Jan. 16 at ESPNBet. Find the best NHL player props to bet with our in-depth guide.

Let’s dive into my favorite player props for this Western Conference showdown:

Nathan MacKinnon – Over 1.5 Points (-105)
MacKinnon was held off the scoresheet in Colorado’s 4-1 win over Edmonton earlier this season, but I expect him to make his mark in this one.

The superstar center has notched two or more points in six of his last 10 games and has historically performed well against the Oilers, tallying 28 points in 23 career matchups. Look for MacKinnon to take advantage of Edmonton’s fatigued defense.

Leon Draisaitl – Over 0.5 Goals (+115)
Draisaitl was a non-factor for the Oilers in their November loss to the Avalanche, but he’s heating up with goals in three of his last four games.

The German sniper leads Edmonton in total goals (29) and ranks seventh in the NHL in shots on goal (144). Playing on tired legs, the Oilers will ride their stars hard tonight. Look for Draisaitl to find the back of the net in this one.

Cale Makar – Over 2.5 Shots on Goal (-120)
Makar went missing in Colorado’s first game against Edmonton, failing to register a shot on goal. However, the reigning Norris Trophy winner has been much more aggressive recently, topping this prop line in five of his last eight outings.

He ranks second on the Avalanche in shots per game (2.86) and should have ample opportunities to test Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner.

The Edmonton Oilers are set to face off against the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday, January 16th in what is sure to be an exciting matchup between two of the top teams in the NHL. Both teams have been playing well this season and are currently sitting near the top of their respective divisions.

The Oilers come into this game with a record of 26-18-5, good for second place in the Pacific Division. They have been led by superstar forward Connor McDavid, who leads the team in scoring with 76 points in 49 games. McDavid is always a threat to score and will be a key player to watch in this game.

On the other side, the Avalanche have been one of the top teams in the league this season, boasting a record of 28-15-4 and sitting in second place in the Central Division. They are led by forward Nathan MacKinnon, who has 72 points in 47 games and is one of the most dynamic players in the league.

In terms of predictions for this game, it is sure to be a close matchup between two evenly matched teams. The Oilers have been playing well recently, winning seven of their last ten games, while the Avalanche have been hot as well, winning eight of their last ten.

As for the odds, the Avalanche are currently favored to win this game with odds of -140, while the Oilers are underdogs with odds of +120. This could be a good opportunity for bettors to take a chance on the Oilers, as they have been playing well and could pull off an upset.

In terms of player props to watch for this game, keep an eye on McDavid and MacKinnon to lead their respective teams in scoring. Both players are capable of putting up big numbers and could be difference-makers in this game.

Overall, this matchup between the Oilers and Avalanche is sure to be a thrilling game between two top teams in the NHL. With both teams playing well and boasting star players, it is sure to be a close and exciting game that fans won’t want to miss.