- The Winnipeg Jets are heavy home favorites against the St. Louis Blues in Game 1 on Saturday
- Winnipeg won three of four meetings vs St. Louis this season, including a 3-1 home win on April 7
- Read our Blues vs Jets Game 1 prediction with odds, best bets and projected lineups below
The Winnipeg Jets kick off their quest for the franchise’s first Stanley Cup when they host the St. Louis Blues at Canada Life Centre on Saturday evening. The Jets vs Blues Game 1 odds have the home side as -190 moneyline favorites.
Winnipeg (56-22-4, 116 points) cruised to the Central Division crown and their first Presidents’ Trophy this season. St. Louis (44-30-8, 96 points) needed a torrid late-season run just to secure a wild-card berth.
Puck drop is scheduled for 6:00 pm ET, with coverage on TNT and CBC.
Blues vs Jets Game 1 Prediction
On paper, this shapes up as a significant mismatch. The Jets are deeper, healthier and better rested than the Blues. St. Louis will be without key two-way forward Dylan Holloway (26 goals), whose absence will be felt at both ends.
Winnipeg boasts the NHL’s best power play at 28.9%, a unit that’s been especially lethal at home (31.6%). Staying out of the box is a must for the undisciplined Blues, who rank 28th in penalty killing.
The Jets won three of the four head-to-head meetings this season, including a convincing 3-1 victory at Canada Life Centre on April 7 that snapped the Blues’ 12-game winning streak. Winnipeg was dominant on home ice, posting a 30-7-4 record while allowing a league-low 1.95 goals per contest.
Vezina Trophy favorite Connor Hellebuyck has been nearly unbeatable in Winnipeg, going 27-3-0 with a sparkling 1.63 GAA, .938 SV% and six shutouts. “Helle” is highly motivated to atone for subpar playoff performances the last two years.
Connor Hellebuyck Home/Road Splits
Up front, Winnipeg’s scoring depth is a huge advantage. Eight Jets tallied 15+ goals, led by the top line of Kyle Connor (41), Mark Scheifele (39) and Alex Iafallo (15). The banged-up Blues’ defense will have its hands full.
Cole Perfetti, who paced the Jets in scoring against St. Louis, centers a dangerous second line. Playoff veteran Adam Lowry, meanwhile, centers the third unit. Winnipeg’s disciplined five-man structure makes them extremely stingy, especially with the “Whiteout” crowd behind them.
While the Blues deserve immense credit for their late surge, they stumbled down the stretch with three losses in their final five games. St. Louis exceeded 30 shots just once in that span, a possible sign of fatigue.
The rested Jets are built for playoff success and have claimed Game 1 in each of their last two series. Lay the juice and back the superior squad to prevail on home ice. Bet99 has also boosted Winnipeg’s moneyline along with a Connor anytime goal to +300, which is excellent value.
Blues vs Jets Game 1 Odds
Here are the latest Blues vs Jets Game 1 odds from Bet99 Sportsbook:
Odds as of April 19, 2025 at Bet99 Sportsbook. Bettors inside Canada can sign up with the Bet99 promo code to wager on this game.
The Jets are -190 moneyline favorites, meaning a $190 bet would profit $100 if they win. Conversely, a $100 wager on the +165 underdog Blues would return $165.
St. Louis is getting +1.5 goals at -137 odds, while Winnipeg is laying 1.5 goals at +140. The 5.5-goal over/under is juiced heavily to the under at -150.
Blues vs Jets Game 1 Projected Lineups
Blues Projected Lineup
Forwards
Jordan Kyrou – Robert Thomas – Pavel Buchnevich
Brayden Schenn – Ivan Barbashev – Jake Neighbours
Sam Blais – Zach Bolduc – Nathan Walker
Kasperi Kapanen – Noel Acciari – Josh Leivo
Defense
Torey Krug – Colton Parayko
Cam Fowler – Justin Faulk
Nick Leddy – Robert Bortuzzo
Goalies
Jordan Binnington
Thomas Greiss
Scratches/Injuries: Dylan Holloway (week-to-week)
Jets Projected Lineup
Forwards
Kyle Connor – Mark Scheifele – Alex Iafallo
Nino Niederreiter – Vladislav Namestnikov – Cole Perfetti
Brandon Tanev – Adam Lowry – Mason Appleton
David Gustafsson – Morgan Barron – Jaret Anderson-Dolan
Defense
Josh Morrissey – Dylan DeMelo
Dylan Samberg – Neal Pionk
Logan Stanley – Luke Schenn
Goalies
Connor Hellebuyck
Eric Comrie
Scratches/Injuries: Dominic Toninato, Haydn Fleury, Colin Miller, Ville Heinola, Nikolaj Ehlers (lower body), Gabriel Vilardi (upper body), Rasmus Kupari (concussion)
Enjoyed this preview? Here’s more NHL playoff content:
The highly anticipated Game 1 between the St. Louis Blues and the Winnipeg Jets is just around the corner, and fans are buzzing with excitement. Both teams have had strong seasons and are looking to make a statement in the first round of the playoffs.
The Blues finished the regular season with a record of 45-28-9, earning them third place in the Central Division. Led by captain Alex Pietrangelo and star forward Vladimir Tarasenko, the Blues have been a force to be reckoned with on both ends of the ice. Goalie Jordan Binnington has been a standout performer for the Blues, posting a 24-5-1 record with a .927 save percentage.
On the other side, the Jets finished the regular season with a record of 47-30-5, securing them a wild card spot in the playoffs. Led by captain Blake Wheeler and star forward Mark Scheifele, the Jets have a potent offense that can strike at any moment. Goalie Connor Hellebuyck has been solid between the pipes for the Jets, posting a 34-23-3 record with a .913 save percentage.
In terms of predictions, this series is shaping up to be a close one. Both teams have strong lineups and are capable of putting up big numbers on the scoreboard. The Blues have the edge in goaltending with Binnington, but the Jets have a more potent offense that could give them the upper hand.
As for odds, sportsbooks have the Blues listed as slight favorites to win Game 1. However, with home-ice advantage on their side, the Jets could easily pull off an upset and take the first game of the series.
Projected lineups for Game 1 are as follows:
St. Louis Blues:
Forwards: Jaden Schwartz – Brayden Schenn – Vladimir Tarasenko
Defense: Alex Pietrangelo – Jay Bouwmeester
Goalie: Jordan Binnington
Winnipeg Jets:
Forwards: Kyle Connor – Mark Scheifele – Blake Wheeler
Defense: Josh Morrissey – Jacob Trouba
Goalie: Connor Hellebuyck
Overall, Game 1 between the Blues and Jets is sure to be an exciting matchup. With both teams hungry for a win, fans can expect a fast-paced and intense game on the ice. Stay tuned for what promises to be a thrilling start to this playoff series.
