Dallas Stars vs. Winnipeg Jets: Picks, Predictions, Odds and Player Props

The Winnipeg Jets and Dallas Stars hit the ice on Friday night for a battle between two of the NHL’s elite teams.

Canada Life Centre will be rocking as these teams should give us a great contest in what could easily be a preview of an eventual playoff series. The teams are both well-above 40 wins on the season and are showing no signs of slowing down.

The league-leading Winnipeg Jets have won three of their past four games, while the close-behind Dallas Stars have won five of their last six. Not only is this a great test for each side, but this is a crucial win as the gap for first place in the Central Division is closing, with Dallas eight points behind but with two games in hand.

The stage is set, but how will this enticing matchup shake out?

Dallas Stars vs. Winnipeg Jets betting picks and predictions

Dallas Stars ML (+110)

Both Dallas and Winnipeg are having incredible seasons, and you can make an argument for either to win. For this game, I am leaning on the road team in Dallas. The Stars own the advantage in recent play, with a 5-1-0 record in their last six games, as compared to Winnipeg who is 3-3-1 in their last seven. It is the Stars' third-straight road game, but with all being within Canada, there have not been major travel issues to wear them down too much.

Dallas showed they are serious about their Stanley Cup aspirations with a busy trade deadline, headlined by acquiring star forward Mikko Rantanen from the Carolina Hurricanes. This move is a major bolt of confidence for the group, which is a key contributor to their recent success and strong vibes within the locker room.

I think Dallas is a more dynamic group with an edge in skill and a tool kit that is larger than their opponent. Their main task is clearly beating an almost-unstoppable defense system in Winnipeg, but I think they will get enough to earn a win. Dallas is quickly becoming one of the biggest threats in the NHL, and this would only add to it.

Under 5.5 (-105)

We’ve mentioned that this game could be a potential preview of a second-round playoff battle, so this game should present those same aspects even though we are a month away from the postseason.

This game should feature physicality and grit as opposed to a loose and fancy style of play, as each team looks to set the tone for any future battle. This style of play is coincidentally the style that both teams rely on, even with a strong mix of skill within the team. Elevated levels of this should give much less room for offensive results.

In net, the Jets and Stars truly have fantastic netminders. Winnipeg goaltender Connor Hellebuyck has been a top-five goaltender in the NHL for almost a decade, and is the easy favorite for the Vezina Trophy this season. On the other end is young star Jake Oettinger who has been excelling in the league with 30 wins and excellent statistics. This is a great matchup in net.

No matter who ends up winning, an offensive blowout seems very unlikely. With incredible goaltending, solid defenders, and dominant team systems, goals may be far and few between.

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Dallas Stars vs. Winnipeg Jets odds

DAL Stars	+110 ML
WIN Jets	-130 ML
Puck Line	WIN -1.5 (+195)
Total	O/U 5.5

Dallas Stars vs. Winnipeg Jets player props

Anytime Goalscorer

Kyle Connor (WIN Jets)	+145
Jason Robertson (DAL Stars)	+150
Mark Scheifele (WIN Jets)	+165
Gabriel Vilardi  (WIN Jets)	+165
Wyatt Johnston (DAL Stars)	+175
Mikko Rantanen (DAL Stars)	+190

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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.