Maple Leafs vs Red Wings Prediction NHL Picks 4/2

© Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

Introduction

The Detroit Red Wings are traveling to the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto to face the Maple Leafs in an exciting NHL matchup on April 2, 2023. The Red Wings have a record of 33-33-9, and 14-18-5 on the road, while the Maple Leafs have a record of 45-20-10, and 25-7-6 at home. With the game just around the corner, it's time to make our NHL predictions and picks for today.

Team Analysis

Offense

The Toronto Maple Leafs come into this matchup with an explosive offense that ranks fourth in the league, scoring 3.41 goals per game. Their offense is led by center Mitchell Marner, who has an impressive 95 points, with 28 goals and 67 assists. Alongside him is winger William Nylander, who has 37 goals and eight power-play goals.

The Detroit Red Wings' offense is not as strong as the Maple Leafs', with the team ranking 25th in the league, scoring 2.91 goals per game. However, they do have center Dylan Larkin, who has 73 points, with 28 goals and 45 assists, leading the team in both categories.

Defense

The Maple Leafs' defense has been solid this season, ranking sixth in the league, allowing 2.74 goals per game. Their goaltenders, Ilya Samsonov and Matt Murray, have been a key factor in their defensive success. Samsonov has a record of 24-9-4, with three shutouts and a save percentage of .913, while Murray has a record of 14-8-2, with one shutout and a save percentage of .905.

The Red Wings' defense has struggled this season, ranking 28th in the league, allowing 3.29 goals per game. However, they have been relying on their young goaltender, Alex Nedeljkovic, to make key saves. He has a record of 4-6-2, with a save percentage of .888, which is below average but could improve with the right defense in front of him.

Injuries

Both teams have players on their injury reports that could affect their performances. For the Detroit Red Wings, Filip Zadina, Robby Fabbri, and Ville Husso are all out. Meanwhile, for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Bobby McMann, Ryan O'Reilly, Noel Acciari, Erik Gustafsson, and Wayne Simmonds are out.

Prediction

Although the Toronto Maple Leafs are heavy favorites with a line of -320, we believe that the Detroit Red Wings will cover the +1.5 spread in this matchup. The Red Wings have been playing well recently, winning two of their last three games, while the Maple Leafs have lost their last two games. Additionally, the Maple Leafs' injuries could weaken their team's performance.

While the Maple Leafs have a strong offense, the Red Wings' defense has been improving lately, and their young goaltender has the potential to make key saves. The Red Wings have also been playing better on the road lately, winning three of their last four away games.