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Oilers vs Avalanche Predictions, Odds & Player Props (Thursday, Jan. 16)

Brady Trettenero

By Brady Trettenero in NHL Hockey

Updated: January 17, 2025 at 12:44 am EST

Published:


Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon controls the puck ahead of Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid
Feb 19, 2023; Denver, Colorado, USA; Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (29) controls the puck ahead of Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid (97) in overtime at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
  • 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, 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 11 starts since coming to Colorado.

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 1-3-0 in the second half of back-to-backs this season, losing 5-1 the last time they faced Colorado after playing the prior night. Edmonton also has a negative goal differential (-6) when playing on consecutive nights in 2024-25.

The Avs have home ice, fresh legs, and revenge on their mind after a 4-1 loss to the Oilers in November. 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

Team Spread Moneyline Total
Edmonton Oilers +1.5 (-265) +100 Over 6.5 (-115)
Colorado Avalanche -1.5 (+190) -120 Under 6.5 (-105)

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.

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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

Player Goals (Over/Under 0.5) Points (Over/Under) Shots on Goal (Over/Under)
Nathan MacKinnon (COL) +125/-175 1.5 (-105/-125) 3.5 (-118/-118)
Connor McDavid (EDM) +150/-210 1.5 (+105/-135) 2.5 (-145/+115)
Leon Draisaitl (EDM) +115/-160 1.5 (+135/-175) 2.5 (-132/+105)
Mikko Rantanen (COL) +115/-160 1.5 (+145/-190) 2.5 (-145/+107)
Cale Makar (COL) +300/-500 0.5 (-210/+160) 2.5 (-120/-110)
Zach Hyman (EDM) +165/-240 0.5 (-155/+115) 2.5 (+105/-132)
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (EDM) +230/-350 0.5 (-135/+105) 1.5 (-165/+120)
Artturi Lehkonen (COL) +190/-285 0.5 (-145/+110) 1.5 (-170/+135)
Viktor Arvidsson (EDM) +300/-500 N/A 2.5 (+145/-180)
Evan Bouchard (EDM) N/A 0.5 (-145/+110) 2.5 (-105/-125)
Jonathan Drouin (COL) +240/-370 0.5 (-160/+120) N/A

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 loss to Edmonton earlier this season, but I expect him to make his mark in this one.

The superstar center has recorded multi-point outings in two of his last three games and has historically performed well against the Oilers, tallying 29 points in 26 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 win over the Avalanche, but he’s heating up with seven goals in his last nine games.

The German sniper leads Edmonton in total goals (31) and ranks 12th in the NHL in shots on goal (140). 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 was super active in the first meeting, firing five shots on goal. I expect more of the same from the Norris Trophy favorite Thursday night.

Makar ranks second on the Avalanche in shots per game (2.98) and should have ample opportunities to test Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner.

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Brady Trettenero
Brady Trettenero

Lead NHL & NCAAF Editor

Brady is the lead NHL and College Football editor at Sports Betting Dime, where he specializes in betting odds and data-driven analysis. Brady has over 10 years experience working in sports media, with work published by outlets such as ESPN, CBS Sports, Yahoo! Sports and Fox Sports.

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