Blues vs. Jets Game 1 Prediction, Expert Picks & NHL Odds: Best Bets & Player Props for Saturday, April 19

The Presidents' Trophy winners open their playoff account at home as we focus on some crucial narratives ahead of the Blues vs. Jets series opener.

Gary Pearson

Last updated: April 18, 2025 9:24 AM EDT • 6 min read

Blues vs. Jets Game 1 Prediction, Expert Picks & NHL Odds: Best Bets & Player Props for April 19 — Pictured: St. Louis Blues forward Radek Faksa looks for the puck in front of Winnipeg Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck. Photo by Terrence Lee via Imagn Images.

The Winnipeg Jets' dress rehearsal was as close to immaculate as you'll find over an 82-game schedule. While they can be proud of securing the Presidents' Trophy, it will matter little if they can't replicate that top-tier play in the postseason.

Saturday at 6 p.m. ET from Canada Life Centre in Winnipeg (TNT, CBC) represents a chance for the Jets to take off from the first puck drop.

They're facing a St. Louis Blues team that ascended to lofty heights in the season's final third, winning 12 straight to punch their postseason ticket. Our Blues vs. Jets prediction and NHL picks explore the most crucial storylines while providing the best value bets.

📺 Game info & where to watch Blues vs. Jets live on Saturday

📅 Date: Saturday, April 19
🕗 Time: 6 p.m. ET
📍 Location: Canada Life Centre (Winnipeg, Man.)
📺 TV: Sportsnet, CBC, TNT, truTV,
💻 Streaming: Max, Sportsnet+

📊 Blues vs. Jets stats: Records, trends & best odds

📈 For full team stats and betting line history, follow our Blues vs. Jets matchup page.

💡 Blues vs. Jets Game 1 prediction & expert picks

🎯 Score prediction: Jets 3, Blues 2
🎯 Best bet: Under 5.5 goals (-148 via FanDuel) & Jets ML (-178 via FanDuel)

The Jets have no overtly discernible weaknesses. They had the second-best home record (30-7-4), where they scored the 10th-most goals per game (3.39) and allowed the fewest (1.95).

You probably won't be surprised to learn they had the best overall defensive record, too, giving up 2.32 goals per contest. If the Jets are to exercise their playoff demons and make a deep playoff run, they must replicate that stinginess.

While the Jets were among the best statistical teams, which I discussed in the stats and trends to base your NHL picks and predictions on, their superb defensive record forms the bedrock of my expert picks.

Connor Hellebuyck redemption tour

The Jets' formula for success is based on a few principle fundamentals, with Connor Hellebuyck as the focal point. Hellebuyck dominated again in the regular season and is a shoo-in to win his second straight and third Vezina Trophy.

Last season's playoffs were an unmitigated disaster for the Jets ace, which is why I'm backing him to stand on his head in Game 1. He's too elite, proud, and competitive to endure another subpar postseason.

Hellebuyck lost just three times in regulation at Canada Life Centre in 33 games, picking up six shutouts. He had a .938 save percentage and a 1.63 goals-against average in the friendly confines. If he can replicate those numbers, which I expect him to do, even the league's best team down the stretch doesn't have a chance.

Further emphasizing the Under, Hellebuyck had eight shutouts overall, more than the total of 27 teams. And 10 of the last 11 Jets' home games had five goals or fewer.

Key St. Louis cog unavailable

Dylan Holloway, the Blues' third-leading scorer, suffered a lower-body injury in Pittsburgh on April 3.

The Blues' extended 12-game win streak ended two games later. Holloway is still unavailable and is listed as week-to-week. While his offensive contribution will obviously be missed, Holloway was a key defensive cog, often responsible for matching up against opponents' best players.

The Blues are 2-2-1 since the 23-year-old got injured.

Both Under 5.5 goals (-148) and Jets moneyline (-178) odds are slightly too long to play independently if you want to maximize your potential return. Combining them will profit $16.70 on a winning $10 bet.

💰 Blues vs. Jets Game 1 best bet

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🥅 Best Blues vs. Jets player props & same-game parlay

🔎 Our NEW NHL player prop odds tool can help you find the best NHL odds across legal sportsbooks in your area!

🚨 Robert Thomas Over 0.5 assists ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thomas has an assist in five straight games against the Jets, posting six in that span. He was the most prolific scorer in the NHL from Feb. 22, scoring 40 points in 26 games. Of those 40 points, 32 were assists. He finished the season on an 11-game assist streak, amassing 21.

I expect the sizzling spell to spill over into the postseason. BetMGM has +105 odds for him to notch one helper, which would profit $10.50 on a $10 wager.

🔢 Robert Thomas player prop bet odds

🚨 Josh Morrissey Over 0.5 assists ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Morrissey has at least one assist in four of the previous five games against the Blues, posting six in that stint. He notched at least one assist in three of the last four games, and he's an instrumental part of the Jets power play, which was the best (31.6%) at home in the regular season. bet365 has the longest odds of our best sports betting sites, offering +120.

🔢 Josh Morrissey player prop bet odds

🚨 Neal Pionk Over 1.5 shots ⭐⭐⭐

In seven of the last eight games against the Blues, Pionk managed to fire at least two shots on goal. It's that head-to-head productivity I'm banking on. He also had at least two shots in five of the last six regular season games, adding a juicy cherry to an already appealing prop. The +105 odds at BetMGM would yield a $10.50 profit on a winning $10 wager.

🔢 Neal Pionk player prop bet odds

🚀 Best Blues vs. Jets parlay picks & SGP odds

🧪 Want to make your own SGP? Check out our NEW parlay calculator to get the best odds for any same-game parlay.

🔢 Best Blues vs. Jets odds & betting lines

🛒 Shop around for the best Blues vs. Jets odds from our best sports betting apps.

📡 Blues vs. Jets live odds

🛜 Game already started? You can still get in on the action with our best live betting sites.

🪧 Blues vs. Jets opening odds

Opening odds via BetMGM.

Puck line: Blues +1.5 (-180) | Jets -1.5 (+145)
Moneyline: Blues +150 | Jets -180
Over/Under: Over 5.5 (+115) | Under 5.5 (-150)

🚑 Blues vs. Jets injury report

🗳️ Who will win Blues vs. Jets?

🧠 Stanley Cup predictions, expert picks

🥅 Best NHL betting sites

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Written By:
Gary Pearson

Gary Pearson has written professionally since 2010, focusing on sports betting since 2014. Before entering the sports betting space, he contributed to the Canadian Press, FanSided, the Hockey Writers, the Calgary Herald, and other publications. His work has also been featured in Sports Illustrated and Bleacher Report. Gary, who consumes sports like a blue whale devours plankton, has a penchant for writing predictions and analyses across several sports, including hockey, soccer, football, tennis, and more. He bets regularly, preferring single-game picks, props, and live betting. While there isn't a sport he has yet to dabble in, Gary prefers betting on soccer, hockey, and football. He studied at various post-secondary institutions, including the University of Calgary, SAIT Polytechnic, and Griffith University, located in Brisbane, Australia. Gary has a marketing degree and completed his bachelor's degree in journalism at Griffith University. He feels strongly that life experience is as essential as post-secondary education, helping formulate more accurate predictions and analyses. Gary believes that competing at a high level of amateur sports during his formative years helped him better understand an athlete's psyche and the nuances and complexities of a team's dynamic, both on and off the playing surface. He feels that knowledge is immeasurably important when offering his analytical expertise. He has lived on five continents and currently resides in Canada.