The Maple Leafs head to Salt Lake City to face the Hockey Club in a Monday night matchup that is part of a 4 game NHL slate. Toronto is looking to snap a rough stretch, while Utah is doing everything they can to keep pace in the Western Conference playoff race.
The odds surprisingly only slightly favor the Maple Leafs — we were expecting a much bigger spread between these 2 teams, but after looking at how these teams are broken down, this one could go either way.
Toronto comes in as a -120 moneyline favorite. We were expecting them to have more of a bump. Utah, on the other hand, sits at even odds (+100). The puck line is pretty interesting as well as it has Toronto at -1.5 with +190 and Utah at +1.5 with -225. The over/under is set at 6 goals, with both sides paying out at -110.
A team is favored on the ML but an underdog on the PL is something we don’t see too often.
The last time these teams met, Toronto edged out a close game over Utah at 3-2, and the Maple Leafs hold a 1-0 lead in the season series.
However, taking a look at their recent form suggests to us that Utah has a real shot at evening things up.
Despite having the better record of these 2 teams, the Maple Leafs have struggled lately. They’ve gone 2-3 in their last 5 games and are really grinding through a slump.
They’ve allowed way too many goals, giving up 4+ in 3 of those matchups. Their defense has looked a bit shaky, and goaltending hasn’t been a strength either.
Joseph Woll has been Toronto’s most consistent netminder, posting 21 wins with a 2.78 GAA and a .905 SV%. Those aren’t bad numbers, but they’re not the best in the NHL, either. The Leafs will need him at his best to slow down Utah’s attack.
Offensively, Toronto undoubtedly has the firepower to get the job done. Mitch Marner and William Nylander lead the way on the top 6 as Marner has 79 points spanning 21 goals and 58 assists, while Nylander is Toronto’s top goal-scorer with 35 goals this season.
Overall, Toronto has the tools to get the job done against Utah, but can they edge out another win?
Utah enters tonight’s game in slightly better form as they’ve gone 3-2 in their last 5 games. They picked up key wins over some solid teams such as Detroit and Minnesota, showing they can hold their own against strong competition.
Clayton Keller has been Utah’s offensive leader as he’s racked up 72 points over 23 goals and 49 assists. Meanwhile, goaltender Karel Vejmelka has been pretty steady with a solid .910 SV%, giving Utah a chance to win on most nights when he’s in the crease.
While Utah has been competitive on the blue line, they still struggle to find the net consistently, averaging just a dismal 2.83 goals per game compared to Toronto’s 3.21.
We think that could be the difference between this one.
The Maple Leafs haven’t been at their best lately, but they’re still the better team overall. They have the tools, and despite hitting a slight rough patch, they can get the job done. On top of that, Utah has been inconsistent all season, and while they have a home-ice advantage, Toronto’s offensive firepower gives them the edge.
BettorsInsider Prediction: Toronto Maple Leafs 4, Utah Hockey Club 2
Best Bet: Toronto ML (-120)
We expect the Leafs to bounce back and take care of business on the road. If Woll plays well in the net, Toronto should get the win without much trouble. As for the puck line, we’d stay away from that. The odds just aren’t there to make a decent payday out of it and this game is going to be way too close.
Copyright 2025, Bettors Insider, Inc. If You Or Someone You Know Has A Gambling Problem, Help Is Available. Call 1-800-GAMBLER.
