Bruins vs. Oilers prediction: NHL odds, pick Monday, Feb. 27

Already the best team in the NHL by a wide margin, it wasn’t imperative that the Boston Bruins made a splashy trade before Friday’s deadline. But they did it anyways.

Last week, the Bruins traded Craig Smith and draft picks to the Washington Capitals for Dmitry Orlov and Garnet Hathaway. The Bruins were already the strongest defensive team in the NHL, so adding a top-pair rearguard like Orlov only raises an already-high ceiling. Hathaway is one of the league’s most effective fourth-line wingers and will provide more depth and oomph to a forward group already among the best in the circuit.

If it was possible for an already complete team to become “more complete,” the Bruins found a way.

They’ll play their second game since the trade in Edmonton on Monday at 8:30 p.m. ET.

NHL betting is alive and well on BetMGM if you’re in a state with legal sportsbooks!

Bruins vs. Oilers prediction

(8:30 p.m. ET., ESPN+)

While the Bruins continue to hum with six wins on the spin, the Oilers have hit a bit of a rut. The Oilers are just 3-2-4 in their last nine contests and have lost to Columbus, Philadelphia, and Montreal in that span.

What’s most concerning is that problems from Edmonton’s rocky first half of the season have re-emerged. The Oilers are not getting saves, and the defense has been leaking chances. Edmonton has allowed at least five goals in five of its last seven contests.

The Oilers have the scoring punch to outscore defensive lapses here and there, but when it’s a consistent problem, the team isn’t going to trend up. And their goaltending isn’t bailing them out, either.

Jack Campbell has struggled for the Oilers all season, but Stuart Skinner looked to be a bright spot for a team that’s been searching for consistency in goal for years. But Skinner has fallen off the pace, too.

Over his last 10 outings, Skinner has posted an. 898 save percentage and a -2.14 Goals Saved Above Expected (GSAx). The Oilers aren’t a team that requires top-notch goaltending to win, but it’ll need to be better than that if Edmonton is going to find its form. 

Betting on the NHL?

• Read our expert guide on how to bet on the NHL

The Bruins are the best defensive outfit in the NHL by a long way. They are among a few teams that can feel confident in their ability to contain Edmonton’s league-leading offense. At the other end of the ice, the Oilers are falling apart and will likely have issues limiting quality scoring chances for the Bruins.

There’s plenty of runway here for the Bruins to get the win — which would put them over their season point total (96.5) in their 59th game — and do it in style.