Toronto Maple Leafs vs Carolina Hurricanes Prediction, Preview and Odds - 01/09/2025

Game Time: 7:30 pm ET, Thursday, January 9, 2025

Venue:  Lenovo Center, Raleigh, NC

Where to Watch:  ESPN+

DraftKings:  Moneyline:  Leafs +114, Hurricanes -135; Over/Under:  6.5 goals

Bet365:  Moneyline:  Leafs +115, Hurricanes -135; Over/Under:  6.5 goals

BetMGM:  Moneyline:  Leafs +115, Hurricanes -135; Over/Under:  6.5 goals

Toronto Maple Leafs:  27-13-2 (1st place, Atlantic Division)

Carolina Hurricanes:  24-15-2 (3rd place, Metropolitan Division)

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Toronto Maple Leafs:  7-3-0 last 10

Carolina Hurricanes:  4-5-1 last 10

The Maple Leafs are entering this game with 56 points, a 27-13-2 record overall, and they are 10-6-2 in their road games this season where they will be in this game. They are entering this game off a win against the Philadelphia Flyers in their last game, winning that one on the road 3-2. Auston Matthews, John Tavares, and Matthew Knies each scored 1 goal for them in that one. Mitchell Marner led the team in assists with 2 while Oliver Ekman-Larsson led the team in shots on net in that game with 4. Joseph Woll was the starting goalie in that game and he allowed 2 goals on 32 shots with 30 saves and a .938 save percentage. Their offense has scored 132 goals this season averaging 3.1 goals per game and their defense has allowed their opponents to score 115 goals against them allowing 2.7 goals per game.

The Hurricanes are entering this game with 50 points, a 24-15-2 record overall, and they are 15-5-0 in their home games this season where they will be in this game. They are entering this game off a loss against the Tampa Bay Lightning in their last game, losing that one on the road 3-2. Jordan Staal and Andrei Svechnikov each scored 1 goal for them in that one. Jordan Staal and Brent Burns each led the team in assists with 1 while Jordan Martinook and Dmitry Orlov each led the team in shots on net in that game with 4. Pyotr Kochetkov was the starting goalie in that game and he allowed 3 goals on 34 shots with 31 saves and a .912 sv percentage. Their offense has scored 137 goals this season averaging 3.3 goals per game and their defense has allowed their opponents to score 117 goals against them allowing 2.9 goals per game.

The current betting odds have the Hurricanes listed as a slight favorite in this game according to Draftkings Sportsbook. The Hurricanes have looked really good in their games this season with their 24-15-2 record overall which has them in 3rd place of their division in the East. They have also looked a lot better on home ice this year with their 15-5-0 home record. Meanwhile, the Maple Leafs have looked really good in their games this season with their 27-13-2 record overall which has them leading their division in the East with one of the best records in the entire NHL. They are coming off a tight win over the Flyers in their last one and they have looked really good lately with their 7-3-0 record in their last 10 games, but they haven't looked as good in their road games this year. They have a 10-6-2 road record this season and did struggle to beat the Flyers on the road in their last one. The Hurricanes are coming off a loss to the Lightning in their last one so they will be looking to bounce back in this one, and they have been playing more road games lately too. Now they have a chance to bounce back on home ice and they will bring their best effort for a franchise like the Maple Leafs who are also one of the best in the East at the moment. The Hurricanes have been a very different team at home this season and they have the talent to go toe-to-toe with the Maple Leafs as hot as the Maple Leafs have been lately. The best way to place a bet here is on the Hurricanes to win this game. 

Maple Leafs Hurricanes Prediction:  Our NHL Pick for Thursday, January 9, 2025 (7:30 pm ET start time) is Hurricanes 3 Maple Leafs 2.

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Toronto Maple Leafs: 130-92 (-15.2 units) on the moneyline in all games. 33-26 (-7.4 units) on the moneyline off a road win. 12-20 (-17.7 units) on the moneyline after a 3 game winning streak. 33-21 UNDER when playing against a marginal winning team (Win Pct. 51% to 60%). 

Carolina Hurricanes: 53-30 (+5.9 units) on the moneyline after 1 or more consecutive losses. 33-18 (+5.9 units) on the moneyline against good starting goalies - saving 91.5% of shots against or more. 84-54 (+4.4 units) on the moneyline against explosive offensive teams - scoring 3+ goals/game. 78-55 UNDER against explosive offensive teams - scoring 3+ goals/game.

Toronto Maple Leafs:  P. Holmberg (RW) Day To Day - Illness. J. McCabe (D) Out - Upper Body. J. Hakanpaa (D) Out - Knee. A. Stolarz (G) Out - Knee. C. Jarnkrok (C) Out - Groin.

Carolina Hurricanes:  W. Carrier (LW) Out - Lower Body. S. Gostisbehere (D) Out - Upper Body. T. Jost (C) Out - Undisclosed. F. Andersen (G) Out - Knee. J. Fast (RW) Out - Neck.

“Again, our third period was our best period. I thought we started the game off fine, and then they kind of flipped that period. We didn’t get any shots on net. We missed the net.” - Craig Berube after his team’s win against the Flyers in their game on Tuesday.

“That's the worst way to lose. You'd rather have not even come back because it's just a kick in the teeth there. But guys fought back. I didn't like our start. That first goal was just not good enough. It was too light around our net and just waving sticks around at a puck that was just sitting there. So gave them one, but we fought back, got ourselves in the game. The difference, power play goal. They just float one in and then get a bounce. That's really the difference in the game. Wasn't a lot going on for both teams tonight. Both teams were working hard, but we came up short.” - Rod Brind’Amour after his team’s loss against the Lightning in their game on Tuesday.

LW Matthew Knies

C Auston Matthews

RW Mitchell Marner

LD Morgan Rielly

RD Philippe Myers

G Joseph Woll

LW Seth Jarvis

C Sebastian Aho

RW Jack Roslovic

LD Jaccob Slavin

RD Brent Burns

G Pyotr Kochetkov

Points: M. Marner (58)

Goals: W. Nylander (23)

Assists: M. Marner (44)

GAA: A. Stolarz (2.15)

Points: M. Necas (47)

Goals: J. Roslovic (17)

Assists: M. Necas (32)

GAA: F. Andersen (1.49)

Coaches:

Toronto Maple Leafs: Craig Berube (1st season)

Carolina Hurricanes: Rod Brind'Amour (7th season)