The 2024-25 NHL season finally begins on Friday in the form of a Global Series matchup. The New Jersey Devils and Buffalo Sabres are slated to collide in Prague, Czechia at 1 p.m. ET, and everything you need to know — from the latest betting odds to some intriguing bets — can be found in this preview.
With just a few hours until the season-opening puck drops, let’s dive into today’s Devils vs. Sabres predictions and picks!
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NHL Global Series 2024: Devils vs Sabres Today (10/4)
Devils vs Sabres Game Information
- Matchup: New Jersey Devils (0-0-0, 0-0-0 Away) vs. Buffalo Sabres (0-0-0, 0-0-0 Home)
- Venue & Location: O2 Arena (Prague, Czechia)
- Date: Friday, Oct. 4, 2024
- Game Time: 1 p.m. ET
- How to Watch Devils vs. Sabres: NHL Network
Devils vs Sabres NHL Global Series Odds
All NHL odds are courtesy of BetOnline as of Friday, Oct. 4 at 9:20 a.m. ET. Odds from other sportsbooks may also be mentioned in this article.
Devils vs Sabres Puck Line
- New Jersey Devils -1.5 (+175)
- Buffalo Sabres +1.5 (-205)
Sabres vs Devils Over/Under
- Over 6.5 Goals (+104)
- Under 6.5 Goals (-120)
Devils vs Sabres Moneyline
- New Jersey Devils (-138)
- Buffalo Sabres (+123)
You might also like: 2024-25 NHL Power Rankings
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Devils vs Sabres NHL Betting Trends
- New Jersey is 7-3 straight up in its last 10 games vs. Buffalo.
- Buffalo is 4-2 straight up in its last six games vs. the Eastern Conference.
- The total hit the Over in five of New Jersey’s last six road games.
- The total hit the Under in six of Buffalo’s last nine games played in November.
- The total hit the Over in each of the last five New Jersey-Buffalo matchups.
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Devils vs Sabres NHL Global Series Predictions & Picks (10/4)
Both of these clubs are looking to hit the 2024-25 NHL season running after failing to make the playoffs this past spring. Injuries saw the Devils finish seventh in the Metropolitan Division with a 38-39-5 record (81 points) while the Sabres were the No. 6-ranked Atlantic team after going 39-37-6, missing the playoffs for the 13th straight year.
When it came to games between these teams, the Devils had a slight edge. They won the first two games while outscoring the Sabres 12-6 on aggregate before the latter picked up a 5-2 home win on March 29. Having said that, New Jersey is still 7-3 SU across its last 10 encounters with Buffalo, showing just how lopsided this series has been.
The Devils will also likely have the advantage on special teams this afternoon. They finished the 2023-24 campaign with the No. 13-ranked power play and No. 10-ranked penalty kill whereas the Sabres finished No. 29 and No. 13, respectively, in that regard.
Can the Sabres figure out how to solve the Devils special teams units?
All eyes will be on Devils goaltender Jacob Markstrom as he makes his team debut after being acquired this offseason. The veteran netminder and former Vezina Trophy finalist played well for the Calgary Flames last year, going 23-23-2 with a .905 save percentage, 2.78 goals-against average, and two shutouts.
Unfortunately, for Markstrom, the Devils’ back end is shorthanded today as Luke Hughes and Brett Pesce are both out with injuries. In other words, it’s going to be up to the forward group to lead the charge.
Meanwhile, the Sabres are likely turning to Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen in goal. The 25-year-old Finnish puck-stopper is coming off his best NHL season that saw him play to a 27-22-4 record while tallying a .910 SV%, 2.57 GAA, and career-high five shutouts in 54 appearances.
How will Sabres G Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen perform following his breakout season?
While the Sabres certainly have promise this season, I’m going with the Devils this afternoon. New Jersey has its top players back outside of a few absences and Markstrom’s presence in goal should improve the team as a whole. The Sabres will press at times throughout the matchup, however, the Devils being the slightly better team all around will lead them to victory.
As for the best bet, I’m going to keep things simple by taking the Devils on the moneyline since there’s decent value behind -138 odds.
Devils vs. Sabres NHL Global Series Prediction: NJ wins
Best Devils vs. Sabres Bet: NJ ML (-138)
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Best Sabres vs Devils Player Prop (10/4)
After seeing what BetOnline has to offer, I’m going with Jack Hughes o4.5 shots on goal (-145) for the best Sabres vs. Devils NHL Global series player prop.
Hughes excelled at generating offense last season, averaging a career-best 4.4 shots on goal across 62 games. The former 2019 first-overall pick finished with five-plus shots on 25 of those occasions with two of those instances occurring against the Sabres. In fact, Hughes averaged 5.3 SOG while the Over went 4-3 in his last seven road games against Buffalo, never finished with fewer than four shots in those outings.
As one of the best players in the NHL today, I’m confident in this Hughes prop pick.
Best Sabres vs. Devils Player Prop: Jack Hughes o4.5 Shots on Goal (-145)
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