Trent Reinsmith
- The Vegas Golden Knights and Winnipeg Jets are back in the NHL playoffs after missing the postseason last year.
- Vegas has a Stanley Cup Finals and two Western Conference Finals appearances on their playoff record.
- Vegas eliminated Winnipeg in the 2018 Western Conference Finals in five games.
The Vegas Golden Knights and Winnipeg Jets face off in the first round of the 2023 NHL Western Conference playoffs after both teams missed the postseason in 2022. Vegas had a bounce-back year in 2023. The club finished the 2022 season with a 43-31-8 record. This year, Vegas was the best team in the Western Conference, with a 51-22-9 record and 111 points. Winnipeg made the 2023 playoffs as a wild card team with a 46-33-3 record. The Jets were 39-32-11 in 2022.
For a team with a short history, the Golden Knights have been very good in the playoffs. While the team has yet to lift the Stanley Cup since it came into the NHL in 2018, Vegas has one Stanley Cup Finals appearance and two runs that ended in the Western Conference Finals.
The Jets franchise only made the playoffs twice during its first 17 years of existence, losing in the first round in both those series. Things have gone better since 2018 as the team only missed the postseason once, last year. The Jets have not played for the Cup, but the team made the Conference Finals in 2018, losing to Vegas in five games.
Before we look at the first-round matchup of the 2023 NHL Western Conference playoffs between the Vegas Golden Knights and the Winnipeg Jets, check out our guide to betting on the 2023 Stanley Cup and our tips for betting on the NHL.
Vegas Golden Knights vs. Winnipeg Jets betting picks for NHL Western Conference Playoff Series
| To Win 2023 NHL Western Conference Playoff Series |  |  |  |
| Winnipeg Jets | +135 | +140 | +140 |
| Vegas Golden Knights | -155 | -165 | -160 |
Vegas Golden Knights betting breakdown
The Golden Knights enter the 2023 NHL playoffs with a 25-15-1 home record and a 26-7-8 mark on the road. Vegas wrapped up the 2023 NHL regular season with a 6-1-3 record in its final 10 games, and the team enters the postseason with wins in its two most recent games.
Despite playing in just 67 games in 2023, Jack Eichel led the Golden Knights in scoring with 66 points. The team’s leading goal-scorer was Jonathan Marchessault, with 28 goals, and Chandler Stephenson had the most assists on the team, with 49. Vegas only had two players besides Marchessault score over 20 goals, those players were Eichel (27) and Reilly Smith (26.)
The Golden Knights will be without starting goalie Logan Thompson to begin the series against the Winnipeg Jets. Instead, the team will rely on Jonathan Quick and Laurent Brossoit. It looks like Brossoit, who went 7-0-3 for the team and had a 2.17 goals against average and a .927 save percentage will get the start.
Winnipeg Jets betting breakdown
The Jets head into the 2023 NHL Stanley Cup playoffs with a 26-13-2 home record. The team went 20-20-1 on the road and finished the season with a 6-4-0 mark in its final 10 games. Winnipeg enters its 2023 playoff series against the Golden Knights coming off a loss in its final game of the 2023 regular season.
Kyle Connor led the Jets in scoring in 2023 with 80 points. The team leader in goals was Mark Scheifle with 42 and Josh Morrisey was tops on the club in assists with 60. Outside of Scheifle, only Connor scored more than 30 goals with 31. The Jets also had one 20-plus goal scorer in Pierre-Luc Dubios with 27.
There is no goalie controversy in Winnipeg, as Connor Hellebuyck will lead the team. Hellebuyck went 37-25-2 for the Jets and had a 2.49 goals against average and a .920 save percentage. He was fourth in the NHL in save percentage and third in wins for the 2023 regular season.
2023 NHL Regular Season: Head-to-Head
The Vegas Golden Knights swept the Winnipeg Jets in their 2023 regular season series. Vegas was 3-0 against the Jets on the year: 5-2, 2-1(OT), and 6-5.
Golden Knights vs. Jets Playoff Series Schedule
Game 1 (at VGK): April 18, 9:30 ET (ESPN2)
Game 2 (at VGK): April 20, 10 ET (TBS)
Game 3 (at WPG): April 22, 4 ET (TBS)
Game 4 (at WPG): April 24, 9:30 ET (ESPN)
Game 5* (at VGK): April 27, TBD
Game 6* (at WPG): April 29, TBD
Game 7* (at VGK): May 1, TBD
*if needed
Best bets for the Vegas Golden Knights vs. Winnipeg Jets Playoff Series
Neither of these teams is particularly fearsome on offense, and this series will come down to goaltending. If Connor Hellebuyck can play as well as he did during the regular season, he could be the difference-maker in this series. The best bet for this Western Conference playoff series is to pick the Jets to upset the Golden Knights.
Picks: Winnipeg Jets to beat the Vegas Golden Knights in six games.
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