The stage is set for the 2024 NHL Global Series, which will kick off the 2024-25 season with a Friday matchup between the Buffalo Sabres and the New Jersey Devils. Friday's tilt kicks off a two-game stint at O2 Arena in Prague, Czech Republic. These Eastern Conference foes are looking to open up their seasons on a high note after they finished sixth and seventh in their respective divisions last season, both missing the playoffs. Luke Hughes (shoulder) and Brett Pesce (fibula) are out for New Jersey.
Opening face-off is set for 1 p.m. ET. New Jersey is the -149 favorite (risk $149 to win $100) on the money line in the latest Sabres vs. Devils odds. Buffalo is listed as the +125 underdog, and the over/under for total goals scored is 6.5, with the Under shaded to -122. Before making any Devils vs. Sabres picks, check out the 2024 NHL Global Series predictions from the SportsLine Projection Model.
SportsLine's model simulates every NHL game 10,000 times. It finished last season on a 7-4 roll on top-rated puck-line picks and was also profitable on top-rated money-line picks over the last six weeks of the season.
Now, the model has set its sights on Sabres vs. Devils in this NHL Global Series 2024 matchup and revealed its picks. Here are the latest NHL odds and trends for Devils vs. Sabres:
- Sabres vs. Devils money line: New Jersey -149, Buffalo +125
- Sabres vs. Devils puck line: New Jersey -1.5 (+161)
- Sabres vs. Devils over/under: 6.5 goals
- BUF: Alex Tuch led the team last year in overall points (59) and Tage Thompson led in total goals (29)
- NJD: Jesper Bratt led the team last in goals (56) and points (83) and Timo Meier led in assists (28)
- Sabres vs. Devils picks: See picks at SportsLine
- Sabres vs. Devils streaming: FuboTV (Try for free)
Why you should back the Devils
The Devils are hoping that new head coach Sheldon Keefe can inject some life into a Devils team that was projected to be a Stanley Cup contender last season but finished near the bottom of the Metropolitan Division. Friday has the potential to be a good starting point since New Jersey has bested Buffalo in four of the last six meetings between the teams.
Top-line center Jack Hughes has seven goals, eight assists and a plus-2 in 16 career games against the Sabres, while projected linemate Jesper Bratt has registered eight goals, 16 assists and a plus-nine in 24 career games against Buffalo. Add Timo Meier's physical style of play, and New Jersey's top line could lead the way to a victory on Friday. See which team to pick here.
Why you should back the Sabres
Buffalo is banking on bounce-back seasons from most of its forward arsenal, from Tage Thompson and Alex Tuch on the top line to Jason Zucker and Jordan Greenway in the bottom six. The fourth-line combo of Beck Malenstyn, Sam Lafferty and Nicolas Aube-Kubel has looked good ahead of the regular season, and continued production in Prague could help give the Sabres some much-needed scoring depth.
The Sabres will also bank on the Devils giving up goals like they did last season. New Jersey was 26th in goals-against, allowing 281 total goals at a 3.4 per-game clip. This accounted for their minus-17 goal differential last season, and the Sabres can pull off the upset if they can get an early jump on New Jersey's defense. See which team to pick here.
How to make Sabres vs. Devils picks
SportsLine's model is leaning Under on the total, projecting 6.3 combined goals. It also says one side of the money line has all the value. You can only get the pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Devils vs. Sabres, and which side of the money line has all the value? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Devils vs. Sabres money line to jump on Friday, all from the advanced model that has simulated this matchup 10,000 times.
