Devils vs. Red Wings Prediction, NHL Odds & Best Bets (10/13)

Fact checked at 5:37 AM ET, Oct 13, 2026

Odds as of Oct 13, 5:18 AM ET

The New Jersey Devils (2-3-0) visit the Detroit Red Wings (1-3-1) on Tuesday at 6:00 PM ET at Little Caesars Arena, with the game on ESPN. New Jersey lost 4-1 at home to Ottawa on Monday, so this is the second night of its first back-to-back. Nico Daws took Monday's start, and Jake Allen is confirmed in goal for New Jersey tonight. Detroit has not named a starter: John Gibson was pulled from Friday's 6-3 loss to Seattle and Daniil Tarasov started Saturday in Montreal, so either could get the net.

Nobody shoots more than the Devils. They average 36.2 shots on goal a game, the most in the league, and on Monday they outshot Ottawa 30-20 and out-attempted the Senators 80-45. It hasn't turned into goals: New Jersey has 11 in five games. Detroit has the same problem, with 10 goals in five games and two shutout losses, including Saturday's 1-0 shootout loss at Montreal.

What interests us is where New Jersey's shots come from. They come from the top of the lineup and the blue line, through the first power-play unit, and much less from the third line. Both picks are built on that split. The moneyline is close to a coin flip (New Jersey -110, Detroit -109, after New Jersey opened -120 on Sunday), and we don't have a side.

Devils vs. Red Wings Predictions

• Pick #1: Luke Hughes Over 1.5 Shots on Goal (-165)
• Pick #2: Evan Rodrigues Under 1.5 Shots on Goal (+135)

PICK #1: Luke Hughes Over 1.5 Shots on Goal (-165)

Hughes has 16 shots in five games. His counts are 5, 3, 3, 1 and 4, so he has cleared 1.5 in four of five. He is a top-pair defenseman averaging 23:39 a night (his range is 21:41 to 26:13), and he is the lone defenseman on the first power-play unit with Jack Hughes, Jesper Bratt, Nico Hischier and Luke Evangelista.

The start lines up with his track record. Last season he put 150 shots on goal in 68 games, about 2.2 a game, playing 23:01 a night. On the league's highest-volume team, that rate should hold or rise.

The price implies a 62.3% chance, so this isn't cheap. He had one shot against Vancouver on Saturday, Detroit has held opponents to 25.4 shots a game, and a tired team on the second half of a back-to-back may spend less time in the offensive zone. Evangelista is day to day with an illness, so check the first power-play unit before puck drop.

PICK #2: Evan Rodrigues Under 1.5 Shots on Goal (+135)

The market is pricing the Rodrigues of last season. With Florida he put 160 shots on goal in 69 games, about 2.3 a game, while playing 17:00 a night, and the Over here is -180. His role in New Jersey is smaller. He centers the third line between Arseny Gritsyuk and Dawson Mercer, sits behind Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier at center, works the second power-play unit and plays about a minute less a night, with his ice time running from 13:56 to 17:13.

In that role he has 7 shots in five games: 1, 1, 0, 1, then 4 against Ottawa on Monday. Four of the five stayed under 1.5. At +135 you only need the Under to come in 42.6% of the time.

Monday is the warning. His four shots came on a night New Jersey put 30 on goal and attempted 80, and a repeat of that volume is the danger. If he moves up the lineup or onto the first power-play unit, pass.

Both picks need the same game: Hughes and the top unit do the shooting while the third line stays quiet. They only split if every Devils line piles up shots.

21+ (18+ where permitted). Odds subject to change. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER.