Blues vs Maple Leafs Picks and Prediction – 10/24/2024

The St. Louis Blues (4-3-0) travel to face the Toronto Maple Leafs (4-3-0) in what promises to be a tightly contested matchup. St. Louis is coming off a tough 3-2 loss to the Winnipeg Jets, despite Brandon Saad's two-goal effort. Toronto, meanwhile, suffered a 6-2 defeat at the hands of the Columbus Blue Jackets, but they will look to bounce back at home where they have been solid with a 3-1-0 record. Hit the ice running with our NHL picks.

The Blues have been somewhat inconsistent on offense, averaging 2.71 goals per game while generating 27.6 shots per contest. Jordan Kyrou has been the leading playmaker with 7 points (2 goals, 5 assists). Pavel Buchnevich has been the leading goal scorer with three, and the Blues will need top forwards to produce if they want to keep up with Toronto’s firepower. Goaltender Joel Hofer has been strong in his appearances, posting a 3-0-0 record with a 2.32 goals-against average and a .932 save percentage.

Defensively, the Blues are allowing 2.86 goals per game, while the penalty kill is struggling at 70.6%. This could be a key area of concern against Toronto’s dynamic attack. St. Louis must tighten up defensively, particularly with key players like Nick Leddy on injured reserve. Jordan Binnington, with a .891 save percentage, will need to find his form quickly to give his team a chance, especially on the road where the Blues have been decent with a 2-1-0 record.

Toronto, on the other hand, is averaging 3.14 goals per game and has a more potent offense, led by William Nylander who has 7 points, including 5 goals. Nylander’s ability to find the back of the net, coupled with Mitch Marner's 6 assists, gives the Leafs a balanced attack. Toronto will aim to exploit the Blues' penalty kill, which has been shaky, especially considering the Maple Leafs' 13.0% power play success rate is still looking to hit its stride.

Defensively, Toronto has been sharper than the Blues, allowing 2.71 goals per game while generating a solid 31.6 shots per contest. Anthony Stolarz has been excellent in net with a 1.83 goals-against average and a .938 save percentage. With the Maple Leafs' 86.7% penalty kill, they should have the upper hand on special teams, particularly if they can draw penalties from the Blues, who have accumulated 49 penalty minutes this season.

Toronto’s offense will likely be too much for the Blues to handle, especially given St. Louis’ struggles on special teams and defensive inconsistencies. The Maple Leafs, with a solid home record and superior goaltending, should secure the win.

Final Score Prediction: Toronto Maple Leafs win 4-2.