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Posted at 1:30 PM EST

Winnipeg +109 over Calgary (Series)

Qualifying Round - NHL Best of 5 - Rogers Arena, Edmonton, AB

Series opens on Saturday, August 1. 

10:30 PM EST. This is perhaps the most anticipated qualifying round series from the purely on-ice perspective, as many pundits are calling this one a coin-flip.

The Flames are being touted as the "deeper" team here, mostly because of a defence core that features Mark Giordano, Noel Hanifin and T.J. Brodie. However, it is worth noting that Travis Hamonic has opted to sit out of Calgary's mad dash for the cup. While the Flames sport a quality blueline, we can't help but think the Jets are being disrespected here. Winnipeg's top pairing of Josh Morrissey and Dylan DeMelo is more than capable of shutting down the Flames' big guns. At the same time, Dmitri Kulikov and Neal Pionk improved as the season unfolded and they were given larger roles in the absence of Dustin Byfuglien.

Both the Flames and Jets feature high profile forwards, but Winnipeg rolls three lines deep, while Calgary does not. Could the Flames' top line of Johnny Gaudreau, Sean Monahan and Elias Lindholm outscore Kyle Connor, Mark Scheifele and Blake Wheeler? Absolutely, but it is after that where the Jets have the edge with quality goal scorers in Patrik Laine and Nik Ehlers. Ehlers would be far more well known around the league if not for his high profile linemate. Matthew Tkachuk is no doubt the next evolution of the "player you love to hate," but with that reputation comes a big target from the officials.

Readers of this space know that at the end of the day, we trust more than anything that goaltending plays the biggest role in the outcome of games and to that point, Winnipeg again has the advantage and it's not close. As of this writing, it is still unclear who will mind the net for the Flames. We're pretty sure it doesn't matter. Connor Hellebuyck has arguably been the best goaltender in the NHL this season and he did not appear to miss a beat in a 4-1 exhibition win over Vancouver on Monday night. The Flames will have to hold their nose no matter who they send out. Both David Rittich and Cam Talbot have gotten hot from time to time, but it is unlikely one will flip that switch. In a five-game series, if you've got two goalies, you've got no goalies.

At most outfits, this series opened as a pick 'em, so it appeared the oddsmakers agreed with the talking heads. Do you know who didn't? The market. The Flames are now favored in this series and that is not right. Top to bottom and where it matters most, between the pipes, the Jets are the superior side, which presents us with an overlay that we will pounce on.

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