NHL Odds, Preview, Prediction: Kraken vs Oilers (Thursday, January 18)
(Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images) Pictured: Joey Daccord
Kraken vs. Oilers Odds
| Kraken Odds | +170 |
| Oilers Odds | -210 |
| Over / Under | 6.5 -115 / -105 |
The Oilers have completely reversed their fortunes since their 2-9-1 start and are riding an 11-game winning streak. Seattle's turnaround hasn't been quite as dramatic, but the Kraken have enjoyed recent success, so let's preview the upcoming contest and offer a Kraken vs. Oilers prediction.
Seattle's roller-coaster season hasn't gotten nearly as much attention as Edmonton's, but there are parallels between the two stories. The Kraken entered the campaign feeling optimistic after pushing Dallas to seven games in the second round of the 2023 playoffs, but an 8-14-7 start put Seattle's feasibility as a serious contender into question. Since then, the Kraken have bounced back and posted an 11-2-2 record over their past 15 games.
Like Edmonton, there isn't a singular reason why the Kraken have bounced back, but there is one factor that rises above the others — goaltending. Joey Daccord has been the Kraken's MVP during their resurgence, posting a 10-1-2 record, a 1.60 GAA and a .949 save percentage over his past 13 contests.
That stretch includes two shutouts and 11 games in which he's held the competition to two or fewer goals. It's also a drastic step forward from his 3-5-6 record, 2.92 GAA and .896 save percentage across his first 15 appearances of the season.
He's also seen increased goal support. Seattle might not be playing like a top-ranked offense, but its 3.33 goals per game since Dec. 12 is still a major step up from its average of 2.52 during the team's first 29 games.
No one Seattle skater has carried the squad on his back. Instead, 10 different players have each provided three to five goals over the past 15 games. That diversity of scoring threats can wear on opponents until they finally make a mistake.
That said, some of the shine might be wearing off Seattle's run. The Kraken lost their past two contests, and Thursday will be their sixth straight road game, as well as their third in four days. So, Edmonton might be facing a slightly diminished version of the Kraken.
For Edmonton, the challenge won't be fatigue so much as trying to avoid getting too comfortable, or as coach Kris Knoblauch noted, "the biggest thing is just not getting complacent." After all, Edmonton's winning streak has been going on for so long that if the Oilers beat Seattle, they'll be in a seven-way tie for the 12th-longest winning streak of all time.
Still, the Oilers haven't been playing like a satisfied team. They had to battle in overtime to beat Detroit and Montreal — both road games — on Thursday and Saturday, respectively. Then, the Oilers overcame a 2-0 deficit to beat Toronto 4-2 on Tuesday.
Of course, it helps that they have Stuart Skinner keeping them in games to facilitate those close wins and comebacks.
Skinner had a horrendous start to the campaign, posting a 1-5-1 record, a 3.87 GAA and a .854 save percentage in eight contests, but if the Vezina Trophy was awarded based only on play from Nov. 11 onward, he'd certainly be in the conversation.
The goaltender has an 18-4-0 record, a 2.16 GAA and a .920 save percentage over his past 22 appearances.
Then there's Edmonton's offense. Not that I need to sell you on the idea that a squad featuring Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl can score, but Zach Hyman is actually their top player in terms of goals. That's not a knock on McDavid or Draisaitl as Hyman has an incredible 26 goals in 39 contests (a roughly 55-goal pace per 82 outings), including 18 tallies in his past 22 games.
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Kraken vs. Oilers
Betting Pick & Prediction
Oddsmakers are treating the Kraken as heavy underdogs, which I find fascinating. Sure the game is in Edmonton and the Oilers have been amazing, but Seattle has also reversed its early fortunes, and I don't believe the odds sufficiently reflect how much better the Kraken have become. I agree that Edmonton has the edge, but not to this extent.
It's significant enough that even taking the Kraken on the puck line, where they're gifted a 1.5-goal advantage, offers a decent return. I'm going to take advantage of that and recommend Seattle because even if Edmonton manages to extend its streak, I'm still expecting this to be a close game. If you're looking for an alternate play, Under 6.5 goals is tempting given how well Skinner and Daccord have performed recently.
Pick: Seattle Kraken Puck Line -125 | Play to -135
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