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The NHL season kicks off in earnest as the St. Louis Blues visit the Seatle Kraken. It is time to continue our NHL odds series with a Blues-Kraken prediction and pick.
The 2023-24 St. Louis Blues finished just outside the playoffs. They would go 43-33-6, finishing with 92 points, and in ninth place in the Western Conference. It was the second straight year the Blues missed the playoffs after making the playoffs in ten of the 11 previous seasons. They did bring in a few new parts, bringing in Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway in the offseason.
Meanwhile, the Kraken finished their third season since joining the NHL. After a struggle of a first year, sitting 15th in the Western Conference, the Kraken made the playoffs in the 2022-23 season. Last year was a step back though. They would go 34-35-13 last year, sitting 12th in the west. They bring in a new head coach this year, hiring Daniel Bylsma. Bylsma won the Stanely Cup in 2009 with the Penguins and brought them to the playoffs in all six of his seasons there. He would struggle in his next stop, missing the playoffs both years in Buffalo.
Here are the NHL odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NHL Odds: Blues-Kraken Odds
St. Louis Blues: +1.5 (-220)
Moneyline: +118
Settle Kraken: -1.5 (+180)
Moneyline: -142
Over: 5.5 (-128)
Under: 5.5 (+104)
How To Watch Blues vs Kraken
Time: 4:30 PM ET/ 1:30 PM PT
Article Continues Below
TV: ESPN
Stream: fuboTV (Free Trial)
Why the Blues Could Cover the Spread/Win
Newcome Dylan Holloway will join the top line with Robert Thomas and Jake Neighbours. Thomas led the team in points last year. He scored 26 goals and 60 assists last year, good for 86 total points. Further, he has had goals and 19 assists on the power play. Meanwhile, Neighbours scored 27 goals with 11 assists in 77 games. He also had eight power-play goals and six assists. Holloway has spent the last two years in Edmonton, scoring nine goals and having nine assists in 89 total games.
Still, this move allows Pavel Buchnevich and Jordan Kyrou to join forces on the second line. Kyrou led the team with 31 goals last year while having 36 assists. He has eight goals and 13 assists on the power play. Buchnevich had 27 goals and 36 assists last year, good for a third-ranked 63 points. He also had eight goals on the power play, with ten assists. The Blues also bring back top defenseman Nick Leddy. Leddy has three goals and 25 assists while leading the team in plus/minus with a plus-14 rating last year.
The Blues are expected to send Jordan Binnington to tend the twine in this one. Binnington was solid last year. He went 28-21-5 last season with a 2.84 goals-against average and a .913 save percentage. He also had three shutouts. Binnington was tenth in the NHL in wins while also sitting tied for tenth in save percentage. Last year, Binnington faced the Kraken twice. Giving up four goals on 67 shots and taking the win in both meetings.
Why the Kraken Could Cover the Spread/Win
The Seattle Kraken return their top line of Jaren McCann, Jordan Eberley, and Matty Beniers. McCann led the team in points and goals last year. He has 29 goals, 33 assists, and 62 total points last year. Further, he scored nine times with 14 assists on the power play, while also having two shorthanded goals. Meanwhile, Eberle had 17 goals, 27 assists, and 44 total points last year. He has six goals and six assists on the power play. Finally, Beniers had 15 goals and 22 assists last year, good for 37 total points.
The Kraken also bring back their top assist man from last year. Oliver Bjrokstrand will return on the third line. He had 20 goals last year with 39 assists, sitting him second on the team with 59 total points. The Kraken also bring back their top defensive pairing. Vince Dunn will lead the duo. In 59 games last year, he had a plus-eight rating, tied for the best on the team. Further, he scored 11 times and has 35 assists, sitting third on the team with 46 total points. Further, Adam Larsson had a plus-six rating last year, plus four goals and 14 assists.
Joey Daccord is expected to be in goal for the Kraken. Daccord started 50 games for the Kraken last year, going 19-18-11 last year with a 2.46 goals against average and a .916 save percentage. Daccord was sixth in goals against average in the NHL and tied for fifth in goals against average. Daccord struggled against the Blues last year. He made three starts against the Blues, giving up eight goals on 70 shots, losing all three games, with two being in overtime.
Final Blues-Kraken Prediction & Pick
The Kraken are the odds favorite against the Blues in their first game of the NHL season. Still, the Blues have more firepower than the Kraken in this one. The move to bring in Dylan Holloway gives the Blues two full lines of offensive weapons to put up goals. Further, while Joey Daccord was the better goalie last year, he struggled against the Blues last season. This should be a solid match-up between two great goalies, but the Blues offense will be the difference in this one, taking the win.
Final Blues-Kraken Prediction & Pick: Blues ML (+118)
