NHL Best Bets: Kraken vs. Maple Leafs Game Picks

Two teams off to solid starts will face off tonight, with the Seattle Kraken paying a visit to the Toronto Maple Leafs.

All Odds Courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook

Seattle Kraken (+184) vs. Toronto Maple Leafs (-225) Total: 6.5 (O -108, U -114)

There’s much to like about the Kraken and Maple Leafs entering this matchup. After a dismal first season, expectations weren’t high for the Kraken entering 2022-23, but they’ve posted a 20-12-4 record, good for the third in the Pacific Division. This will be the first of two meetings between the clubs over the next two months. The Kraken enter with two straight victories and a 5-4-1 record over their last ten games. Meanwhile, the Maple Leafs have continued their consistent play, owning a 6-3-1 record over that same sample size. 

The Kraken have been a strong road team, posting a 10-4-2 record as the visitors. That should give bettors some confidence, especially considering their moneyline price of +184 compared to the Maple Leafs’ -225. There’s a reason that the Maple Leafs have the fourth-best record, but the Kraken present a unique challenge.

Looking toward the projected goalie matchup, the visiting Kraken should continue riding Martin Jones, while the Maple Leafs should do the same with Matt Murray. Jones has taken over the crease for the Kraken, posting a 16-5-3 record with a .890 save percentage, while Murray is 9-3-2 with a .920 save percentage. 

These teams are likely more evenly matched than the moneyline indicates, so there should be some value with the visitors. With the Kraken’s road success, it’s hard to fade them at +184. 

Best Bet: Kraken moneyline (+184) 

Three of the last five Kraken games have seen seven or more goals scored, while each of the previous five Maple Leafs’ games has exceeded that number. Toronto has been scoring at a high clip, but they’ve also allowed goals at a higher rate than earlier in the year. That should contribute to a higher-scoring matchup, especially considering that the Kraken boast the fifth-highest-scoring offense in the NHL. As a result, there’s definite value in siding with the over 6.5 tonight, currently priced at -108. 

Best Bet: Over 6.5 (-108)

Looking back to Seattle’s expansion draft, before their selection from Toronto, the Maple Leafs had acquired Jared McCann from the Pittsburgh Penguins to protect other players on their roster. McCann has been integral to the Kraken’s offense, leading the way with 17 goals in 33 games. The Kraken will need all their offensive weapons playing a role tonight, so McCann should take center stage and be worth targeting. It’s not often you can get a goal scorer at a price like this, which should make buying into McCann’s +235 odds to score a solid value play. 

Best Prop: Jared McCann to Record Over 0.5 Goals (+235)