Kings vs Avalanche Preview, Schedule, Odds & Series Leader Bets

• The Avalanche are the heaviest favorites of any Round 1 series this year
• Game 1 is set for Sunday, April 19 at Ball Arena in Denver
• See my Kings vs Avalanche preview, schedule, odds and best series leader bets below

Anze Kopitar’s 20-year career with the Kings ends this postseason, and he drew the worst possible send-off matchup. The Presidents’ Trophy-winning Colorado Avalanche are waiting in Round 1, and Caesars is extremely bullish on the Avs, pricing them as -600 series favorites.

Colorado (55-16-11, 121 pts) swept the Kings (35-27-20, 90 pts) 3-0 in the regular season series and outscored them 13-5. That 31-point gap in the standings is the widest of any first-round matchup. For the full bracket, check out our NHL playoff bracket.

Below is my Kings vs Avalanche preview with the full series schedule, odds breakdown and best bets.

Kings vs Avalanche Round 1 Odds

The Kings vs Avalanche odds at Caesars show Colorado as a massive -600 series favorite, translating to an 85.7% implied probability to advance. That’s the steepest price on the entire Round 1 board. LA’s +450 underdog number gives the Kings just a 18.2% implied chance to pull the upset.

Caesars is notably more bullish on the Avs than DraftKings, which had Colorado at -380 earlier this week. The correct score market has Colorado in 5 as the favorite at +230, while the Avs in 4 (sweep) is +300.

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Kings vs Avalanche Series Schedule

*If necessary.

Kings vs Avalanche Series Preview

This is as close to a mismatch as Round 1 gets. Nathan MacKinnon finished the regular season with 127 points (53 goals, 74 assists), Martin Necas cracked the 100-point mark, and Cale Makar put up 79 points from the blueline. Colorado’s top three alone outproduced the entire Kings’ top line.

Scott Wedgewood was one of the best goalies in the NHL this season, going 31-6-6 with a 2.02 GAA and .921 save percentage. LA’s Darcy Kuemper (.891 SV%) and Anton Forsberg (.910 SV%) don’t come close to matching that.

Kings vs Avalanche Team Comparison

LA’s penalty kill at 74.6% is the worst among any playoff team, and it fell to a horrific 62.5% in three games against Colorado this season. The Kings only managed 5 goals total in three meetings. If LA takes penalties in this series, MacKinnon and Makar will bury them.

The Kings’ only path is making this ugly. Adrian Kempe (73 pts) is their lone true star, but LA went 6-2-2 over its final 10 games and plays a grinding, low-event style that can frustrate skilled opponents. Artemi Panarin (27 pts in 26 games) is the wildcard if he’s healthy and in the lineup.

Kopitar’s retirement tour adds an emotional layer. The Kings captain is playing his final NHL season and will want to go out with one more playoff push, but wanting it and beating a 121-point juggernaut are two very different things.

Kings vs Avalanche Best Series Leader Bets

• Nathan MacKinnon Series Goal Leader (+105)

MacKinnon is the favorite in this market for good reason. He scored 53 goals this season and had at least one goal in all three regular season meetings with LA. At near even money, there’s no reason to overthink this one.

• Cale Makar Series Point Leader (+360)

MacKinnon is -105 in the point leader market, but Makar at +360 is interesting value. The Avs’ blueline QB had 79 points and 59 assists this season, and he racks up power-play points at a ridiculous rate. Against the worst PK in the playoffs, Makar could feast.

Kings vs Avalanche Prediction

• Avalanche in 5 (+230 at Caesars)

I’m not laying -600 on any series. For my Kings vs Avalanche prediction, I’m going with the correct score at Colorado in 5 for +230. The Avs swept the regular season series, have the best player, the best goalie and the best PK. LA’s penalty kill is going to get shredded.

The Kings will steal one game on grit and Kopitar’s sheer willpower, but they don’t have the firepower to beat Wedgewood more than once. Colorado in 5 at +230 is a much smarter play than the moneyline, and it’s the most likely outcome in the series correct score market.