Kraken vs Predators Odds, Predictions and NHL Best Bet

• The Nashville Predators (0-0-0) host the Seattle Kraken (0-1-0) on Thursday at 8pm ET on NHL Network
• The Kraken lost their first game in franchise history to the Vegas Golden Knights
• Below are the odds and team previews to help settle on the best bet available

The Seattle Kraken crossed off a lot of franchise firsts in their first ever game, but a win wasn’t one of them.

They’ll get another chance on Thursday night in Nashville when they take the ice for game number two. The Predators are slight favorites as they open up the season on home ice. Finding the edge is a little tougher when one team has such a limited track history, but a deep dive into both clubs shows there’s definitely a great value bet on the board.

Kraken vs Predators Odds

Odds as of October 13th at DraftKings

Kraken Competitive in Debut

When Seattle fell behind Vegas 3-0 early in their first regular season game, it seemed like all hope was lost. Instead, the newly constructed team showed fight and erased the three-goal deficit tying the game at three. The fairytale ending stopped there, as the Golden Knights scored the game-winning goal only 35 seconds later. Still, it was a very exciting introduction to competitive NHL hockey.

https://twitter.com/SeattleKraken/status/1448148311618191360?s=20

Could game number two be the time to make the Kraken one of your NHL picks? To win that bet Philipp Grubauer will need to be much better.

He allowed four goals on 30 shots against the Golden Knights which was a disappointing first start for the best player on the roster. Grubauer shocked the hockey world when he signed with Seattle in free agency and is expected to help them be competitive right away. He signed for six years and $35.4 million after compiling a 1.95 goals against average and .922 save percentage last year.

Back door sliding save by Grubauer. Doesn't take a great route to the puck. Not sure if he knew there was a guy back door. (TV broadcasts: on replays of saves, try to show the goalie earlier. It would give people a way better understanding of the position.) #threesavesaday pic.twitter.com/5AHzbVqA9n

— Rob Gherson (@goalie_school) October 13, 2021

While the Kraken are a much different team than the Avalanche, Grubauer should be trusted to solidify things in goal.

One additional reason Grubauer will need to be better is the lack of scoring punch up front. With a top line that consists of Jaden Schwartz, Jared McCann and Jordan Eberle, games will have to low scoring to result in wins. Yanni Gourde will help once he returns from injury, but until then the game plan needs to be strictly defensive.

Predators Carry Momentum into Season

The Predators signed two key players to four-year contract extensions in the offseason. Defenseman Mattias Ekholm announced his extension Wednesday, signing for $5 million per season. He will continue to be one of the steady forces on a back end that includes Roman Josi, who is one of the best in game.

Four more years for experienced defender Mattias Ekholm with the @PredsNHL. ✍️ #NHLFaceOff

Read more ➡️ https://t.co/SsafOwCnBt pic.twitter.com/ysRfyRs6BE

— NHL (@NHL) October 13, 2021

Nashville also signed Jusse Saros to an extension this summer, a deal worth $4 million per season, which could be one of the best bargains in the league. He finished last season with a .927 save percentage which was fourth best in the league. Taking the reigns from the now-retired Pekka Rinne, Saros will be tasked with making big stops in tight games.

Much like the Kraken, the Predators are not an elite unit up front and will need to win games with elite play in their own zone.

Many NHL predictions have the Predators finishing outside the playoffs now that they are back in the stacked Central Division, but Saros could be the key to proving the doubters wrong.

Trust The Goalies in Season Opener

There’s a little extra juice at -120 but betting on the under in this game is the smart play. Trusting Grubauer and Saros against these two modest offensive lineups should pay dividends. It’s fun to bet on goals to be scored but it’s more fun to make a wager that puts money in your pocket. These two goalies are among the leaders in the Vezina Trophy odds for a reason. Take the under and don’t think twice.

The Pick: Under 6 (-120)