Welcome back to NHL Predictions. Each day, Last Word on Hockey takes a look at the games that are scheduled then offers insight and analysis to help predict who will be victorious in head-to-head matchups. Today we are looking at the game between the Seattle Kraken vs. Vancouver Canucks. Be sure to check out more NHL Predictions as the 2024-25 season continues.
NHL Predictions
Seattle Kraken vs.Vancouver Canucks
Time: 4:00 p.m Eastern Standard Time (EST)
TV: SNP, KHN, KING 5, KONG; ESPN+
The NHL is back in action after the holiday break with a game between two Pacific Division teams looking to pick up some more wins as the calendar heads towards 2025. Today the Kraken (15-19-2) face-off against the Canucks (17-10-7). This is the first of four meetings between these divisional foes. They will also meet again four days after this matchup. Who will set the tone in this game today?
Seattle Has Lost Five Straight
For the Seattle Kraken this is the final game of a four game road trip. So far they have lost the first three, and five games in a row overall. This continues a troubling trend for the Kraken as they have struggled on the road so far this season going 7-11-0. The hope will be that after a holiday break to reset they can end this road trip on a positive note with a win.
While the season as a whole has been underwhelming in Seattle their is some young talent that could help the Kraken come away with a victory today. The first is centre Shane Wright. The former fourth overall pick has started to find his stride in his first full season. He has 16 points in 33 games with 9 of those points coming in December. Look for him to continue his hot stretch today. The other player is Kaapo Kakko. The recently acquired forward has only played 3 games with his new team but, the Kraken seem intent to give him every opportunity to succeed. He scored his first goal in a Seattle sweater in the last game before the break against the Colorado Avalanche.
Hughes Stepping up Amidst All The Noise
The Vancouver Canucks have had a very noisy December. One big news piece was the return of goaltender Thatcher Demko. So far he has started five games going 2-1-2. The other was the return of J.T. Miller. He has 5 points in 7 games since his return. However. Miller’s returned coincided with with a report that he and Elias Pettersson may not be getting along. This has caused a bit of a media storm around the Canucks in recent weeks. No one will know how much it is affecting performance but Vancouver will need to find a way to move past it.
Through it all the Canucks have had one constant, captain Quinn Hughes. After winning the Norris Trophy last season he is putting up another stellar season. He has 34 assists and 42 points in 34 games to lead the team in both categories. It isn’t just the surface numbers where Hughes is thriving. Averaging over 25 minutes of ice time a night he is controlling play for the Canucks whenever he is out there. He has a CF% of 58.5, and is top-10 in Average Game Score with a 1.75 according to HockeyStatsCards.com. Unfortunately for Vancouver it seems that Hughes and Pettersson are doubtful to play today.
Prediction
Both of these teams desperately need a win. The Kraken need a win to put an end to their losing streak. The Canucks need a win to quiet some of the noise in their market. Being the first game between division rivals adds even more importance. On paper the Canucks would seem to have the edge. They have better special teams and more star players. However, with the injuries to Hughes and Pettersson the Kraken will be on a much more level playing field. Plus you never know how teams will come out after a break.
Prediction: Kraken win 4-3
Prop Bets of The Night
As mentioned Shane Wright has been having a great month of December. He is +380 to score in the game today. Even with Vancouver’s injuries the Kraken are still underdogs on the money line at +104. There could be value there.
Main photo by: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images
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The post NHL Predictions: Dec.28 Seattle Kraken vs. Vancouver Canucks appeared first on Last Word On Hockey.