NHL betting preview (March 19): Kraken vs. Wild odds
Join Daily Faceoff’s Andy MacNeil as he handicaps Wednesday’s matchup between the Seattle Kraken and Minnesota Wild.
Kraken vs. Wild Odds
- Seattle Kraken Moneyline: +140
- Minnesota Wild Moneyline: -165
- Puck Line: Kraken +1.5 (-180), Wild -1.5 (+145)
- Game Total: 5.5 (Over -115, Under -105)
Game odds via Sports Interaction.
Handicapping the Kraken (30-39 SU, 34-35 ATS, 33-31-5 O/U)
Seattle faces a tough challenge on Wednesday after rolling over the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday. The Kraken opened their four-game road trip by rallying from a 2-0 deficit to defeat Chicago 6-2, marking their fourth win in six games. However, they’ve struggled against the Wild, losing seven of their last 10 meetings.
That said, Seattle has been solid at five-on-five, with an offense that’s held its own. While the Kraken rank in the bottom 10 in expected goals percentage since Feb. 1, they sit just outside the top 10 in shot attempt percentage and rank 16th in goal share at five-on-five. Over the past six weeks, they rank 12th in goals per 60 minutes (all situations) but have also been the league’s 12th-worst defensive team during that span.
Seattle is 14-19 on the road this season, but from a betting standpoint, they haven’t been a total liability. After Tuesday’s win in Chicago, the Kraken have a chance to climb into the black on the road. They’ve won just 11 of 27 games as road underdogs this season, but if you had bet on them in all of those games, you’d only be down about 0.3 units. A win over the Wild would make them a profitable moneyline bet in that role.
The potential downside? Philipp Grubauer is expected to start Wednesday. While he’s won his last two outings, he has just seven wins in 23 games this season, posting a .872 save percentage and a 3.61 goals-against average.
Handicapping the Wild (38-30 SU, 33-35 ATS, 29-36-3 O/U)
Minnesota has lost seven of its last 11 games, including three of five on its current seven-game homestand. That’s no surprise, as the Wild remain without key players due to injury. Kirill Kaprizov hasn’t played since Jan. 26, Joel Eriksson Ek since Feb. 22, and Jonas Brodin has missed the last eight games.
According to Evolving Hockey, the Wild rank 25th in expected goals percentage, 27th in shot attempt percentage, and dead last in goal share at five-on-five over the last six weeks. No team has been worse offensively, five-on-five or otherwise. While Minnesota has played respectable even-strength defense, it ranks 17th in goals against per 60 minutes in all situations.
On special teams, the Wild have converted 26.2 percent of their power plays since Feb. 1, putting them just outside the top 10. However, their penalty kill has been among the league’s worst, successfully killing just 72.9 percent of penalties over that span.
From a betting perspective, the Wild have been strong on the road but unreliable at home, going 16-15-2. They’ve won just 13 of 22 games as a home favorite.
Best bets for Kraken vs. Wild
- Over 5.5 Goals (-115) at Sports Interaction
Minnesota and Seattle have hit the over in six of their last 10 meetings (6-3-1), including four straight. The Kraken edged the Wild 5-4 in a shootout on Oct. 12 but fell 4-3 in their more recent matchup on March 4. Seattle’s offense has been far more effective than Minnesota’s, but with Grubauer expected to start, the Wild should have more scoring opportunities. In short, this game has all the makings of another over.