Kings vs Predators Odds, Picks, and Predictions Tonight: L.A. Sees Its Fortunes Improve

The Kings have been slumping lately, but lots of their underlying stats suggest they're due to snap out of it. See why our NHL picks think the Predators are the team it happens against.

Neil Parker - Analyst at Covers.com
Neil Parker • Betting Analyst
Jan 31, 2024 • 13:06 ET • 4 min read
Information icon

This article contains predictions for an old game!

Latest NHL Picks
Adrian Kempe NHL
Photo By - USA TODAY Sports

The Los Angeles Kings visit the Nashville Predators at Bridgestone Arena on Wednesday, and our free NHL picks will set you up for the action.

Los Angeles is mired in a miserable slump with just two regulation wins across its past 16 games, while Nashville hasn’t fared much better. The Predators have dropped five of their past seven, and just when it looked like No. 1 goalie Juuse Saros was finding a groove, he allowed four unanswered goals in losing fashion to the Ottawa Senators on Monday.

The Kings are a short road favorite in the NHL odds for Wednesday’s tilt, and here's our breakdown of the Kings vs. Predators showdown in Smashville on January 31.

Kings vs Predators odds

Kings vs Predators predictions

An active 2-8-6 stretch has the Los Angeles Kings looking more like the court jester, but their underlying numbers remain among the NHL’s royalty. Poor shooting efficiency has been the main culprit for the L.A. decline, and a league-low 94.1 PDO at five-on-five has positive regression ahead.

Kings Five-on-five CF% xGF% SH% SV% PDO
First 31 games 56.7% 58.4% 8.9% .917 100.6
Last 16 games 54.3% 51.9% 4.9% .892 94.1

The Kings have remained a solid possession team at 5-on-5, and they’ve continued to win the expected goals battle. Goaltending has certainly been a shortcoming during the highlighted stretch, but dropping to a 4.9 team shooting percentage has been the biggest blow. For comparison, only the lowly Chicago Blackhawks have a lower mark (4.2%).

Additionally, while Los Angeles was a ripe candidate for statistical correction, the pendulum has swung too far in the opposite direction. The Kings have generated the fifth-most expected goals (2.8) per 60 minutes at 5-on-5 over the highlighted 16 games, but they’ve scored the third-fewest (1.61).

Interestingly, L.A. has actually seen its power-play percentage climb from 19.4% to 25.5% over the highlighted time spans while the penalty-kill percentage has held strong at league-best 87.0% throughout.

Additionally, even with the horrible run, Los Angeles still ranks among the league’s best at 5-on-5 with a third-ranked 55.8 CF% and second-ranked 56.1 xGF% for the season. The Kings sitting in 28th place with a 98.3 PDO also reinforces there is statistical correction ahead, and especially to their 28th-ranked 7.5 team shooting percentage.

With the Nashville Predators generally a run-of-the-mill team and inferior to the Kings in all of the discussed metrics except team shooting and team save percentages, I’m backing Los Angeles on Wednesday. 

My best bet: Kings moneyline (-114 at Pinnacle)

Kings vs Predators same-game parlay

Kings moneyline

Under 6.5

I’m not anticipating the Los Angeles offense suddenly exploding and filling the net Wednesday. Nashville ranks ninth in goals against (2.37) and 11th in expected goals against (2.47) per 60 at 5-on-5, and as mentioned, No. 1 goalie Juuse Saros has been better of late with a .922 save percentage across his past seven starts. 

Even with the noted poor goaltending the Kings have received during the skid, they still allow the 11th-fewest goals (2.43) and fifth-fewest xGA (2.33) per 60 at 5-on-5.

Plus, there are a pair of notable Under trends. The total has gone Under the number in seven of Nashville’s past eight games, and Los Angeles has played to the Under in 10 of its past 14 on the highway.

Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.

Best NHL bonuses for Kings vs Predators

bet365 All Users
Instant payout for NHL moneylines
If your team goes up by 3+! Claim Now

BetMGM New Users
Wager $5 on any market
Get $158 in bonus bets! Claim Now

Eligible USA locations only. Also, see our full list of best sportsbook promotions for 2024.
21+. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER

Kings vs Predators moneyline and Over/Under analysis

There have been minor moves to the moneyline since opening. Pinnacle opened Los Angeles -116 and the chalk climbed to -122 this morning before there was buyback on Nashville to land at the current LA -114 line. It was similar at bet365, with the Kings opening at -110 and moving to -120 before settling at -115 as of Wednesday afternoon.

With Saros projected as the probable starter for the Preds, I’m not anticipating any notable movement ahead of puck drop, either.

This total doesn’t have a consensus number, so it’s a little more interesting than the moneyline. As noted, there are multiple trends pointing to the Under, so it isn’t surprising to see sportsbooks hanging a 5.5 number with the higher vig on the Over. However, a 6.0 total with a higher vig on the Under is what the majority of shops are offering as of Wednesday afternoon.

Kings vs Predators betting trend to know

The total has gone Under the number in seven of the past eight Nashville games. Find more NHL betting trends for Kings vs. Predators.

Not intended for use in MA.
Affiliate Disclosure: Covers may receive advertising commissions for visits to a sportsbook or betting site
.

Kings vs Predators game info

Location: Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, TN
Date: Wednesday, January 31, 2024
Puck drop: 7:30 p.m. ET
TV: TNT

Kings vs Predators latest injuries

Google News
Stay updated with the latest picks, odds, and news! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News to never miss a story.

Pages related to this topic

Betting Analyst

Neil Parker is, first and foremost, a sports fan. A huge supporter of the Cowboys, Cubs, and Maple Leafs, he has managed to parlay his passion into writing gigs with Sportsbook Review, USA TODAY, theScore, DraftKings Playbook, and RotoWire, among many others. He also co-hosted the Daily Fantasy Edge podcast and can now be seen offering expert golf and hockey advice on Covers’ Before you Bet broadcast.

Neil takes a numbers-based approach to his handicapping and complements his in-depth statistical analysis with a keen eye on the markets to provide the best available odds. He loves to lean on his rolodex of idioms to offset his inner nerd. When it comes to wagering, he throws down on anything that catches his eye at bet365, Betway and BetVictor. He also keeps a close eye on CoolBet because the polar bear brand often has outlier NHL and NFL moneyline prices.

Neil graduated with honors from St. Thomas University in 2007 before completing his BEd at Acadia University in 2010. After teaching a myriad of courses and subjects, he found a groove delivering fun lessons to exceptional learners in non-traditional classroom environments. If his decade-plus teaching run taught him anything about sports betting, it’s to stay the course and use the summer – or offseason – to refresh and prepare to be better in the year to come.

Neil’s top pieces of advice for recreational bettors are to stay within your means and to remember sportsbooks aren’t bank accounts. Don’t be afraid to pull those winnings and treat yourself to a lifetime experience courtesy of a big win.

Popular Content

Legal Canadian sports betting

Best Canadian betting sites Ontario sports betting
Covers 25 Years Logo Established in 1995,
Covers is the world
leader in sports
betting information.
Covers is verified safe by: Evalon Logo GPWA Logo GDPR Logo GeoTrust Logo Evalon Logo