The Edmonton Oilers own an impressive 7-2-1 record over the past 10 games – and without the scoring aid of Connor McDavid.
My Oilers vs. Kraken predictions see the captain snapping out of his scoring funk and leading the charge in another winning effort for the Oilers.
Let’s take a closer look at my NHL picks for January 4.
Oilers vs Kraken prediction
My Oilers pick
Connor McDavid Over 0.5 goals (+135 at BET99)
My Oilers analysis
The NHL’s best player is in the midst of a dry spell – at least as far as goal scoring goes. He’s scored just one time over the past 10 games and has gone six consecutive games without finding the back of the net, his longest such streak of the season.
Connor McDavid has a golden opportunity to snap out of this drought Saturday night in Seattle. The Seattle Kraken are playing truly terrible defensive hockey at 5v5, ranking dead last in expected goals against – and 27th in shot suppression – over the last 10 games.
The Kraken also rank last in shot share during the same period of time, meaning they’re spending plenty of time on their heels and absorbing a lot more shots than they’re generating.
That is a recipe for disaster going up against McDavid. The Edmonton Oilers have controlled nearly 60% of the shots during McDavid’s 5v5 minutes this season. That’s the best total on the team and ranks him 8th among the 350 most-played forwards in the NHL.
Given the Kraken’s defensive woes, they’re unlikely to stop McDavid from tilting the ice in his team’s favor seemingly every time over the boards. That should lead to plenty of scoring opportunities for McDavid.
It’ll be tough for the Kraken to reliably get saves on those chances. Starter Joey Daccord has been nursing an injury and didn’t skate Friday, likely an indication he’s still not ready to return.
Daccord has performed admirably this season, posting a .912 save percentage and ranking Top-10 in Goals Saved Above Expected.
It’s been a much different story for Philipp Grubauer. The veteran netminder has an .877 save percentage and sits 81st in GSAE. Shooting on him would be a big plus for McDavid.
McDavid owns an excellent track record against Seattle as well. He has consistently punished them on the scoreboard, finding the back of the net in seven of the last 10 meetings.
Oilers vs Kraken same-game parlay (SGP)
Connor McDavid Over 0.5 goals
Zach Hyman Over 0.5 points
Edmonton Oilers moneyline
Zach Hyman started the season slowly, but he is firing on all cylinders now. Hyman has hit the scoresheet in 11 of his past 13 games, putting up more multi-point efforts than zeros along the way.
He is riding shotgun with McDavid at 5v5 as well as on the power play, giving him a heavy correlation with McDavid. If 97 scores, there’s a solid chance Hyman gets in on the fun.
Hyman has gone nuclear against the Kraken in recent meetings, totaling 15 points over the last eight games.
Neither team takes many penalties, so there should be a ton of 5v5 play in this game, which certainly favors the Oilers.
They’ve been one of the league’s best teams at full strength, while the Kraken has posted a 40.98% xG share (31st) in the past 10 games.
Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.
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Oilers vs Kraken odds
Oilers vs Kraken live odds
Oilers vs Kraken opening odds
- Puck line: Edmonton -1.5 (+149) | Seattle +1.5 (-173)
- Moneyline: Edmonton (-173) | Seattle (+152)
- Over/Under: Over 6.5 (+102) | Under 6.5 (-117)
Odds courtesy of BET99
Oilers vs Kraken trend
McDavid has scored in four of his past six trips to Seattle. Find more NHL betting trends for Oilers vs. Kraken. Find more NHL betting trends for Oilers vs. Kraken.
How to watch Oilers vs Kraken
| Location: | Climate Pledge Arena, Seattle, WA |
| Date: | Saturday, 1-4-2025 |
| Puck drop: | 10:00 p.m. ET |
| TV: | CBC |
Oilers vs Kraken latest injuries
Not intended for use in MA.
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