Vegas Golden Knights - Seattle Kraken predictions and free betting tips [11/10/2023]

At 2:50 AM GMT, the ice arena of T-Mobile will witness the opening match of the National Hockey League (NHL) between the Vegas Golden Knights and the Seattle Kraken as part of the Western Conference. The Vegas team, having recently clinched the Stanley Cup, aims to hold on to their prime spots. Conversely, the Seattle Kraken, seeking to validate their feats from the previous season, are keen to triumph in this inaugural matchup. The upcoming encounter on the first game night of the season promises to be a serious test for both teams and potentially set the further course of their regular championship performance.

Seattle Kraken

Seattle Kraken have already overcome being the league's rookies. Last season, they demonstrated remarkable results, rounding off the season with a 46-28-8 score and scoring 100 points, which propelled them into the second playoff round of the Western Conference. Now, under the steering of coach Dave Hakstol, entering his third season with the team, they yearn for more achievement. The team's balanced attacking potential led by Jared McCann, who amassed 70 points, poses a power to be reckoned against adversaries. Matty Beniers, last year's holder of the Calder Trophy, brings depth and skill to the team. Nevertheless, the departure of Ryan Donato, Morgan Geekie, and Daniel Sprong markedly hit the team’s attacking potency. Kraken responded to this by signing Kailer Yamamoto, who performed well for Edmonton Oilers last season. The team's goal for the season is clear-cut: to maintain a balanced attack and tune up defence.

Last season, the Kraken ranked 21st both in power play efficiency and penalty killing. McCann led the team with 7 power-play goals, but there is room for improvement. The arrival of Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, exceptional at faceoffs, should bolster penalty killing. On the defensive front, watch out for Ryker Evans, who may make the transition to the NHL this season. In the net, Joey Daccord vies for the backup goalie role behind Philipp Grubauer after nicely featuring in the AHL. Kraken have all the ingredients for another deep playoff run; it now depends on how well they can harness their potential.

Vegas Golden Knights

After the ceremonious lifting of the Stanley Cup, Vegas has to adjust differently. In his second season, coach Bruce Cassidy confronts the task of maintaining the team's morale following their championship triumph. With the bar set high from last season's record 51-22-9 and 111 points, the Golden Knights have a roster capable of repeating last year's success. A keynote in this setup is their goal-tending. Adin Hill, carrying a new two-year contract, is expected to claim the starting spot. His playoff performance was impressive, with an average of 2.17 goals against and a save percentage of 93.2%. Logan Thompson, likely backup and last season's star, may share the crease with Hill. Player fitness is another critical factor; the team's ability to avoid injuries last year significantly contributed to their success.

Several new faces have appeared in the Knights roster, including Pavel Dorofeev, Paul Cotter, and Brendan Brisson, who vie for spots in the regular lineup. Dorofeev and Cotter aim to replace Riley Smith on the left wing, while Brisson, a 2020 first-rounder, shows good promise at training camp. On defence, Ben Hutton and Kaedan Korczak compete for the seventh defenceman position, especially considering the uncertain status of Zach Whitecloud due to a pre-season injury. The Knights also have depth in the form of Cotter and Dorofeev, who together could net 25 goals.

Match prediction: Vegas Golden Knights - Seattle Kraken

In the forthcoming contest, the Vegas Golden Knights and the Seattle Kraken clash at the T-Mobile arena. Vegas, as fresh Stanley Cup champions, come into the match in prime form with a robust lineup. Their goaltender duo of Hill and Thompson is ready to withstand the Kraken attacks, while their squad depth promises to keep the game pace high. On the other hand, Seattle Kraken, backed by an enhanced roster and a desire to affirm their status, are prepared to put up a fight. However, the experience and depth of the Vegas lineup could prove pivotal in this encounter.