Dean Etheridge
They’ve just suffered a couple of setbacks after a record run, and now the Seattle Kraken face an in-form New Jersey Devils in Washington on Thursday. Can the Kraken bounce back with a win? Let’s take a look at their chances in more detail and also name our free NHL betting picks on the big clash.
- What; NHL
- Who; Seattle Kraken vs New Jersey Devils
- Where; Climate Pledge Arena, Seattle, Washington
- When; Thursday, January 19th, 2023
- Puck Drop; 10 pm ET
Both these sides are in decent form. The Kraken are 8-2-0 across their last ten, the Devils are 7-2-1. Both also sit in second place in their respective divisions. The Kraken have surged up the Pacific Division in recent weeks, and now sit just behind the Golden Knights with games in hand. The Devils sit just one point behind the Carolina Hurricanes at the top of the Metropolitan Division.
Betting to win the 2023 Stanley Cup
When it comes to betting to win the 2023 Stanley Cup, the Devils are the side that the top sportsbooks see as the bigger threat. New Jersey is currently +1600 to win the Stanley Cup. The Kraken are longer odds at +3500.
The current favorites are still the Boston Bruins at +500. The Bruins took over from the Colorado Avalanche earlier in the season as the front runners with the best NHL betting sites.
And it’s not just the Bruins who have overtaken Colorado in the betting. The Toronto Maple Leafs are now the second favorites at +600, with the Avalanche now down in third at +750. All season we seem to have been waiting for Jared Bednar’s defending champions to get going. But as yet, the Avalanche still seems to be badly misfiring.
The above odds are taken from Bovada, who you can read more about at our Bovada sportsbook review. More betting to win the 2023 Stanley Cup can be found in our odds table below.
| Stanley Cup Winner Betting for 2023 |  |  |  |
| Boston Bruins | +500 | +500 | +500 |
| Toronto Maple Leafs | +600 | +600 | +600 |
| Colorado Avalanche | +750 | +750 | +750 |
| Carolina Hurricanes | +900 | +900 | +850 |
| Vegas Golden Knights | +1000 | +1200 | +1150 |
| Dallas Stars | +1600 | +1300 | +1200 |
| Tampa Bay Lightning | +1600 | +1400 | +1400 |
| New Jersey Devils | +1600 | +1600 | +1600 |
| Minnesota Wild | +2000 | +2000 | +2000 |
| Calgary Flames | +2200 | +1900 | +2000 |
| New York Rangers | +2200 | +2000 | +2000 |
| Edmonton Oilers | +2500 | +2500 | +2500 |
| Winnipeg Jets | +3300 | +3000 | +28000 |
| Seattle Kraken | +3500 | +4000 | +4000 |
Kraken stuttering after remarkable winning streak
The Seattle Kraken saw their eight match winning run come to an end this week when they lost 4-1 at home to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Sunday night. They’ve since followed that up with another defeat, this time to Pacific Division rivals, the Edmonton Oilers. The Oilers defeated the Kraken 5-2 in Canada on Tuesday night.
Prior to those two losses, Seattle was unstoppable – winning eight games in a row. Seven of the eight wins came on the road as the Kraken became the first team in NHL history to sweep a seven-match road trip.
where were you when the kraken made @nhl history and swept a seven-game roadtrip? 🤩 pic.twitter.com/OrfzWXKYFQ
— Seattle Kraken (@SeattleKraken) January 15, 2023
Included in the seven game sweep was a 3-0 away at the Bruins, and a 5-1 win over the Maple Leafs. The Kraken weren’t just beating the poorer sides. They were dismantling the top teams in the NHL.
The two recent defeats are setbacks, that is no doubt. Especially the loss to the Oilers, which saw Edmonton close the gap on the Kraken in the Pacific Division. Getting back winning again is now paramount for Seattle if they don’t want to undo all their hard work.
The Devils are on a winning streak of their own
There are teams out there the Kraken would prefer to be playing tonight as they look to get back to winning ways. Why? Well, because the Devils are on a five match winning streak of their own.
The big win in this run came last week when the Devils went to Carolina and defeated the Hurricanes 5-3 at the PNC Arena. This was a statement victory over the leaders of the Metropolitan Division.
Some of the other wins didn’t come as easily. Overtime was needed to see off the Rangers in the first win of the run. And on Sunday night, the Devils needed a shootout to defeat the Sharks.
From the jaws of defeat to sweet victory.
📰: https://t.co/seyQoaltqS pic.twitter.com/W6ZAmkBIGl
— New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) January 16, 2023
They did also win on the road away at the Ducks (6-2) and the Kings (5-2).
Kraken vs Devils Betting Odds and Picks
If the Kraken are looking for any extra motivation for this fixture, they need to just look at where the Devils last four wins have come. Yes, on the road.
Another win for the Devils tonight will see them sweep five from five on the road. They are at home after this, so the Kraken’s away record is safe for now.
The best NHL betting sites make the Devils the favorites. On the moneyline, the Devils are -128, with the Kraken at +116.
This means the Kraken are the team with the +1.5 points advantage on the handicap. With the advantage, the Kraken are -250, the Devils are +210. On the total points line, over 6.5 goals is +107, with under 6.5 at -118.
I am tempted by the Devils on the handicap, as the Kraken have lost their last two games by three goals. But I’m going to play safe and just go for the Devils to win on the moneyline for my betting pick. This is an open game though, so take it easy with your stakes.
On the total goals spread, Devils matches are goal fests, and even three of the Kraken’s last five matches have had seven or more. Over 6.5 has to be the pick.
