Seattle Kracken at Vegas Golden Knights Picks and Betting Tips - Golden Knights To Spoil Kracken debut

Vegas can win its season-opener. The Golden Knights made several key moves this offseason and own one of the best defenses in the league. Can the Kracken put the puck in the goal?

 

This is the first meeting ever as the Kracken are an expansion team.

Seattle was awarded the NHL’s 32 franchise in July 2020.

The Kracken is Seattle’s third professional hockey franchise joining the Totems (WHL) and Metropolitans (PCHL).

Seattle will be without five players -- forwards Jared McCann, Joonas Donskoi, Calle Jarnkok, and Marcus Johansson as well as defense man Jamie Oleksiak – due to Covid protocol. 

D Jeremy Lauzon was Seattle’s first pick in the expansion draft.

Mark Giordano, a 38 year-old defenseman, joins the Kracken after 15 seasons with Calgary where he produced 26 points and a plus-5 rating.

G Phillip Grubauer was sensational in goal for Colorado last year, posting a 30-9-1 record wit 7 shutouts, 1.95 GAA and 92.2% save percentage.

Vegas finished second in the Western Division, behind Colorado, as the Golden Knights went 40-14-2 t0 finish with 82 points.

The Golden Knights have reached the playoffs in all four years of their existence, falling to Montreal in the Semi-Finals 4-2 last year.

The Golden Knights went 27-9 at home last year, including 6-4 in the postseason.

Vegas lost several key players this offseason including G Marc-Andre Fleury, RW Ryan Reaves, D Nick Holden, C Tomas Nosek, and C Cody Glass.

The Golden Knights did acquire RW Evgenii Dadanov, G Laurent Brossolt, C Nolan Patrick and C Brett Howden.

G Robin Lehner, who had quite the preseason taking shots at several organization for a variety of reasons, is the Golden Knights No. 1 goaltender with the departure of Fleury. He went 14-6-2 with a 2.5 GAA last year during the regular and postseason. 

D Shea Theodore, a Norris Trophy candidate, had 9 goals and 43 assists in 72 games last year (regular and postseason).