Seattle Kraken vs Vancouver Canucks

The Kraken ride a six-game point streak into Rogers Arena and, even on the second half of a back-to-back after a 4-1 win over Nashville, they look like the sharper side than a Canucks team stuck in a prolonged home funk and now missing key forwards Marco Rossi and Conor Garland on top of existing depth issues down the middle. With Seattle’s active roster featuring an in-form Matty Beniers supported by Jordan Eberle and Eeli Tolvanen, and Vancouver leaning heavily on Elias Pettersson and Kiefer Sherwood to drive offense for a group that has struggled to score consistently at home, the price on Seattle as a road underdog offers meaningful value versus a favorite that is just 4-11-1 in its own building and dealing with multiple injuries. The recent head-to-head meeting in Seattle was essentially a coin flip that Vancouver stole in a shootout behind stellar goaltending, and with the Kraken now defending better at five-on-five while still getting key pieces like Jared McCann back healthy, taking the plus-money side on Seattle compensates for the fatigue risk of the back-to-back. Moneyline Pick: Seattle Kraken 135, Grade: B+ — strong value with current form and matchup edges, tempered slightly by schedule spot and road ice. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 02/01/2026 09:26([nhl.com](https://www.nhl.com/news/nashville-predators-seattle-kraken-game-recap-january-1-2026?utm_source=openai))

With Seattle tightening up defensively during its current surge and Vancouver’s forward group further depleted, the matchup leans toward a lower event game that makes Under 6 the preferred side despite the heavier price. The Kraken have been winning by suppressing chances and leaning on strong goaltending, holding recent opponents like Nashville to a single goal, while their own scoring profile remains modest rather than explosive, especially when playing a structured road style. Vancouver, meanwhile, sits near the bottom of the league in goals per game and has labored to generate shots, a problem that will only be magnified without Rossi and Garland and with other regulars already sidelined, putting extra burden on Pettersson and the power play to manufacture offense. The most recent meeting between these clubs finished 3-2 after regulation, consistent with the broader trend of tight divisional games between them, and with both penalty kills performing well and the Canucks likely to lean on Thatcher Demko or Kevin Lankinen to keep things close, a 3-2 or 3-1 type scoreline feels more likely than a track meet. Over/Under Pick: Under 6 at -124, Grade: B — solid but not elite value given the juice, backed by defensive form, injuries, and recent series history. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 02/01/2026 09:26([nhl.com](https://www.nhl.com/news/nashville-predators-seattle-kraken-game-recap-january-1-2026?utm_source=openai))

Given how often these teams play one-goal games and the way Seattle’s current form contrasts with Vancouver’s home struggles, grabbing the Kraken on the puckline at +1.5 goals is a logical, if somewhat pricey, way to back the road side. Seattle has been living in tight-checking contests all season and comes in on a six-game point streak built on disciplined structure and goaltending, which typically keeps them inside a goal even in their losses, while Vancouver’s combination of a poor home record and multiple injured forwards makes it harder to envision them repeatedly pulling away by multi-goal margins. The recent 3-2 shootout in Seattle highlighted how evenly matched these rosters are when healthy, and now the Canucks arrive further undermanned up front, likely forcing them into a more conservative approach that naturally suppresses blowout risk, even if their goaltending gives them a chance to win outright. With the Kraken still boasting their primary scoring threats and mobile blue line intact, and the Canucks’ top guns carrying an outsized workload amid a four-game home losing skid, taking Seattle +1.5 at -190 earns a Puckline Pick: Seattle Kraken +1.5 (-190), Grade: B- — relatively high win probability but middling return on investment due to the steep price. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 02/01/2026 09:26([nhl.com](https://www.nhl.com/news/nashville-predators-seattle-kraken-game-recap-january-1-2026?utm_source=openai))