Free NHL Picks Today: Toronto Maple Leafs vs Seattle Kraken 1/5/23

Free NHL Picks Today: Toronto Maple Leafs vs Seattle Kraken 1/5/23
Thu 5th January 2023

The Toronto Maple Leafs (23-8-7) welcome the Seattle Kraken (20-12-4) at Scotiabank Arena on Thursday. Seattle is coming off a 5-2 win over the Oilers on Tuesday. The Kraken took advantage of their limited power play opportunities, scoring once on three shots, while also conceding a power play goal.

Five players found the net for the Kraken. Jaden Schwartz scored and provided two assists to lead the team in scoring. Martin Jones saved an impressive 30 of 32 shots (.937%) in the win.Toronto fell 6-5 (SO) to the Blues on Tuesday. Michael Bunting was the leading goal scorer for the Maple Leafs, netting twice. Ilya Samsonov only had 27 saves on 32 shots against (.843%) in the loss.

HEAD TO HEAD

The Maple Leafs won both games between the teams last season, including a 6-4 victory in their final meeting in March. Auston Matthews led Toronto with three goals. Colin Blackwell led Seattle with two points (1G 1A). Jack Campbell got the win despite saving only 26 of 30 shots (.866%).

FACING OFF

Seattle is averaging 3.50 goals per game for the season, sixth in the NHL, and they are taking on a Maple Leafs team that is allowing just 2.61 goals a game (4th). Meanwhile, Toronto has found the net 3.42 times a game on average, seventh in the league, and the Kraken are allowing opponents to score 3.22 goals per game (18th).

The Maple Leafs’ 25.00% power play percentage ranks ninth in the league, while the Kraken are 19th with a conversion rate of 21.30%. While efficient on the power play, Seattle has been poor at penalty killing, as the away team owns the league’s second-lowest PK% at 68.42%. Toronto’s 78.45% ranks 16th in the NHL.

TOP PERFORMERS:

With 28 and 27 points this season, Andre Burakovsky and Matty Beniers have been the top skaters for the Kraken. In the net, Jones (15-5-3) is Seattle’s top goaltender by goals against average. He has a 2.96 GAA and a .888% save percentage.

William Nylander (45 points), Matthews (44), and Mitchell Marner (43) lead the Maple Leafs in scoring. Nylander has 22 goals (9th) and 23 assists in 38 games, while Matthews has 19 goals and 25 assists in 38 games.

Marner has 14 goals and 29 assists. Samsonov (11-3-0) has the best goals against average for Toronto at 2.20, third-best in the league. He has a save percentage of .920%.

HOME AND AWAY

Seattle is 10-4-2 on the road this season. Toronto is 13-2-4 at Scotiabank Arena this season.

SportsTips’ NHL Pick:

Toronto Maple Leafs (-225)

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*Odds correct at time of publication, courtesy of BetMGM.

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