The Seattle Kraken, sitting at .500 and fighting for a playoff spot in the Pacific Division, travel to face the Los Angeles Kings, who hold a slight edge in the standings but have been inconsistent lately. Seattle enters off a mixed bag of results, including a recent win streak snapped by injuries, while the Kings aim to build momentum at home after a tough loss. This divisional clash could hinge on goaltending and special teams, with both squads dealing with absences but boasting solid depth. Expect a physical, low-scoring affair given recent trends.
Venue Location
Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA. This 18,500-seat venue, home to the Kings since 1999, is known for its vibrant atmosphere and has hosted numerous high-profile NHL events, potentially giving the Kings a boost in this pre-Christmas matchup.
Puckdrop scheduled for 10:00 p.m. ET (7:00 p.m. PT local time). The game will be broadcast on ESPN+ and FanDuel Sports Network West, with streaming available via ESPN+ and regional restrictions applying.
Injury Report
Both teams are managing key absences, with Seattle hit harder on defense and Los Angeles thin in goal.
Latest updates as of afternoon game day:
| Team | Player | Position | Status | Injury Details |
| Seattle Kraken | Vince Dunn | D | Day-to-day | Undisclosed (exited recent game after collision; upper-body suspected) |
| Seattle Kraken | Brandon Montour | D | Out | Hand surgery (expected return Jan. 19; sidelined 4 weeks) |
| Seattle Kraken | Jared McCann | LW | Out | Lower body (IR; expected return Jan. 2) |
| Seattle Kraken | Berkly Catton | C | Out | Undisclosed (IR; expected return Dec. 28) |
| Seattle Kraken | Jaden Schwartz | C | Out | Undisclosed (IR; expected return Jan. 1) |
| Los Angeles Kings | Darcy Kuemper | G | Out | Upper body (IR; expected return Dec. 27) |
Seattle’s blue line is depleted without Montour and potentially Dunn, forcing more minutes on Jamie Oleksiak and Adam Larsson. The Kings will rely on David Rittich in net, as Kuemper’s absence impacts their goaltending tandem.
Player Matchups
This Pacific Division battle features intriguing clashes between offensive talents and defensive stalwarts, potentially decided by special teams and netminding.
Matty Beniers (SEA) vs. Anze Kopitar (LAK): Beniers (averaging ~0.8 PPG) leads Seattle’s young core with speed and playmaking; Kopitar (veteran captain, ~1 PPG) brings shutdown defense and faceoff prowess (55%+), likely neutralizing Beniers in key draws.
Yanni Gourde/Jordan Eberle (SEA) vs. Quinton Byfield/Adrian Kempe (LAK): Gourde’s grit and Eberle’s scoring (combined 20+ goals) face Byfield’s size and Kempe’s speed (25+ goals pace); this wing matchup could spark transition plays.
Jamie Oleksiak/Adam Larsson (SEA) vs. Kevin Fiala (LAK): With Dunn questionable, Oleksiak and Larsson must contain Fiala’s creativity (~0.9 PPG); Fiala’s shot volume could exploit Seattle’s thinned D.
Goaltending: Joey Daccord (SEA) vs. David Rittich (LAK): Daccord (.905 SV%) has been steady; Rittich (.910 SV%) steps up without Kuemper, but his inconsistency in high-shot games favors Seattle if they pressure early.
Seattle’s depth forwards may target LA’s bottom-six, but the Kings’ home power play (top-15) could capitalize on Kraken penalties.
Recent Team Forms
Seattle has shown resilience but struggles on the road, while LA has been streaky with home strength.
Seattle Kraken (Last 10 Games): 4-4-2 record, averaging 2.8 GPG while allowing 3.1. They’ve alternated wins and losses, including a 4-2 win over San Jose on Dec. 20 and 3-1 over Anaheim on Dec. 22, but dropped 1-2 to New Jersey on Dec. 19. Road form: 3-5-2, with defensive lapses in losses.
| Date | Opponent | Result | Score |
| Dec 22 | @ ANA | W | 3-1 |
| Dec 20 | vs. SJS | W | 4-2 |
| Dec 19 | vs. NJD | L | 1-2 |
| Dec 18 | @ CGY | L | (Loss) |
| Dec 16 | vs. COL | L | (Loss) |
| … | … | 4-4-2 overall | Avg. -0.3 margin |
Los Angeles Kings (Last 10 Games): 5-3-2 record, averaging 3.0 GPG while allowing 2.7. They’ve won 4 of their last 6 at home but lost 1-3 to Columbus on Dec. 22 and 4-1 to Dallas on Dec. 15. Home form: 5-3-2, with strong special teams.
| Date | Opponent | Result | Score |
| Dec 22 | vs. CBJ | L | 1-3 |
| Dec 21 | vs. HOU? | W | (Win) |
| Dec 18 | @ POR? | L | (Loss) |
| Dec 15 | vs. DAL | L | 1-4 |
| Dec 10 | @ SEA | L (OT) | 2-3 |
| … | … | 5-3-2 overall | Avg. +0.3 margin |
Series History
The all-time series is close, with the Kings leading 8-8-0 in 16 regular-season meetings since Seattle’s expansion. Playoff history: None. This season, Seattle won the first matchup 3-2 OT on Dec. 10, snapping a skid. Over the last 10: Split 5-5, with averages of 5.8 total goals. In LA: Kings 5-3, but Kraken won last visit 6-5 on Apr. 15, 2025. Games often feature overs and tight finishes, with 7 of 10 decided by 2 goals or less.
Betting Trends
Kings 13-6 as favorites; Kraken 6-12 as underdogs. Kings 14-21 ATS overall, 8-9 ATS at home; Kraken 18-16 ATS, 9-8 ATS on road. Over has hit in 6 of Seattle’s last 10 (60%) and 5 of LA’s last 10 (50%). Head-to-head: Over 6-4 in last 10. Kings 4-1 SU in last 5 home games; Kraken 4-2 SU in last 6 overall but 2-4 SU vs. Pacific teams.
Game Odds
Seattle Kraken 5.5
Los Angeles Kings – 250
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Monday, December 22, 2025
