As the New Jersey Devils (21-15-4) travel to face the Seattle Kraken (19-18-3) at Climate Pledge Arena, both teams are seeking to regain their footing. The Devils aim to halt a three-game losing streak, while the Kraken are coming off a victory that ended their own rough patch.

• Date: January 6, 2025
• Time: 10:00 PM ET
• Location: Climate Pledge Arena, Seattle, WA
• Broadcast: MSG, ROOT SPORTS

New Jersey Devils

• Last 10 Games: 4-6-0
• Key Players:
  • Jack Hughes: Leading the team with 53 points (21 goals, 32 assists).
  • Jesper Bratt: Consistently delivering with 45 points this season.
  • Dougie Hamilton: A force on the blue line with 34 points and a +12 rating.
• Goaltending:
  • Vitek Vanecek: Struggling lately with a .902 save percentage.
  • Akira Schmid: Potential option if the Devils seek a spark.
• Strengths: Speed and offensive creativity.
• Weaknesses: Defensive lapses and inconsistent goaltending.

Seattle Kraken

• Last 10 Games: 5-5-0
• Key Players:
  • Matty Beniers: Leading scorer with 41 points (16 goals, 25 assists).
  • Jared McCann: Dangerous sniper with 19 goals this season.
  • Vince Dunn: Contributing from the backend with 30 points.
• Goaltending:
  • Philipp Grubauer: Solid in recent games, posting a .910 save percentage.
  • Joey Daccord: Backup option with strong outings when called upon.
• Strengths: Depth scoring and physicality.
• Weaknesses: Struggles on special teams.

Devils (Projected)

• Forwards:
  • Tatar – Hughes – Bratt
  • Meier – Hischier – Mercer
  • Haula – McLeod – Holtz
  • Bastian – Lazar – Nosek
• Defense:
  • Siegenthaler – Hamilton
  • Marino – Hughes
  • Bahl – Smith
• Goaltender: Vitek Vanecek (likely starter)

Kraken (Projected)

• Forwards:
  • McCann – Beniers – Eberle
  • Schwartz – Wennberg – Tolvanen
  • Gourde – Tanev – Bjorkstrand
  • Kartye – Wright – Geekie
• Defense:
  • Dunn – Larsson
  • Oleksiak – Borgen
  • Soucy – Schultz
• Goaltender: Philipp Grubauer (likely starter)

Devils

1. Tighten Defense: The Devils’ defensive coverage has been a major issue during their losing streak. Limiting high-danger chances will be crucial.
2. Exploit Kraken’s PK: Seattle’s penalty kill ranks among the league’s worst. The Devils’ power play needs to capitalize.
3. Jack Hughes’ Leadership: Hughes’ creativity and scoring touch must lead the way.

Kraken

1. Physical Play: Using their size and strength to disrupt New Jersey’s offensive rhythm will be key.
2. Balanced Scoring: Seattle’s depth can exploit the Devils’ defensive struggles.
3. Strong Start: Jumping out early will put pressure on the Devils, who have been playing catch-up recently.

• Moneyline:
  • Devils: -125
  • Kraken: +105
• Puck Line:
  • Devils -1.5 (+190)
  • Kraken +1.5 (-225)
• Over/Under: 6.5 goals

Prediction: The Devils end their losing streak with a hard-fought 4-3 victory. Jack Hughes and Dougie Hamilton lead the charge, while Vanecek makes key saves to secure the win.