The Los Angeles Kings have lost to the Edmonton Oilers in Round 1 of the playoffs the past two years, and the two teams will go head-to-head for the third consecutive year with Game 1 scheduled for Monday.
Edmonton is led by superstars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, and the club took off after head coach Kris Knoblauch took over behind the bench with a league-best 46-18-5 record. Los Angeles also made a coaching change and went 21-12-1 with interim coach Jim Hiller calling the shots.
The Oilers have home-ice advantage and won the season series 3-1, including both games at Rogers Place. Still, Los Angeles is no slouch, and the Kings might just have the deeper lineup.
Here are our NHL picks and Kings vs. Oilers predictions for Round 1, which begins Monday, April 22.
All odds courtesy of BET99.
Kings vs Oilers series odds
| Market | ||
|---|---|---|
 Kings (+155) |
To win |  Oilers (-190) |
| Kings +1.5 (-130) |
Handicap | Oilers -1.5 (+110) |
Edmonton is tied with the Florida Panthers for the third-shortest odds of the eight Round 1 favorites, and interestingly, the Oilers winning in five or seven games is carrying a shorter price than Edmonton winning on the road in Game 6.
Kings vs Oilers series preview
Kings statistical breakdown
| Regular Season | Since All-Star break | Since Trade Deadline | |
|---|---|---|---|
| CF% | 53.9 (4th) | 51.5 (11th) | 51.5 (15th) |
| Adjusted CF% | 54.7 (4th) | 52.0 (9th) | 52.3 (11th) |
| GF% | 53.6 (10th) | 56.9 (6th) | 60.6 (1st) |
| xGF% | 54.6 (4th) | 53.0 (9th) | 53.5 (8th) |
| Adjusted xGF% | 55.1 (4th) | 53.3 (8th) | 54.0 (8th) |
| Team SH% | 7.9 (26th) | 8.2 (25th) | 9.4 (11th) |
| Team SV% | .917 (10th) | .904 (24th) | .931 (2nd) |
| PDO | 99.6 (22nd) | .930 (3rd) | 102.6 (4th) |
| PP% | 22.6 (12th) | 25.0 (10th) | 22.4 (16th) |
| PK% | 84.6 (2nd) | 80.6 (8th) | 79.3 (12th) |
The Los Angeles Kings are an interesting handicap because as they improved their PDO as the year progressed but their possession numbers declined. Still, the Kings pass the eye test and have been an analytical darling for most of the season.
A major concern is the goaltending failing to maintain the elite play against a high-powered offense, in addition to the penalty-kill percentage declining down the stretch.
The goals and expected goals percentages have been strong all season, and the improved shooting percentage is sustainable. Los Angeles is an incredibly well-rounded sixth seed.
Oilers statistical breakdown
| Regular Season | Since All-Star break | Since Trade Deadline | |
|---|---|---|---|
| CF% | 55.2 (3rd) | 55.1 (2nd) | 54.1 (6th) |
| Adjusted CF% | 55.5 (3rd) | 55.2 (2nd) | 55.0 (4th) |
| GF% | 55.8 (5th) | 57.7 (3rd) | 60.2 (2nd) |
| xGF% | 57.1 (1st) | 56.9 (2nd) | 55.8 (4th) |
| Adjusted xGF% | 57.3 (2nd) | 57.0 (3rd) | 56.5 (4th) |
| Team SH% | 8.8 (14th) | 9.3 (6th) | 9.6 (10th) |
| Team SV% | .914 (13th) | .916 (15th) | .921 (9th) |
| PDO | 100.2 (15th) | 101.0 (12th) | 101.7 (8th) |
| PP% | 26.3 (4th) | 25.5 (6th) | 25.4 (9th) |
| PK% | 79.5 (15th) | 74.3 (28th) | 78.3 (14th) |
It’s scary to see a team sporting elite underlying statistics while hanging in the middle of the pack in PDO. Everything the Edmonton Oilers did offensively during the regular season can be duplicated in the playoffs, and considering the star power on the roster the improved shooting percentage since the All-Star break, could even be topped in an individual series.
Additionally, it’s difficult to even statistically nitpick Edmonton. Sure, the penalty-kill percentage dipping in the second half isn’t ideal and maintaining a .921 five-on-five save percentage could be tough. It’s just that elite possession and goal shares pair perfectly with power-play success to make the Oilers a nightmare opponent.
All statistics are at five-on-five except power-play percentage and penalty-kill percentage.
Kings vs Oilers series props
Kings vs Oilers correct score odds
| Team | To win 4-0 | To win 4-1 | To win 4-2 | To win 4-3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kings |
+2,000 | +1,000 | +600 | +460 |
| Oilers |
+750 | +400 | +425 | +400 |
Pick: Oilers to win 4-2 (+425 at BET99)
I give the Oilers two advantages that will decide this series. First, the one-two punch of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl make Edmonton a matchup nightmare, and especially on home ice with the last-change advantage.
The second edge is the Edmonton offense being able to flip a switch and win a high-scoring game or come from behind if needed. Los Angeles has a middling offensive attack, and I also don’t expect the Kings to maintain an elite-level goaltending throughout an entire series against the high-scoring Oilers.
Kings vs Oilers series best bet
Pick: Connor McDavid Conn Smythe winner (+850 at BET99)
The Oilers are hanging with the betting favorites in the Stanley Cup odds at +700, and McDavid’s price to win the Conn Smythe Trophy will continue to shorten every time Edmonton advances a round. While it’s obviously not a guarantee McDavid will win the Conn Smythe if Edmonton wins it all, I would be surprised if he didn’t because it’s the next box to check on his Hall of Fame resume.
If you’re looking to plant an early flag in the Conn Smythe odds, this is the time to back McDavid.
NHL Playoff Odds FAQs
The Carolina Hurricanes are favored to win the NHL Playoffs.
The Washington Capitals are the biggest long shot to win the Stanley Cup.
The Stanley Cup Playoffs feature 16 teams (eight from each conference), with the top three teams in each division automatically qualifying.
