Published Oct 6, 5:39am ET by
Alex Dudley - Betting Preview Analyst and Sports Writer
Last updated Oct 6, 5:39am ET
Credit: AI Generated
Updated Oct 6, 5:40am ET
An entertaining opening night of NHL action is set for Tuesday, October 7. Crypto.com Arena will welcome the Los Angeles Kings for the first time in 2025 this week, and they face a fascinating challenge on the opening night against the Colorado Avalanche. Find our picks here.
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|
|---|---|
| Los Angeles Kings | -101 |
| Colorado Avalanche | -111 |
| Total | Avalanche | Kings | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Games | 171 | 80 | 83 |
| Total Goals | 1108 | 541 | 567 |
Jim Hiller's Los Angeles Kings will have home ice advantage for the opening night of the NHL season. Anze Kopitar will be a notable player for the Kings this season after the stalwart announced that he would be retiring at the end of 2025 after a prolonged stay with the franchise.
The Kings will undeniably be one of the key players in the Western Conference in 2025, as they bid to improve on their fourth-placed finish last season. However, more will be expected from the team in the post-season after exiting in the opening round of the playoffs for the fourth straight campaign.
There is likely to be pressure on Jared Bednar and his Colorado Avalanche team immediately this season after stuttering for form throughout pre-season. It could be worth noting that they went 1-2 on the road during the pre-season campaign.
However, it is always challenging to overlook their reliable record in the regular season. The Avalanche enjoyed another decent campaign in 2024-25, going 49-29-4. However, their playoff journey ended in the first round at the hands of the Dallas Stars last term.
This will be an interesting opening night clash in the NHL this week. The Kings bring the better recent form to the table, and they have won 54.7% of their home matches against the Avalanche. Therefore, the home victory could be worth chancing when making Avalanche vs. Kings picks this week.
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Pick
Los Angeles Kings (-101)
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