Buffalo Sabres vs. Seattle Kraken Pick & Prediction JANUARY 20th 2025

Preview and Prediction

When skipper Jordan Eberle ultimately makes his return from the injured reserve, the Seattle Kraken may need to find another position for him in the lineup.

This is due to the fact that their top trio seems to be solidified with Jaden Schwartz, Matty Beniers, and Kaapo Kakko.

On Saturday, Schwartz netted three goals and Kakko tallied three assists as Seattle kicked off a lengthy home stretch with a 4-2 win against the Los Angeles Kings.

The Kraken, who will play eight of their next nine games at home, will look to maintain their momentum when they host the Buffalo Sabres in a Monday afternoon matchup.

"It cannot be overstated, the impact that the line of Matty Beniers, Jaden, and Kakko have on our team, night after night," stated Seattle coach Dan Bylsma. "That line has been fueled by Kakko's presence in the offensive zone, his ability to hold onto the puck. This has allowed Schwartz to make quick moves, be at the net, and for Matty to find good positions."

Kakko, the second overall pick in the 2019 draft, has recorded 13 points (four goals, nine assists) in 14 games with the Kraken since being acquired on December 18th from the New York Rangers in exchange for defenseman Will Borgen and two mid-round draft picks this past summer. Kakko is currently on a five-game point streak, during which he has three goals and five assists.

"He is very good at protecting the puck," said Schwartz of Kakko. "As you have seen, he has a great shot, but he also excels at making subtle plays with the puck ... he has great vision on the ice."

The addition of Kakko has elevated the play of Beniers, the second overall pick in the 2021 draft. He has recorded five goals and three assists since the trade.

"I think our line has been playing pretty well," stated Kakko. "We are creating a lot of opportunities."

Schwartz, in his 14th NHL season, described playing with the young players as "a lot of fun."

"They are working really hard right now, doing the little things right, moving the puck, and getting open. We just want to keep building on that," said Schwartz.

Kakko scored twice in the third period against Buffalo on January 11th as the Kraken came back from a two-goal deficit to defeat the Sabres 6-2. Oliver Bjorkstrand broke the tie early in the third period before Kakko scored back-to-back goals to secure the win for Seattle.

The Sabres are embarking on a four-game trip out west, which will also take them to Vancouver, Calgary, and Edmonton.

They suffered a 5-2 loss to Pittsburgh on Friday, as the Penguins' Alex Nedeljkovic not only made 40 saves, but also became the first goaltender to score a goal and record an assist in the same game.

"The biggest difference was, first, they outplayed us on special teams," said Sabres coach Lindy Ruff. "But when you have as many opportunities as we did to score, like in the second period with 2-on-1s, breakaways, (Tage Thompson) had a few chances in the slot, and backdoor plays, you have to capitalize on those."

Thompson leads the Sabres with 19 goals and 36 points, but the team currently sits at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings.

Nineteen-year-old Zach Benson recorded a goal and an assist for the Sabres on Friday.

"In the second period, we probably had four grade-A scoring chances," said Benson. "We could have done a better job of getting traffic in front of the net, but we have some elite shooters who can pick their spots from where they are shooting."

PREDICTION

Buffalo Sabres

2

3

Seattle Kraken