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Kings vs. Maple Leafs Prediction, Picks & Odds for Wednesday's NHL Game

Gary Pearson

Last Updated: October 16, 2024 11:33 AM EDT • 3 min 4 sec read.

Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews battles for the puck with Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby as we offer our Kings vs. Maple Leafs prediction.
Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews battles for the puck with Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby. Photo by Nick Turchiaro via Imagn Images

The start of the Los Angeles Kings' season has been more bizarre than finding a piano on a sandbar in the middle of a river.

They were outplayed in Buffalo but earned the win before outplaying Boston and suffering a defeat. The Kings then somehow secured a point after allowing eight goals in Ottawa.

With that string of weird and wacky results as the only outcomes we can use to gauge the team, who knows what we'll get from Jim Hiller's club in Toronto on Wednesday.

Conversely, I'm confident of what we'll see from Craig Berube's Toronto Maple Leafs, who are among the Stanley Cup odds favorites. 

Our Kings vs. Maple Leafs prediction, picks, and odds analyze whether the Maple Leafs can make it three wins out of four. We also find value in an Auston Matthews prop, who's still searching for his first point of the campaign. 

Kings vs. Maple Leafs prediction

Odds via our best NHL betting sites; pick confidence based on a 1-to-5-star scale.

My best bet: Maple Leafs regulation win ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Best odds: | Implied probability: 53.49%

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I'm avoiding the Over/Under.

Not only have the Kings been all over the map, but  has also been doing his best Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde impression. 

Kuemper was outstanding against Boston, finishing the game with 2.48 goals saved above expected. I'm not sure what happened in transit to Ottawa, but the former Stanley Cup winner allowed eight goals on 41 shots against the Senators, finishing with 4.1 goals saved below expected. 

It has been confirmed that David Rittich will get the start tonight in Toronto, as Kuemper isn't available after becoming a late scratch due to an injury he picked up in that Ottawa shellacking. 

Personally, I think his ego is more bruised than any part of his lower body. 

Bank on consistency under Berube 

While it might not last forever, Berube is one of the best at getting the most from each player, especially defensively. I expect the Maple Leafs to be just as good as they were in the first three games when the Kings come knocking. 

They haven't allowed more than two goals in a contest and are fifth in goals against per game (1.67). Toronto has conceded just two high-danger chances in three outings, the second-fewest. , who has posted a .940 save percentage in two games, has also done his part. 

In quintessential Berube fashion, the Maple Leafs have produced the sixth-highest Corsi rating (55.44%), another sign of how comprehensively they're dictating play. 

And like I said before the home opener against the Pittsburgh Penguins, it's only a matter of time before and unleash their offensive power.

It's a testament to Berube that the Maple Leafs are 2-1 with just one point from their dynamic duo. If the Maple Leafs win before overtime, a $10 bet will lead to an $8.70 profit.

Kings vs. Maple Leafs player prop bet

NHL picks made Wednesday; odds subject to change.

Auston Matthews prop bet: Over 0.5 power-play points ⭐⭐⭐

Best odds: +160 via Betway | Implied probability: 38.46%

While Matthews is pointless through three games, backing him to score a power-play point is anything but. 

Matthews has never started a season without registering a point in the first four games. He logged no points through three games in 2021-22 but notched an assist in the fourth. 

Toronto is 0-for-9 on the power play and is among an unenviable list of four teams yet to score with the man advantage. 

The power play is the ideal way to get off the snide with the added time and space. Both the Leafs' power play and Matthews are overdue, and the Kings have already allowed four goals while shorthanded. Also, there's not enough value in other Matthews props to take the plunge. 

A winning $10 bet would result in a $16 profit. 

Kings vs. Maple Leafs live odds & info

  • When: Wednesday, Oct. 16
  • Puck drop: 7:30 p.m. ET
  • Where: Scotiabank Arena (Toronto, Ontario)
  • How to watch: ESPN+
  • Favorite: Team -115 via Betway

Kings-Maple Leafs predictions made Wednesday at 10 a.m. ET.

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Written By:
Gary Pearson
Gary Pearson has written professionally since 2010, focusing on sports betting since 2014. Before entering the sports betting space, he contributed to the Canadian Press, FanSided, the Hockey Writers, the Calgary Herald, and other publications. His work has also been featured in Sports Illustrated and Bleacher Report. Gary, who consumes sports like a blue whale devours plankton, has a penchant for writing predictions and analyses across several sports, including hockey, soccer, football, tennis, and more. He bets regularly, preferring single-game picks, props, and live betting. While there isn't a sport he has yet to dabble in, Gary prefers betting on soccer, hockey, and football. He studied at various post-secondary institutions, including the University of Calgary, SAIT Polytechnic, and Griffith University, located in Brisbane, Australia. Gary has a marketing degree and completed his bachelor's degree in journalism at Griffith University. He feels strongly that life experience is as essential as post-secondary education, helping formulate more accurate predictions and analyses. Gary believes that competing at a high level of amateur sports during his formative years helped him better understand an athlete's psyche and the nuances and complexities of a team's dynamic, both on and off the playing surface. He feels that knowledge is immeasurably important when offering his analytical expertise. He has lived on five continents and currently resides in Canada.