NHL Tips & Predictions - NHL Betting Tips For Sunday, February 19

In only their second season in the NHL, the Seattle Kraken are really impressing a lot of people. They have already managed to pass their haul of 27 wins and 60 points from last season as they look to battle for a top spot in the Pacific Division. 

The Kraken are just three points behind the Vegas Golden Knights in the division, while they are only five points behind Eastern Conference leaders the Dallas Stars. Importantly, they have a game in hand over both teams right now. 

It is worth noting that they are only five points clear of Calgary Flames in ninth, so they still have a lot of work to do if they are to secure their playoff spot. 

Their tally of 185 goals scored means they are ranked sixth in the NHL. However, they are placed 18th in goals conceded, with both goaltenders struggling. If the Kraken are to take their place in the playoffs, they need to find a way to continue scoring whilst strengthening their defence.

The Detroit Red Wings have struggled this season, and they are not seen as a particularly strong test for their opponents. Currently sitting in sixth, the side are in danger of missing out on the Wild Card race in the Atlantic Division. 

The Red Wings have kept their failing hopes alive by beating both the Calgary Flames and the Vancouver Canucks, but they still find themselves seven points short of the Pittsburgh Penguins in eighth, knowing they cannot afford to slip up again. 

While Kraken have been decent on the road, the same cannot be said of Detroit, so home advantage is huge for Seattle. Both of the last two meetings between the sides have ended in wins for the home team. I am backing this one to end in a win for the Kraken as they look to strengthen their search for the top spot. 

The Western Conference is very congested right now, with the top three in the Central and Pacific Divisions hardly certain, meaning things could change very quickly. 

The Minnesota Wild host the Nashville Predators on Sunday, with the sides sitting in fourth and fifth respectively in the Central Division. The home team currently hold the final Wild Card spot, while the traveling side have to contend with a four point deficit on their hosts. 

Minnesota currently sit level on points with the Colorado Avalanche, while Nashville have two games in hand on almost all of the sides above them. 

It does not look like this clash will end in a lot of goals. The Wild are ranked 22nd with 158 goals, while Nashville are even more goal shy with 140. Both teams have impressed defensively, with the Predators conceding 147 times, meaning they have the ninth best defence, while Minnesota are joint-10th with 152. 

With the pair struggling for goals this year, this match could end up being won by which goaltender is in better form. The Wild's Filip Gustavsson is ranked joint-fourth in the NHL for save percentage (.923), with Nashville's Juuse Saros is seventh with .902. 

The Wild have been good at home (16-9-1) in comparison to on the road (12-11-3), while Nashville have also fared better on their own ice. In the head to head between the sides, the Predators have won 11 of their last 13 matches including wins on their last two trips to the Xcel Energy Center. With this in mind, I am backing the Predators to pick up a huge win.